“Americans continue to fear corruption in government more than anything else,”

This is according to the most recent Chapman University Survey of American Fears. Surprisingly, fear of governmental corruption ranked higher than fear of financial or economic collapse.

Any candidate throwing their hat into the ring for the midterm elections will be engaging with voters who are weary of broken promises, corruption, and a lack of accountability. We are suspicious – and rightly so. And the din of negative election ads isn’t helping.

This brings us to the fundamental question: Who can we trust?

At Fulton Speaks, we don’t claim to have ultimate answers to this question. But we do our best to identify those men and women in our community who seem sincere in their efforts to work for the greater good. We have our own vetting process for the few individuals who make it to this platform. (We wish there were more, but remember that Diogenes claimed that he couldn’t find one honest man in all of Athens)

Who is Eric Tatum?

Eric Tatum’s name came to our attention. So, we researched Eric, vetted him, and then interviewed him. Thus far, he passes muster, so we are bringing his story to you.

Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of Eric. He came out of nowhere with the announcement that he intends to be the next Fulton County Commissioner Chair – a brave endeavor, considering the recent history in Fulton County.

About Eric

Eric was born and raised in Georgia. His father and grandfather were small business owners in the IT industry. Eric describes them as “self-made people who set the example for me that hard work and ingenuity really can make you successful in this country.”

Eric studied economics and Business Administration at Presbyterian College and attended law school at Georgia State University. He has been a licensed attorney since 2011, primarily practicing family, juvenile, and adoption law.

According to Eric, “We attend church on a regular basis and are heavily involved in our church. Over the last four years, I have led youth groups – I try to lead them and shepherd them in the right direction so they can navigate through the world and to stand firm on who the Lord calls them to be, not what society is dictating.”

Eric Tatum has been successful, and he presents as a devout Christian and a happy family man. He doesn’t come across as the type that would get involved with corruption. He has lived the American dream and believes in it.

But I wondered: Given his background, can Eric relate to the diverse, densely populated Fulton County? And can Fulton County relate to Eric?

Can Eric Tatum Relate to the Over 1.09 Million People in Fulton County?

The question is relevant because, unlike other County Commissioners, the Chair is a county-wide position. All Fulton County voters are eligible to vote for the chair – It’s not just the North Fulton County folks. There are over a million people from different walks of life to think about.

So, I asked Eric how he feels he could serve the many Fulton County residents who are struggling economically, have broken families, and don’t lead such perfect lives. And what about Fulton County in general?

Eric’s answers demonstrate that he has studied the issues we face in Fulton County, and he has the experience to address them.

Eric Tatum’s View on Economics in Fulton County

“There are ways to cut spending and make Fulton County more affordable for all families. If we can stabilize some inflationary growth and make spending more predictable, we can make things more affordable.

Cutting out a lot of regulatory costs, paid for by taxpayers, would help reduce the cost of doing business, making Fulton County more affordable.

When I dig into how some contracts are being handled, I find many preventable reasons why the cost of living is going up in Fulton County. We need to ensure there is no nepotism or back-dealing, disguised as ‘contract compliance.

We have to be sound in our assessment of property taxes. The County Commissioner controls the mileage rate. I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t increase. The government should operate in a way that doesn’t drive up costs for those trying to make ends meet.

The government should operate in a way that doesn’t drive up costs for those trying to make ends meet.

I subscribe to the Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell philosophy that, When the government lives well, the people live poorly, and when the government lives poorly, the people live well.”

Why Does Eric Believe He is Qualified to Oversee the Fulton County Budget?

“Before I ran for office, I researched what I thought I would be a good fit for. I felt that County Commissioner is where my skill set would have the most benefit, even more than a house or a senate seat.

I’m the CFO for my law firm, so I run all the budgets and reports and schedule every payment out – I have to ensure budgets are followed, spending is wise, and our company is not overspending. I renegotiate contracts where needed.

As a high-asset divorce attorney, I have become familiar with reviewing finances and identifying hidden accounts. As an attorney, I have had to investigate other people’s money and have become adept at uncovering hidden funds and accounts.”

Eric’s View and Experience with Families and Children

When asked about the root causes of the problems facing Fulton County, Eric didn’t hesitate to point to the family:

“We have a country that is running away from the foundational principles of what society is based on as a family. That is the cause of the majority of the problems we have. Society would be more stable and productive if there were fewer broken homes, more fathers willing to step up, and more families following the norms that prevailed in the past.

Everything starts at home, and the government can only do so much.”

Working with Families

Eric’s work in family law and child advocacy reveals that he doesn’t just theorize about helping struggling families—he’s actually done the hard, long-term work.

“I was on the board that helped to build the Forsyth Parent Treatment Court that allowed parents to work a program to get their kids back faster than they would in the normal course of a case. We had several success stories of parents who got off drugs and turned their lives around. They became sober, positive, contributing members of society by virtue of going through that treatment court.”

Child Advocate Attorney

But his commitment goes deeper than systemic change. For eleven years, Eric represented a single foster child as a child advocate attorney:

“I represented a kid from age 6 to age 17, as a child advocate attorney. I walked with him for 11 years through really hard times that no kid should have to go through. We worked hard with state and national DFCS offices in order to find him a placement. And last November we finalized his adoption after 11 years of being in foster care. Now he has a safe, stable loving home and it took a long time to get there.”

I represented a kid from age 6 to age 17 (…) Now he has a safe, stable, loving home and it took a long time to get there.

Foster Parent

And Eric hasn’t just advocated for foster children from a distance. He’s lived it:

“I have been a foster parent for a year – the entire year of 2017. We fostered a sibling group brother and sister. We provided them love and care and support. They were able to finally go back and live with their grandparents.”

I have been a foster parent for a year.

Adoption

“Through our law firm we have been able to facilitate many adoptions. We pair waiting families and partner with crisis pregnancy centers and do this in an affordable way.”

Eric also has adopted a child out of the foster care system.

That’s not resume-building. That’s lived experience with the families that represent part of the Fulton County demographic.

Election Integrity

A major concern for many citizens in Fulton County is election integrity. Here’s what Eric said about the topic:

“I am for election integrity. By that, I mean we need clean voter rolls and a full Board of Registration and Elections so we can have appropriate oversight of elections. (BRE)

We need the BRE to hire comparable numbers of poll workers from the Democratic list and the Republican list. Election integrity is a non-partisan issue – making sure that every legal vote counts. When fraudulent votes are cast, they must be dealt with appropriately and legally.

Election integrity is a non-partisan issue.

Other Key Concerns Regarding Fulton County

Eric summarized other concerns that he knows need to be addressed in Fulton County.

“The jail is overcrowded, and this must be fixed fast. There is a new lawsuit coming against Fulton County because a person did not get appropriate care and lost some limbs. The jail conditions are unacceptable.

Human trafficking is a problem in Fulton. For example, Hartsfield is one of the largest hubs for human trafficking, and there are other human trafficking problems.

In Closing from Eric

“If you want to know who I am, ask the attorneys I have been up against, judges I’ve practiced in front of, and I think they will tell you that I am the kind of person who does what I say and says what I do. And I will take accountability if something is wrong.

I serve kids, my clients, the church, youth, and my family. Now I want to serve Fulton County with the same integrity I’ve brought into the courtroom for the last 15 years”

We must fix the broken trust in the government – it starts at the local level and extends to the federal level.

I sincerely want to serve, and I am who I say I am.”

“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin”. Samuel Adams

Do you think you might want to run for office but don’t know where to begin? Click HERE

Do you want to get involved in helping your community?  Click HERE.