ABERNATHY FACING CALLS FOR IMPEACHMENT AFTER MARIJUANA BUST

By Joan Kirchner, Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) Weeks after state Sen. Ralph David Abernathy III was caught
with marijuana, the son of the pioneering civil rights leader came under
attack from Republican lawmakers who are trying to impeach him for it.

Five GOP House members announced Wednesday they will sponsor a resolution
in the upcoming session calling for an impeachment trial for Abernathy, an
Atlanta Democrat.

"Let me assure the citizens of Georgia that our own outrage has equaled and
even exceeded theirs,'' said state Rep. Bart Ladd, RAtlanta.

Democrats rallied around Abernathy, criticizing his accusers for seeking
punishment when no action was sought against other lawmakers accused of
drunken driving, stalking and other crimes over the years.

"Singling out Sen. Abernathy for persecution is the height of hypocrisy,''
said state Rep. Tyrone Brooks, DAtlanta.

Abernathy had no comment Wednesday.

Abernathy, 38, said he made "a stupid mistake'' on Dec. 1, when a
drugsniffing dog singled him out at Hartsfield Atlanta International
Airport after he returned from Jamaica. A small amount of marijuana was
found in his underwear.

He was fined $500 by customs agents.

Abernathy is the son of the Rev. Ralph Abernathy Jr., who became head of
the Southern Christian Leadership Conference after the Rev. Martin Luther
King Jr. was slain in 1968.

The top House Republican questioned whether impeachment was the solution.

"The Legislature needs to send a strong message that drug offenses will not
be tolerated among members. Whether (impeachment) is the best way to do
that, I don't know,'' said Minority Leader Bob Irvin, RAtlanta.

Also, a proposal to change Senate rules to include punishment for senators
found with illegal drugs was to come before the Senate Ethics Committee
today.

An impeachment effort must begin in the House and then go to a trial in the
Senate, judged by the state's chief justice.