Hide & Seek
The fallout from Chip Rogers’ $150,000 per year, taxpayer-funded job keeps getting bigger.
Last week, State Sen. Bill Heath was so tired of hearing from taxpayers asking for GPB to fire Chip Rogers that he sent a nasty email to thousands of Georgians.
He told them they had been ‘conned’ and he was ‘annoyed’ by the emails that, he said, were a ‘waste of my time.’
He lied about how Better Georgia uses and protects your valuable email address. He also called us ‘childish.’
WSB-TV wanted to ask him why he sent the email and, importantly, whether he supports the $150,000 per year salary for Chip Rogers.
He ran. And then he hid.
He literally hid behind an office printer. (Click to watch the WSB video).
That’s childish and cowardly, for sure.
But he’s not alone. Not a single person has been able to defend this abuse of taxpayer dollars.
Even Michael McDougal, chairman of the Georgia Public Broadcasting commission, told the AJC that Chip Rogers doesn’t have enough experience and is wasting taxpayer dollars:
“In my view, he’s being paid too much,” said McDougald, a 60-year broadcast veteran. “The man comes to us with very limited (broadcast) experience and there are very few $150,000 radio products.”
So why is Chip Rogers — with limited experience — getting a taxpayer-funded job at a salary that is several times above normal? Those who know refuse to say. Georgia’s elected officials have dodged every question.
Here’s the scorecard so far:
- Gov. Nathan Deal laughed and walked away – CBS
- Chip Rogers ran out the back door – WSB
- Sen. Bill Heath ducked behind an office printer – WSB
Let’s Make It Local
The Sen. Bill Heath story became news because Joseph Hall, a Better Georgia supporter like you, called his local TV station.
You can have the same impact in your community. Call your local newspaper or TV station and tell them that you want to know what your local officials think about the Chip Rogers job at Georgia Public Broadcasting.
The elected officials below are members of a powerful Senate Appropriations Sub-Committee that must approve the new GPB budget. They have the power to ask tough questions and to reject parts of the governor’s proposed budget.
Your local newspaper can make sure every member speaks on the public record before they take a vote. Call your paper and ask for this important coverage today.
Member | Office Number | Hometown Newspaper | Newsroom |
Sen. Bill Cowsert (Chair) | 404-463-1383 | Athens Banner-Herald | 706-208-2211 |
Sen. Josh McKoon (Vice-chair) | 404-463-3931 | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer | 706-571-8565 |
Sen. Burt Jones | 404-656-0082 | Jackson Progress-Argus | 770-775-3107 |
Sen. Buddy Carter | 404-656-5109 | Savannah Morning-News | 912-652-0327 |
Sen. Hardie Davis | 404-656-0340 | Augusta Chronicle | 706-724-0851 Ext.2 |
Sen. Tim Golden | 404-656-7580 | Valdosta Daily Times | 229-244-1880 Ext.3 |
Sen. Lester Jackson | 404-463-5261 | Savannah Morning-News | 912-652-0327 |
Sen. Nan Orrock | 404-463-8054 | Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 404-526-7003 |
Sen. Cecil Staton | 404-656-5039 | Macon Telegraph | 478-744-4411 |
Will your local lawmaker run or hide? Or will he or she stand up for taxpayers and common sense? Ask them to make their opinion public today.