GAINESVILLE - Former Hall County Commissioner Bobby Banks says he was "kind of shocked" to learn that he was being kicked out of the county Republican party.
A letter from former party chairman Paul Stanley informing Banks of the decision of the party's executive committee says Banks' conduct has been "unbecoming a member of the party."
According to the letter "these allegations include your abusive use of power as an elected official, vulgar and offensive language in public, and threats to members of the party and others. In addition, you declined to participate in public debates during your last election."
Banks said Wednesday morning he was "disappointed" in the development and "hardly knew what to think" when he got the letter.
"I was kind of shocked when I first heard the rumors, and then I received the letter last Thursday."
Banks says party officials "listened to three people, they never talked to me. They listened to three guys and made their decision to oust me."
He says he struggled with how to respond to the decision and the allegations, asking himself, "Do I blast them or just leave them alone?" But he said his political career is over and he hasn't given any thought at this time to running for office again.
Hall GOP chairman Jim Pilgrim would not comment beyond saying it's an internal thing which doesn't need to be aired in public.
Banks lost a re-election bid last year to Craig Lutz.
(Please check back for updates to this story.)
Sunday
October 13th, 2024
4:29PM
