ABERNATHY FACES POSSIBLE SENATE CENSURE

State Sen. Ralph David Abernathy III should be censured by the Senate for
attempting to smuggle marijuana into the country in his underwear, the
Senate Ethics Committee agreed Thursday.

The committee drafted a censure resolution for consideration when the
Legislature convenes Jan. 12.

The panel also drafted for prefiling new Senate rules prohibiting members
from committing crime of moral turpitude, possessing or distributing
illegal drugs or using alcohol illegally.

Only Sen. Donzella James (DCollege Park) objected to the censure
resolution because, she said, it unfairly singled out Abernathy even though
other senators have broken laws.

"I lost a son to a drunk driver. We have a drunk driver among us, and we
didn't say anything about that," James said, referring to Sen. RenŽ Kemp's
1996 DUI arrest.

James stressed she wasn't defending Abernathy's actions, which she called
disgraceful.

"There's no love lost between myself and that person," she said. "I just
want to make sure we're fair."

U.S. Customs officials at Hartsfield International Airport found a small
packet of marijuana in Abernathy's underwear earlier this month as he was
returning from Jamaica. He was not arrested, and he paid a $500 fine.

Shortly after the incident, Abernathy said he'd made a "stupid" mistake. He
has consistently declined to comment since then.

On Wednesday, a group of Republican House members said they'd initiated
impeachment proceedings against the Atlanta Democrat, who is the son of the
late civil rights leader Ralph David Abernathy Jr.

On Thursday, Fulton County Commissioner Gordon Joyner said he plans to run
for Abernathy's District 38 Senate seat, saying constituents told him they
"refuse to be represented any longer . . . by an admitted international
drug smuggler."

During the hearing, Republican Sens. Chuck Clay of Marietta and Michael
Egan of Atlanta sought to include Abernathy's name in the censure
resolution draft. Democrats resisted, saying it was customary to refer to
senators only by the district they represent.

Committee Chairman Eddie Madden (DElberton), said he did not expect Kemp
to face Senate discipline because his DUI arrest was less serious than the
Abernathy incident.

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