Firm linked to Barnes did state business

Roy Barnes owned 25 percent of an engineering firm that did almost $19 million in work for local governments and the state, records show.

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AP

Roy Barnes

The Democratic governor hopeful's economic disclosure report says Marietta-based Croy Engineering received the money from 2005 to 2009.

The former governor, listed as one of three company directors in a 2006 state document, sold his interest in Croy last November.

Croy or its employees gave $15,800 to Barnes' campaign, official reports show.

The numbers have resurfaced as Barnes seeks to portray Republican candidate Nathan Deal as corrupt - largely because of his business with the state.

Indeed, Barnes spokesman Emil Runge's said Wednesday a Washington, D.C., group has called former congressman Deal "one of the most corrupt members."

Deal spokesman Brian Robinson accused Barnes of "bald hypocrisy."

"It's odd Barnes would make an issue of business with state and local governments when he and his company have made millions," Robinson said.

He said some of Croy's income likely flowed in when Barnes was an active candidate.

Agencies might think it wise to contract with a company in which the former governor - and perhaps the future one - is a major player, he said.

'Numbers are staggering'

"It's page after page of projects," Robinson said of Barnes' disclosure concerning Croy. "The numbers are staggering. How much did this business benefit from a former governor being one of the business partners?"

The candidate's 2009 federal income tax return reports about $145,000 in passive income from the company.

Barnes' economic disclosure report shows Croy took in almost $7 million from public agencies last year.

After months of widespread speculation he would run, Barnes declared his candidacy in June.

He gave Dec. 31 as the date for all income Croy received every year from local governments - so it's impossible to link specific amounts to the five months or so Barnes was an official candidate before selling out.

Runge said Barnes didn't solicit business for local governments or the state.

"And when he decided to run for governor," Runge said, "he sold his interest ... to avoid even the appearance of a conflict."

Runge noted data Robinson cited were from Barnes' disclosure reports.

"Roy Barnes has been thoroughly open and transparent about all of his financial information for the past 25 years," he said.

In recent weeks, Barnes has chided Deal for not releasing his income tax returns and then disclosing only skeletal data.

That, Runge has claimed, has helped Deal "hide" business transactions with the state.

A federal ethics panel looked into some of them and filed a preliminary report Deal may have violated congressional ethics rules. Deal denied wrongdoing but left Congress before the matter was resolved.

Runge repeated an accusation Deal has denied - that he used "his public office to enrich himself through no-bid deals with the state."

Deal was accused of intervening with a state official who wanted to put out to bid a lease of his property for salvaged-car inspections. Deal said the real issue was the state's proposal to quit inspecting rebuilt cars for safety.

'Georgians deserve better'

On Tuesday, Barnes accused Deal of "hiding" his former half-interest in a Gainesville building leased to the state Board of Pardons and Paroles.

"Deal continues to hide his dealings with the state and his businesses to keep the truth from voters," Runge said. "Georgians deserve better."

Following the instructions in his congressional economic disclosure report, Deal listed the address of the building - but not the tenant.

Robinson said Deal named Pardons and Paroles as the tenant in his state disclosure reports, last filed in 1992, when he was a state senator. The state no longer keeps reports that old.

Noting the lease was described in a 1996 newspaper article, Robinson said it was "bizarre" for Barnes to claim Deal hid it.

"There's no comparison," he said in reference to Barnes' involvement in Croy. "He and his company made millions of dollars from the public trough.

"Now he attacks Nathan for owning part of a building that the state leases at a fair market price. It's ludicrous."