My Grandma Paradise lived in Southeast Georgia, and I visited her every summer, learning about just how important it really was to make your voice heard. When we came south to visit Grandma, she instilled in us early on that we had to become our own advocates – because the folks in the government then were doing nothing for people like us. She helped inspire me to go to college and get my law degree, and my career in public service grew from there.
FIRST: I spent the early days of my legal career representing poor people in courthouses across the Atlanta area. One of the first cases I took on was the appeal of an indigent man sentenced to be put to death for a murder for which he had been wrongly convicted. Four years later I had the honor of walking that client off of death row and into the front passenger seat of my used Mercedes, and our first stop on the way back to Atlanta was breakfast at Waffle House.
THEN: I later became a DeKalb County magistrate judge, following a high standard of ethics to make sure everyone got the fair justice they deserved. That meant recusing myself from cases that could come before the court where there was even a whiff of a previous financial or legal relationship.
AFTER: I served on my County Commission drafting ordinances to protect against predatory lending, and leading on other issues affecting quality of life on a local level. My wife and I then decided it was time to run for higher office.
NOW I'm working to hold our government accountable in Congress – including my quest to bring reform to our Supreme Court, which Donald Trump packed with extreme right wing justices whose lifetime tenure entitles them to thumb their noses at real people while delivering for the billionaire class. I’m also fighting to preserve our environment, protect our marginalized communities, and give hope to our future generations.
There are so many groups and entities that need our help across the country and in Georgia's 4th Congressional District. Living by my Grandma Paradise's words, I'm making sure to promote the interests of ordinary people – not special interests. John, could you donate today to help me continue making sure folks get the representation they deserve?
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