Police say Georgia House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans) crashed his car into a utility pole in downtown Atlanta early Sunday morning. Harbin now faces charges of driving under the influence. He is out of jail on bond.
Colleagues say the incident is completely out of character.
"He's never had any problems whatsoever in the past like this," says Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem). "He is one of the hardest working elected officials that I know and he serves his people very well. I would think that one instance like this is an aberration."
Fleming is part of the House leadership team, and he expects members will wait to hear all the facts before considering whether Harbin should lose his chairmanship. Harbin now leads the committee responsible for writing the $20.2 billion state budget.
A spokeswoman for House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) refused to comment.
"I do not have any details on this situation," says Clelia Davis. "It is a personal and legal matter."
But Tom Crawford, editor of Capitol Impact.com, thinks, in the end, Harbin will keep his plum assignment.
"No legislator has been force to lose his committee chairmanship," Crawford notes.
Most recently, Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) was arrested twice, in 2004 and 2005, for driving drunk. He resigned his chairmanship of the committee that oversees liquor regulations. The scandal that followed also led Graves to decide not to run for re-election.
In 2000, however, then-Senate Appropriations Chairman George Hooks (D-Americus) was arrested for DUI. He checked himself into a rehabilitation center and resumed his duties, Crawford recalls.
Colleagues say the incident is completely out of character.
"He's never had any problems whatsoever in the past like this," says Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem). "He is one of the hardest working elected officials that I know and he serves his people very well. I would think that one instance like this is an aberration."
Fleming is part of the House leadership team, and he expects members will wait to hear all the facts before considering whether Harbin should lose his chairmanship. Harbin now leads the committee responsible for writing the $20.2 billion state budget.
A spokeswoman for House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) refused to comment.
"I do not have any details on this situation," says Clelia Davis. "It is a personal and legal matter."
But Tom Crawford, editor of Capitol Impact.com, thinks, in the end, Harbin will keep his plum assignment.
"No legislator has been force to lose his committee chairmanship," Crawford notes.
Most recently, Rep. David Graves (R-Macon) was arrested twice, in 2004 and 2005, for driving drunk. He resigned his chairmanship of the committee that oversees liquor regulations. The scandal that followed also led Graves to decide not to run for re-election.
In 2000, however, then-Senate Appropriations Chairman George Hooks (D-Americus) was arrested for DUI. He checked himself into a rehabilitation center and resumed his duties, Crawford recalls.
