Atlanta Unfiltered

Leaders in the public sector have plenty of public resources to promote their political views, accomplishments and experience. Often the public record holds much more: personal and campaign finance disclosures, expense reports, and business, tax and court filings. Here’s what they show:

Christopher Gordon Boedeker (R)

(running in HD 81, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties)

Campaign website

Overview

Other than his family and House Republicans hungry for a 120-member super-majority, financial supporters of Boedeker’s campaign are few and far between. Through Oct. 25, Boedeker had raised $37,750 from Republicans in the House, $4,500 from family members and $3,150 from PACs and lobbyists hoping to have a leg up if he’s elected. That left $13,335 in donations from all other sources.

Boedeker made headlines — not in a good way — in mid-October. A campaign video accusing opponent Scott Holcomb of drug use boosted Boedeker’s name recognition and even made the Huffington Post. The video was posted late Oct. 17 on political blog Peach Pundit but was gone by noon the next day in the face of withering criticism of its distortion of Holcomb’s words — not to mention its Grade Z production values.

The video featured a seven-second excerpt of Holcomb, who served with the U.S. Army in Bosnia and Iraq, speaking against a bill requiring drug tests for Georgians receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Here’s the full transcript:

NARRATOR: Representative Scott Holcomb brags about his military experience. But what was he really doing while he was a lawyer for the Army?

Scott Holcomb talks about using illegal drugs while in the service. Which is why he now opposes drug tests for people who receive welfare benefits.

HOLCOMB CLIP: As someone who went through that, I would always get the call after I had, you know …

NARRATOR: What is Scott Holcomb smoking?

Paid for by Chris Boedeker for State Representative.

Apparently, “you know” meant “taken a leak.” So, he told the AJC’s Jim Galloway, he had to drink several bottles of water before he could “pee” — a word that Holcomb couldn’t bring himself to say on the floor of the House.

Boedeker, a lawyer with a practice in Suwanee, did not return our messages seeking an explanation for the video – or its abrupt withdrawal from public view.

Political career

•  Won the 2012 Republican nomination for House District 81 with 70 percent of the vote in the July 31 primary.
• Lost the 2012 general election with 44 percent of the vote.
  

Occupation

•  Attorney, admitted to the Georgia bar in 2010

Business ownership

• member, Christopher Boedeker LLC

Fiduciary positions

• member, Christopher Boedeker LLC

Property holdings

• Personal residence in DeKalb County valued at $175,000 (DeKalb tax and property records actually list Boedeker’s wife, Jessica, as the sole owner.)
  

Investments

• None disclosed

Payments from state agencies

• None disclosed

Campaign contributions

• 2011-12: $58,735 (through Oct. 25)

Top donors

• $37,250 Rep. David Knight and other House Republicans
  
• $4,500 Boedeker family members
• $3,000 Conley Griggs LLP
• $1,500 Gwinnett County Republican Party