MARTOC Chairman Arrested for DUI
Republican Tom Taylor of Dunwoody was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in northeast Georgia’s Rabun County according to an AJC story by Aaron Gould Sheinin. According to a police report, Taylor’s blood alcohol level was nearly 3 times the legal limit, was driving 72 mph in a 45 mph zone, and had four juveniles with him. He was carrying a gun at the time he was arrested.
While everyone should be considered innocent until proven guilty, Taylor’s arrest comes at a critical time, six weeks before the Republican primary election, and 18 days before the start of early voting. Taylor’s primary challenger is Tom Owens. Yeah, that Tom Owens. Taylor is also the chairman of the MARTA oversight committee. After transit related legislation got limited results in the 2016 session, providing only a mini TSPLOST in Fulton County, a more extensive debate on transit, especially in the Atlanta region, is expected in 2017.
The winner of the GOP primary faces no opposition in November. It’s possible, but unlikely, that Taylor’s case will be wrapped up before the primary. It will be interesting to see which candidate District 79 Republicans choose.
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Jon Richards
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Damn everything to hell.
Mr. Secretary, Mr. Secretary, Uh, about that nonpartisan ballot access…
Yawn…….DeKalb County…..it is in the water……especially when used as a mixer….
If he had juveniles in the car, why wasn’t he also charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Minor?
Good get him a driver for out of town and make him use Uber in town…..it’s all good.
Clearly Rep. Taylor has a problem. The voters of this district have a bigger one. His opponent is Tom Owens. Tom is the man that filed a restraining order against our own George Chidi because he didn’t want a man he presumed to be “just an angry black muslim” asking him questions. The video that Owens, Joe Newton, and another man brought to the trial as evidence that George was threatening them demonstrated a level of delusion that isn’t often seen in Georgia politics. (Now you just let sink in what I just said. Go ahead. Stop and think about what level that must be.)
I hope that Rep Taylor is able to regain the voters trust. Because Tom Owens should be trusted by no one.
This is a very troubling story for a variety of different reasons, a couple of which were left out of the write up above: (1) The arrest occurred at 2:45 in the afternoon. That is way too early in the day for anyone to be that hammered. (2) He also had an empty water bottle that smelled strongly of alcohol. These are the signs of someone who has moved well beyond functional alcoholism, not someone who made a one-time mistake.
I am not unsympathetic to Rep. Taylor’s situation (and I’m even OK with him not resigning, given his opponent), but I really hope he does seek and receive the help he needs.
This is a typical political choice, one with personal failings or one completely untrustworthy.
There is likely a problem if you can blow a .225 and remain upright much less drive between the lines (he was pulled for speeding initially, not weaving, etc.) There is also a problem when walking mostly upright requires wear and tear on your knuckles. As I alluded above someone who cares and lives in the district may wish to run as an independent but it’s a tough row to hoe in Georgia. Probably the only thing the two parties have consistently agreed on through the years is keeping all battles just between the two parties.
Bummer, a GA GOPer who voted against HB797. Hope he gets it together.
Clayton, GA is 90 miles from Dunwoody. The post left off that the arrest occurred about 2:45pm.
Taylor is lucky and good luck to him with a second chance. Owens best bet is to lay low and let surrogates that aren’t crazy, if there are any, stir the pot, since Dunwoody voters will choose a drunk over a crank.
No Dem candidate is demonstration of general Dem deficiency.