Statement of Governor Sonny Perdue

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the Georgia Supreme Court decision in Perdue v. Baker:

"I am deeply troubled by this decision. The Georgia Supreme Court was presented with an historic opportunity to make a crucial decision concerning who legitimately serves as the client on behalf of the State of Georgia and who serves as the legal counsel. Today, the Court missed that opportunity to decide this serious constitutional issue and left us with more questions than answers. The people of Georgia would all do well to study this decision and others to determine their impact on our state.

"I am comforted by the fact that two Justices of the Georgia Supreme Court saw clearly the constitutional issue at stake. They followed the common-sense, plain wording of the constitution and statutes in deciding the Governor's role as the client, stating that "only one official of the executive branch can control the course of litigation and, according to the Constitution of this state, that official is the Governor."