A Speaker in disgrace
As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Glenn Richardson was outspoken, arrogant, drunk on power ... and dirty. As leader of the House Republicans, he catered to the lobbyists and special interests, even creating the unconstitutional "Hawk" system to override members of his own party when they failed to toe the party line.
As just one example of Richardson's willingness to sell out the people of Georgia to the special interests, he was instrumental in passing SB 31, a 2009 bill that allowed Georgia Power to raise rates on consumers. While Georgia Power asserted that the rate hike was necessary to pay for construction of new power plants, it was revealed during hearings that over $1 billion of the new money brought in was going straight into Georgia Power's bank accounts. Richardson was able to gain passage of SB 31 despite bipartisan opposition.
Richardson resigned the Speaker's gavel, and his seat in the House, effective January 1, 2010 following allegations from his ex-wife in the wake of the Speaker's suicide attempt in November 2009.
- Threatening to use state resources for personal vendettas
According to Susan Richardson, in November 2009, Richardson sent his ex-wife 49 text messages over the course of a weekend, threatening her with physical harm, and also threatening to turn her in to the Department of Family and Children's Services. In the messages, Richardson also threatened to use the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia State Patrol to find his ex-wife.1
- An "inappropriate relationship"
As Speaker, Richardson carried on an affair with a lobbyist for Atlanta Gas Light at the same time that AGL was pushing a controversial pipeline project that Richardson co-sponsored2. Richardson even threatened to "bring all hell down" on AGL if they fired his lobbyist girlfriend.3
- Friends on the Ethics Committee
When a complaint about Richardson's inappropriate relationship was filed with the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, it was summarily dismissed. The chair of that committee was Senator Eric Johnson.
1. "Richardson's Ex-wife Talks" Fox 5 Atlanta 11/30/2009
2. Text of HB 1325 (2006)
3. "Richardson's Ex-wife Talks" Fox 5 Atlanta 11/30/2009
