State Rep. Martin Scott of Rossville has been stripped of his positions on two House committees. But Scott says that losing the posts is better than voting against his conscience.

On Feb. 1 Scott joined six other House members to re-elect Mike Evans as chairman of the state Department of Transportation. That vote, Scott said, defied House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who wanted another candidate for the post.

Because of his vote, he was stripped of his positions on two House committees by Richardson, Scott said. He was relieved as sub-chairman on the Income Tax Committee and as secretary on the Ways and Means Committee.

“Regardless of who may ask to the contrary,” Scott said. “I voted my conscience.”

The other six were also stripped of their positions by Richardson, Scott said.

“The Speaker asked those of us who Mike (Evans) had represented well to engage in a campaign of vengeance,” said Scott, a Republican who represents District 2, which includes parts of Walker and Dade counties. “I stand on principal, not on politics, and will continue to do so.”

Scott and the six other House members joined the ranks of the Georgia Senate, along with Gov. Sonny Perdue and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, by backing Evans’ re-election bid. Through this support, Evans was re-elected to the position of chairman of the DOT for another term.

Scott said he believes Evans has served his district well, along with the other districts in North Georgia.

“Mike has done a good job,” Scott said. “I have no reason to replace him.”

Support from others

State Sen. Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga commended Scott on his decision to back Evans. “He did the right thing,” said Mullis, a Republican.

Lt. Gov. Cagle also supports Scott. “I applaud him as a principled leader,” Cagle said.

“First and foremost he was elected to represent the people of his district,” Cagle said. “He stood on his conviction. It was just the right thing to do.”

Cagle pointed out the tremendous pressure House members were placed under.

Evans supported the appointment of Gina Abrams as commissioner of the DOT by Gov. Perdue, whom Speaker Richardson rejected for the post. In turn, Richardson supported Stacey Reese to replace Evans because of Evan's support of Abrams.

Cagle said that a vote to replace Evans would have been contrary to the will of the people from Scott’s District 2.

“The local community supports Evans in this position. He has the support of local leaders and local chambers of commerce,” Cagle said.

Evans is credited by local leaders as bringing to Walker, and many of the surrounding counties, money that is currently being used to pay for projects such as revamping school zones, city streetscaping, and construction of an off-loading rail line site in Rock Spring.

Cagle said that although Scott’s sacrifice seemed a “high price,” he believes “in the end Scott will be the winner.”

Cagle reminisced about another young state representative who fell into a similar set of circumstances sometime ago and who stood by what he believed to be right. Eventually, he ascended to the heights of governor. It was Sonny Perdue, Cagle said.

Cagle said that everyone must “look into the mirror, being confident they didn’t sacrifice on principle.”

“This test speaks of the character of Martin Scott. I’ll stand by him,” Cagle said.