Georgia House Speaker Accused of Abusing Power To Enrich His Law Firm

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Feb 14, 2019

ATLANTA, GEORGIA — A prominent Georgia lawmaker is abusing an outdated legal loophole regularly to enrich his private legal practice at the expense of justice, according to reports.

In more than 20 criminal cases, Speaker of Georgia State House of Representatives David Ralston asked for 55 continuances, citing the one-hundred-year-old “Legislative Leave Law” in every case, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Ralston is guilty of abusing the state’s antiquated “Legislative Leave Law” to enrich his private law practice by delaying justice in numerous criminal cases, including those involving rape, molestation, aggravated assault, murder, and much more, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

David Shell — a man with a long record of beating up women — was indicted by a grand jury as repeat offender, which could mean up to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault.

But more than four years after his indictment, Shell remains free, because he retained the legal services of Ralston (speaker of the Georgia House.)

“That’s why I gave him $20,000 bucks,” Shell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s worth every penny of it.”
Ralston has allegedly done the same for other clients charged with violent or heinous crimes, consistently demonstrating a willingness to actively use his elected position to delay hearings and court dates.
The actions of Ralston have the effect of preventing cases from moving forward in the Gilmer County justice system, states the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A joint investigation by the AJC and Channel 2 Action News in the “peach state” found Ralston is indeed abusing the power of his public office to benefit his private law practice.
“By doing no more than writing letters to judges declaring that court dates interfere with his lawmaking duties, he has been able to keep cases perpetually off the docket. But his tactics can thwart justice, harm crime victims and put the public at risk,” reported Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta.
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