Wednesday, August 1, 2001
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Wednesday, August 1, 2001 |
| Hecht raising
money for congressional run
By DAVE
HAMRICK
State Sen. Greg Hecht, D-Jonesboro, has raised about $100,000 so far for a political campaign that may never happen, he says. Hecht's Senate District 34 includes northern Fayette County. "We did not make an official announcement," Hecht told The Citizen Friday in response to area news reports that he had indeed announced his candidacy for Congress. "I am not planning on running unless those lines go my way," he said. "Those lines" he referred to are the district lines for congressional seats, which will be redrawn in a special session of the Georgia Legislature beginning today. Because of growth in state population, Georgia will get two new congressional districts, and one of those is expected to be in the south metro Atlanta area. If that district favors a Hecht candidacy, he said, he will launch a campaign for it. In order to begin raising money and get a jump on the competition, he had to file that intent with federal agencies. He conducted his first fund-raiser in Clayton County last week. Fayette County Republicans are calling foul, pointing out that Hecht is a member of the Reapportionment Committee. He shouldn't be directly involved in drawing the new lines if he is hoping to run for one of the seats, says a press release from the party. "It would appear that the senator has a blatant conflict of interest in that he has made no secret of his burning desire to serve in Congress, while at the same time serving on the powerful committee that will determine the makeup of our congressional districts," said Lane Watts, local party chairman. "He has positioned himself perfectly to exert extraordinary influence on the process and thereby benefit himself immensely politically. With this neat arrangement, no wonder the average citizen feels nothing but cynicism towards politicians and the political process." Hecht said he doesn't have "extraordinary influence" on the process. "I'm one of many members of the Reapportionment Committee," he said, adding that he is not part of the all-Democrat subcommittee that is steering the work of the committee. There are numerous proposed district maps, he said, adding that no one person is in control of the process. The Jonesboro lawyer said he has no idea at this point whether Fayette or a portion of Fayette would be included in a hypothetical south metro district. If it is, "I would be honored to serve all or a portion. Fayette is a tremendous county," he said.
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