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Martin to speak at Fayette Dem. meeting

The Fayette County Democrats will host their monthly breakfast meeting Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m. at Chaps in Tyrone. Jim Martin, candidate for lieutenant governor, will address the group.

Martin is a lifelong Georgian. At the age of eight, Martin contracted polio. After years of intense physical therapy, he overcame the disease with the help and support of those around him. This experience inspired Martin to become a champion for quality healthcare for all Georgians later in his life.

After attending the Atlanta public schools, Martin enrolled in the University of Georgia. On Dec. 4, 1963, he was elected freshman class president. A self-described “Triple Dawg”, Martin spent the better part of a decade in Athens, earning three degrees (a bachelor’s degree and two law degrees). Interrupted only by two years of service in the Army, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, Martin has spent his entire life in Georgia.

Martin started his professional career drafting legislation for the state legislature and advocating for working people and children. In 1983 he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. During 18 years of service in the House, Martin authored and passed more than 60 major pieces of reform legislation in the areas of healthcare, family law, civil and criminal justice, education, probate, business law, environmental law, labor law and tax policy.

Martin served as chairman of a number of important committees, including the Judiciary Committee and the Human Services Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. He also served as an active member of the Industrial Relations, Special Judiciary and Children and Youth Committees.

Because of Martin’s legislative success and commitment in the areas of healthcare and human services, Gov. Roy Barnes appointed him to serve as Commissioner of Human Resources, overseeing a department that employs over 18,000 people and manages over 100 programs in 1,000 locations in all 159 Georgia counties. Martin's service as commissioner continued under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

A lawyer in private practice for over 20 years, Martin has dedicated his career to ensuring that all Georgians have access to high-quality legal services. In his early career, he served as a staff attorney and legislative advocate for the Legal Aid Society and the Legal Services Program. Most recently, Martin served as the chief legal officer for the Georgia Indigent Defense Standards Council. His work with the Council was instrumental in the creation of this new state agency - Georgia now has a nationally recognized public defender system that ensures effective and cost-efficient representation of indigent defendants.

Martin and his wife Joan have been married for 35 years. They have four children (Morgan, Rebecca, Jay and Frank) and two grandsons (Quinn and Grant). Martin is also an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.

The Fayette County Democrats invite everyone interested in Democratic politics in Fayette County to participate. The Fayette County Democrats meet on the third Saturday of every month for breakfast. Meeting participants can order from the menu prior to the beginning of the meeting. The meeting will be called to order at 10 a.m.

Chaps is on Ga. Highway 74 in Tyrone, across from Publix shopping center. For directions, call 770-892-2000. For more information about the Fayette County Democratic Committee, please contact Kevin Madden, chairman, at 404-918-9804 or via e-mail at fayettedemocrat@yahoo.com. More information can be found at www.fayettedemocrat.org.