Alpharetta, Ga.-based Jackson Healthcare, a healthcare staffing and technology company, has delivered a cease-and-desist warning to Aaron Barlow, who is running for the Georgia Senate, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The warning pertains to comments Mr. Barlow made last week at the Cherokee County Republican Women's debate. A topic of the debate was Senate Bill 86, a measure sponsored by Mr. Barlow's opponent Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta). The legislation, which hasn't moved since introduced in February 2015, would significantly curtail malpractice lawsuits in the state.
During the debate, Mr. Barlow said the bill is a form of "crony politics." He said the only serious supporter of the legislation is Jackson Healthcare, which he claims has made $100,000 in political contributions to the campaign of Sen. Beach and several other politicians.
Jackson Healthcare took issue with Mr. Barlow's statements. In the cease-and-desist letter sent to Mr. Barlow, Jackson Healthcare's lawyer said the comments made during the debate about the company and its CEO Richard Jackson were false and deceptive.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Barlow's campaign told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the cease-and-desist letter is nothing more than an attempt by Sen. Beach to get Mr. Barlow to stop discussing the contributions Jackson Healthcare has made to the senator's campaign.
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