A recent campaign mailer from candidate Donna Sikes accused opponent Brad Smith of having brokered a plea deal with Matthew Caylor, the Barrow County man recently charged with murder in Florida. Smith strongly rebutted the accusation saying, that while he processed some paperwork, the case was not his and he had nothing to do with the plea deal. The charges in question were misdemeanors, none of which involved the criminal acts that resulted in Caylor being placed on the Georgia Sex Offender registry.
(see comments about the mailer and Smith's response below.)
Last week, Smith and Sikes had just two minutes to address the Republican Party faithful at the monthly meeting of the Barrow County GOP. Sikes fired the opening salvo in the night’s confrontation between the two attorneys.
She said she was better qualified for District Attorney due to her 17 years of experience and because of her ability to restore public trust in the office.
“The problem with my opponent is that everything that went wrong in that office was because of Tim Madison and everything that went right was because of him,” she said. “You can’t have it both ways. He either was involved in running the office or he wasn’t.”
Sikes remained on the offensive, arguing that Smith’s experience was worthless without good judgment.
Sikes also said Smith, as head of the Barrow County office, needed to take responsibility for excessive spending after Madison left office and for thousands of unprosecuted cases.
“I’ve learned as an attorney that you can delegate authority, but not responsibility,” she said. Sikes vowed to prosecute cases aggressively and restore public trust in the office.
SMITH RESPONDS
But Smith rebutted the comments, saying Sikes was just mudslinging.
“Throughout her campaign, my opponent has consistently used mudslinging and baseless personal attacks," he said. "Since the election, there have been rumors and conspiracy theories running rampant. I am here to tell you now that these are not true. The things you have been reading about are not true.”
Smith said the negative campaigning was causing citizens to lose sight of the real issue in the campaign – who is better qualified to be the next District Attorney.
Smith said police and sheriff’s deputies risk their lives every day to get dangerous criminals off the streets.
“If the District Attorney is not qualified, these criminals will be back on the street,” he said. Smith spoke of a quadruple murder case currently pending in Hoschton. He reminded voters that whoever is elected as District Attorney will immediately be faced with prosecuting that case.
“I am the only candidate with any experience in the complicated world of death penalty litigation,” he said. “My opponent is not death penalty qualified.”
Smith said the defendants in death penalty cases are guaranteed representation by counsel that is death penalty qualified. If Sikes is elected, the defendant would have more qualified representation than the citizens of Barrow County, he said.
From what I have read, about both candidates, Brad Smith is without doubt the best qualified. This election year seems to be popular vote election, regardless, the citizens should use their voice and get out vote….its your right.
Ms. Sikes bashing article is a personal act on a persons character and is unprofessional and uncalled for, especially when a full investigation on the bashing issue proved absolutely no involvement of wrong doing by either candidate. Barrow needs honest qualified people in office.
I hope everybody votes!
The truth is that the GBI and Attorney General’s office prosecuted the only people they found to be involved or have knowledge of involvement in former DA Madison’s illegal activities. All of the other employees were cleared.
While Sikes’ charges are false, the tactic was apparently successful. It vaulted her from the third place finish expected by most observers, based on her total lack of persecutory experience, to a spot on the runoff ballot.
She is using that tactic to distract voters from her lack of qualifications for the job. She has never prosecuted a single case, but will have to immediately take office and begin prosecuting very serious cases, including murder. How can she expect to train and lead others when she has never done it herself?
It is also interesting to note that her opponent has refrained from bringing up Sikes’ own association with someone who was indicted for terroristic threats and EPA violations. That person was not in another office two counties away. That person was in her home -- her husband.
Myles Godfrey
Winder
What last-minute attack was false? Did Brad stand up against Tim? Did Brad tip the GBI off? Did Brad resign because he was the LEAST bit uncomfortable with Tim?
You must not know it, but Myles Godfrey used to run a newspaper in Winder. If anyone knows more about this situation than YOU do, it is him.
Today, in the mail, I received her latest attack on Smith.
People, READ IT CAREFULLY! It shows plainly that what Caylor was accused of at that time was 1. criminal trespass 2. family violence battery (misdemeanor) and 3. interference with a 911 call. Of course he got probation for those things!
The charge was NOT CHILD MOLESTATION, as she is trying to make it sound!!!
Yes, Caylor is a loser and probably always has been, and deserves nothing more than to be shot (and I would stand in line to pull the trigger!). BUT, Donna is once again twisting the facts!! And she doesn't even know it!! She paid good money (lots of it!) to have these mailers printed and shipped, but the truth is right there if you all will READ IT thoroughly.
