The NFIB Georgia PAC has endorsed Justice Charles J. Bethel for re-election to the state Supreme Court. The political action committee is comprised exclusively of NFIB members in Georgia. This is the first time Georgia’s voice of small business has endorsed a candidate for judicial office.
“Justice Bethel has proven that he’s committed to interpreting Georgia law, not legislating from the bench,” NFIB State Director Nathan Humphrey said.
“The nine individuals who serve on the state Supreme Court can have a profound impact on Georgia’s judicial and economic climate,” Humphrey said. “Charlie Bethel earned a 100% NFIB voting record as a member of the Georgia Senate and served with distinction on the state Court of Appeals before he was appointed to the Supreme Court two years ago by Governor Deal.
“Georgia’s small and family businesses are the backbone of the state economy, and they rely on the stability that comes from courts applying the law as written. When judges use their power to make new policy, we all suffer,” Humphrey said. “We need justices like Charlie Bethel who will listen to both sides and apply the law to everyone, fairly.”
Justice Bethel said, “I am honored to have the support of the NFIB Georgia PAC and all the small businesspeople it represents. I grew up in and around a family business. I spent my summers growing up working in my family’s manufacturing facilities in Dalton and then returned to that business as an adult. I know the risks small businesspeople take. I know how important those jobs are to their employees, and I know that small businesses are the lifeblood of their local economies. As a justice on our Georgia Supreme Court, I bring the small business ethic of hard work with me as I remain focused on applying the law as it is written and without regard to my personal preferences or beliefs. Georgians who find themselves in court deserve a judge who is neither on their side nor their opponent’s side. Judges should always be on the side of the law.”
Today’s endorsement puts the considerable grassroots support of the state’s small businesses behind Bethel’s campaign. Small-business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for recruiting friends, family members and acquaintances to vote. NFIB will encourage its Georgia members to help turn out the powerful small-business voting bloc on Election Day.
