Ga. GOP gov. candidate Deal: White House comments on ethics allegations against him unusual

Ga. GOP gov. candidate: Gibbs comments unusual

ATLANTA — Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Nathan Deal on Thursday called White House comments on ethics allegations against him unusual.

On Wednesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked about Deal’s call last year for President Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate to prove he was born in the United States. Deal told The Associated Press he was simply passing along concerns from his constituents and now believes the matter is settled.

But Gibbs talked instead about Deal’s possible.

“Well, I think if you look at what Nathan Deal is probably going to have to explain over the course of this primary, that might be some of the least of his concerns — in terms of some ethics investigations that are currently ongoing,” Gibbs said.

Earlier this year, the Office of Congressional Ethics found Deal may have violated U.S. House rules by lobbying state officials to keep intact a lucrative deal with the state that earned his auto salvage business $1.5 million from 2004 to 2008. Deal stepped down shortly before the office issued its findings to run for governor.

“Certainly, I think there’s no question they would prefer I not be the next governor of Georgia but you know they don’t a get a say-so in that,” Deal quipped about the White House.

The White House on Thursday declined to elaborate on Gibbs’ remarks.