Nice try, Donna. But, extremely dirty politics!! I am disgusted with you. I never cared that much about this race before, but I am SO GLAD you sent this to my house.
And, you spelled "judgment" wrong.
During arraignments and other hearings, it is regular practice for one ADA to sign the paperwork that is being presented to the court, regardless of who is assigned to the case. This case was never assigned to me, and I never had anything to do with any plea negotiations. They would have been performed by the ADA assigned to Judge Booth cases. My signature is on the accusation merely because I was standing at the bench when the case was presented. If Mr. Caylor had pleaded “not guilty” instead of “guilty,” I would still have had to sign the accusation. My signature simply means I was standing there, not that I had anything to do with it. I don’t know any of the facts of this case, since it was never mine, but the charges he pleaded to are all misdemeanors, and the sentences he received are in line with what judges hand out for these offenses. If the judge had not agreed with the sentencing negotiated by the ADA and defense attorney, he would not have sentenced the defendant to that.
I have dedicated my entire 12 career to keeping predators and other criminals off the streets. My opponent in her career has never done anything to put a single criminal behind bars. That she would use the pain of a victim’s family for political gain and her own personal ambition is reprehensible and just another example of the mudslinging she has resorted to in order to distract voters from her complete lack of qualification for the job. If anyone would like to discuss this with me, I can be reached at (678)350-6380. Thanks for your time and support.
Caylor was registered as a sex offender for the offense of child molestation, in 2001. His picture was added to his file in 2004! All you (or anyone in the office) had to do was check Georgia's Sex Offender registry in 2006 and you would have known. YOU SHOULD HAVE CHECKED!!!
You want to run on your record, but when your opponent questions it, you accuse her of "mudslinging." You ought to be ashamed of yourself and apologize for letting this scumbag walk.
A registered sex offender is a free person. He (or she) only has to keep the authorities notified of where they live. They are not a wanted criminal. The misdemeanors that are on the Accusation were not sex crimes. Probation would have been the expected sentence for these 3 crimes.
Donna Sikes is definitely mudslinging, because she has no experience that qualifies her for the job.
PLease do not comment on these stories until you understand the system.
opponent right before early voting begins on Monday. I wonder if she gave any
thought of how this may hurt her chances in the runoff. I guess a mailer about Ms.
Sikes' own qualifications won't be surfacing.
In regards to the previous comment about Rick Bridgeman, it was too bad he didn't
campaign more. I guess he was right in saying he isn't a politician, but he should
have at the very least been in the runoff. I suppose he was in the wrong office at
the wrong time.
It'll be interesting which 5% of the registered voters will turn out and vote.
Someone that would stoop this low does not deserve to try to protect me and my family as the Barrow DA.
As for me and my house, we vote AGAIN for Mr. BRAD SMITH and pray that you do the same!
Brad, (to use the words of a "great American") - Let not your heart be troubled!
DO we really want someone who uses dirty tricks to try and get elected sounds like some defense tricks to me. And not well done i must admit.
If Brad is so bad why is Bill Healan have a Brad Smith sign in he's yard.
I can tell you this-after casual conversations over the past year, Brad Smith is a man of character. He has a fervent passion for his work-and he has the same passion for his family.
I will appeal to the voters of these 3 fine Counties to stand up against an attempted character defamation-the mailer I recieved was insulting, complete with a less than complimentary picture of Mr. Smith...that is the first clue, folks...
The real clue, however, is this. When a candidate is reduced to mudslinging, that candidate knows he or she is less qualified to win the vote, on his or her own merits. I was personally insulted to receive that mailing, and then to learn the true facts, and that in turn truly makes me wonder about the character of the person who sent it...
I know Brad Smith. I respect the man completely. I am pretty bright-this man is far more intelligent than I. This man has character and integrity to spare. And this man would have never done what he has been accused of in that flier-from our conversations, this man's sole purpose in life is to make the streets of this tri-County area safer for all of us law-abiding citizens.
In that, I implore all the citizens to get out for the run-off vote. And to vote for Brad Smith. He has shown his character and integrity with a simple rebuttal to that mailer, and has steadfastly refused to enter the world of dirty politics. For that alone, he has my eternal respect.
Good luck, Mr. Smith. I sincerely hope that the citizens of these three fine Counties will not be swayed by an erroneous defamation of character...