ATLANTA – State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) recently received a 2011 Democracy Award from Common Cause Georgia, a self described statewide, non-partisan, cross-ideology education and advocacy group dedicated to openness, accountability and ethics in government.
“We face many challenges at the Gold Dome when working to improve our ethics statutes, but we must do better and implement higher standards to earn the public’s trust and confidence,” said Rep. Oliver. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Common Cause on this noble effort.”
Each year, Common Cause Georgia recognizes individuals for their commitment to improving democracy in Georgia. The organization chose Rep. Oliver for a 2011 Democracy award because of her long standing commitment to ethics and transparency in government. This was evident this year when she co-sponsored an amendment to Senate Bill 160 that improved language in Georgia’s ethics laws by making it clear that lobbyists must disclose gifts to staff members of public officials. Rep. Oliver also took a strong stand against lifting the 36-year ban on contributions to state campaigns from regulated utility companies.
“Common Cause Georgia’s slogan is ‘holding power accountable’ and there is no one that meets this description better than Representative Mary Margaret Oliver,” said William Perry, Executive Director of Common Cause Georgia. “When someone is needed to make the tough choices or carry a banner that might not be popular under the Gold Dome, Representative Oliver is always there to stand up and take on the challenge. You can always count on her to do what’s right for her constituents and the people of Georgia.”
Representative Mary Margaret Oliver represents the citizens of District 83, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2002, plus five years previous service. She currently serves on the Appropriations, Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, and Science and Technology committees.
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