Facing Concerns Over Legal Issues, Democratic Leader Says He’ll Resign

“My goal is, and always has been, to unify Georgia Democrats. We have an important US Senate race in 2014 and our focus should be on winning that seat and others.” 

Berlon is currently the target of a civil suit accusing him of mismanaging nearly $1 million from a trust he helped set up for a friend. In two other recent incidents, Berlon was disciplined by the State Bar of Georgia and the state Supreme Court for ignoring clients and violating legal ethics rules.

Earlier in the day, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed called on Berlon to step down, saying he “owed it to the party.”

“This isn’t about any individual. I’m not making any judgments about the situation but I know it requires attention, effort, and energy to resolve it and that we have a short runway to prepare the state for a 2014 Senate candidate.”

Reed added, “no person has a right to be a distraction from trying to win a United States Senate seat and preparing the state for a 2016 election.”

Later in the day, party officials said comments by the mayor and other Democratic leaders contributed to Berlon’s decision to resign. They also said Berlon was suffering from health issues, including ”significant chest pain and exhaustion.”

Berlon has led the party since 2011. Recently, influential Democratic leaders including Reed have questioned the direction of the party and Berlon’s ability to fundraise.

“The party being on the verge of insolvency  on a consistent basis is well known and what Democrats in Georgia are suffering from is the lack of organizational investment statewide,” said Reed.

Berlon also drew criticism for failing to recruit and nurture candidates.

Steve Anthony, a former party leader and current lecturer at Georgia State University, said a prime example was last November when Democrats fielded no candidate in a House race in Athens-Clarke County.

“One of the two or three most Democratic counties in the state, you can’t get a candidate. Not win, but you can’t even get a candidate to put their name on the ballot. It’s one of many examples.”

Democratic Party leaders are expected to meet June 6 to discuss Berlon’s resignation and his potential successor. Party insiders say it’s still early but some names under consideration include former state Senator Doug Stoner, former Democratic Party Chairman David Worley, former Democratic Minority Leader Dubose Porter, and developer Dan Halperin.