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Brown-Tennant spat
overshadows Kourajian’s challenge in Post 2
By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com
Dan Tennant, who appeared to
be the lone man running in the race for Peachtree City Council for six
months, now finds himself in the race of his life as campaigning enters
the final days before the Nov. 4 election.
Tennant announced his intentions in April to seek reelection to his Post
2 seat and faced no announced opposition until Stuart Kourajian qualified
in early September.
But keeping pace with Tennant all that time, tripping him up if not officially
running against him, has been Mayor Steve Brown, who this week stepped
up his unrelenting campaign to discredit the incumbent.
Brown claimed he was doing Tennant a “courtesy” when he fired
off an e-mail over the weekend threatening to release “data”
to metro Atlanta news outlets about Tennant’s voting and attendance
records and campaign contributions.
The single-page, three-paragraph communication, widely circulated around
the city since it surfaced Sunday morning, goes on to declare Tennant
is to blame for the “grinding debacle” the city has faced in
its relationship with the development authority, and concludes with an
admission by Brown that “I know, firsthand, how it feels to have
someone go to the press and to tear you apart.”
Brown concludes: “I know how it feels to be set up so I’m telling
you ahead of time what I am doing.”
An incredulous Tennant fired off a rebuttal e-mail almost immediately
Sunday, calling Brown “dangerous” and “conniving”
and asking the community to pray for the mayor.
“I honestly believe he doesn’t realize the damage he continues
to inflict on our city and its reputation,” wrote Tennant.
On Monday, Brown dismissed the e-mail and the tone of the words he chose,
saying he just wants Tennant to be “truthful” in the campaign’s
final days. He denied having plans to “set up” Tennant, or turn
over documents to the local or Atlanta media. “This material is all
available for public review,” he said.
Brown defended his choice of language this way: “The term ‘set
up’ denotes maneuvering to harm without the other knowing it. I was
being up front and avoiding the set-up. I was letting Tennant know that
I will tell the truth in public.”
But Brown’s interpretation of the truth is clearly opposite his own,
Tennant said, and the timing is suspect.
“I proudly stand on my four-year voting record,” Tennant declared,
calling Brown’s “obvious attempt” to discredit him a week
before the election “a long known political tactic employed by those
who have little regard for fairness or accuracy. It is yet another bomb
Brown feels compelled to drop.”
Countered Brown, “I find nothing dirty about being honest. I always
cite my references and present my case clearly. Tennant is setting himself
up to lose the election with his actions.”
On the sidelines, but clearly not forgotten, is Tennant’s opposition.
Stuart Kourajian has managed to remain relatively above the fray while
the two political foes, who at one time were admitted allies, battle it
out week after week. In fact, Tennant claims to side with Kourajian on
some key issues.
“We’re not that different, and in the month I’ve known
him we’ve become great pals,” Tennant said at the Oct. 21 candidate
forum hosted by the Rotary Club.
Where that leaves Kourajian remains to be seen, but the first-time politician,
a projects manager with SunTrust Bank who has lived in Peachtree City
15 years, is using the Tennant-Brown spat to his advantage.
Peachtree City’s elected officials “conducted themselves with
professionalism and respect” until recently, he said. “We are
entering some interesting times. We need to have leaders in place that
can address the issues and that have the energy and the passion to continue
the standards that we’ve come to expect.”
If the two men whose names appear on the ballot do, indeed, have something
in common, it’s evident on the Internet, where both maintain campaign
Web sites. That’s in contrast to the Post 1 candidates, none of whom
have claimed receiving contributions.
Kourajian doesn’t seem concerned that in some circles, the Post 2
race is shaping up as a campaign for or against Steve Brown’s influence:
Vote for Tennant to send a message to Steve Brown, or vote for Kourajian
and give Brown what he will, no doubt, interpret as a political victory.
Indeed, Brown has avoided coming out in support of Kourajian, instead
choosing to focus on what he perceives are Tennant’s weaknesses.
And while Brown has made it no secret that he wants Tennant off the council
to try and break the no-majority vote tallies on development authority
business, there has been no indication that Kourajian would vote any differently.
“Kourajian appears to be more principled; however, the proof is in
the pudding,” Brown said earlier this week. “Tennant’s
pudding has spoiled.”
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