Walmart Pay to Play: Walton heirs' groups deny role in Georgia governor's race
Representatives of the Walmart company heirs deny any involvement in the Georgia governor’s race after a candidate was secretly recorded saying he backed a school choice law because campaign money from the family’s non-profit foundation was at stake.
Republican Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle admits making the remarks that surfaced in the past week. His campaign issued a statement Friday calling it “old news” that stemmed from a “purely political conversation” Cagle had in his campaign office. Cagle is heard saying he supported a bill in the recent legislative session expanding tax credit vouchers for private schools because millions of dollars in Walton foundation money were at stake in the gubernatorial race.
“The words that Casey used in that secret recording do not reflect his feelings about the legislation that passed. He was a strong supporter and led to pass it,” said Scott Binkley, his campaign manager.
Cagle faces Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a July 24 runoff vote for the Republican nomination for governor. Both Republican and Democrat officials in the state who support Cagle’s rivals have called for an investigation. State campaign finance reports show Cagle hasn’t received money from Walton family members for his gubernatorial campaign.
The Walton family — through personal campaign contributions, their non-profit private foundation and a political affiliate group — are leading supporters of the charter school movement in America. Charter schools are run privately but get public dollars to educate students whose families choose to enroll them there instead of traditional neighborhood schools. The Waltons are also prominent supporters of giving scholarship vouchers funded by tax credits to students going to private schools.
The foundation is a private non-profit that is legally forbidden from wading into partisan politics because it does its work using tax-exempted dollars. Foundation spokeswoman Daphne Moore said in a statement: “As is the case with any other Continue Reading:Walmart heirs' groups deny role in Georgia governor's race
