Kansas Resident, Former Employee Seek Rep. David Ralston's Ouster

A writ seeking the Ouster of Georgia House District 7 Representative David Ralston of Blue Ridge, Georgia was filed with the Fanning County Clerk of Superior Court on Friday Jan. 26th, 2007. The quo warranto was filed without a lawyer on Friday by David M. Price of Topeka, Kansas and Darlene Dillard of Mineral Bluff, Georgia.

According to Price he is president for the Independent Federal Fund Oversight Committee based out of Topeka. "We are like the clean up crew, we have been doing this for years," Price said. He commented further, "we're like guardians of the system." He went on without identifying any of the organizations other members nor did he offer information on their funding during the interview.

Ms. Dillard is a former employee as bookkeeper in Ralston's Blue Ridge Firm, who was convicted of embezzling funds from the firm in August of 2005, only after a voluntarily plea of guilty in front of Judge Brenda Weaver of Fannin County Superior Court.

The primary allegation for the writ is that Ralston is ineligible under the Georgia Constitution to hold office because he is delinquent on his taxes. Only the paragraph of the Constitution appears to apply only to tax liabilities on which there has been final adjudication in court. Ralston's case is still pending. A federal tax lien has been filed against Ralston for his back taxes, and he is currently attempting to resolve that claim against him.

Ralston stated, "Darlene Dillard is a convicted felon, admitted thief, and she has now committed perjury. I have exercised restraint throughout this ordeal without making public comments on a private matter. However, the embezzlement and theft of Ms. Dillard has caused enormous financial hardship for my family and staff, not to mention the embarrassment publicly, she will have her day in court." He went on to say, "Mr. Price evidently makes a living off disgruntled, bitter and malcontented individuals. I think we should consider the source and see through what is not only a frivolous, but ludicrous case, and worthy of little comment."

In a situation like this, we have to pretty much run with our instincts as to who we are going to believe is telling the truth, politics plays such a part in our lives in virtually everything we do in America today. The statement "it's politicked in," is as common as the statement, "pass the salt," at the dinner table. Most is not not what you know, but who you know.