State Sen. Cecil Staton
Macon state Sen. Cecil Staton spoke out Wednesday about allegations that he used an assumed name on emails to take potshots against some fellow Republicans.
"I didn't do this," Staton said. "I have received some of those emails. I have forwarded (some of them) as some were forwarded to me by others members of our cacus. That's the extent and that's all I know about it."
Republican activist Arch Adams accused Staton of sending emails under the name Beth Merkleson. Adams said in the emails, Merkleson accused other Republicans of siding with Democrats to take control of the Senate.
One of the accused is Republican Sen. Ross Tolleson of Perry. Tolleson said he's staying out of the email controversy.
"I'm not going to take myself down into the mud on issues like that, because at the end of the day my job is to focus on the work of the 20th Senate district," Tolleson said.
On Tuesday, Staton turned over his majority whip duties to Sen. Greg Gaggan for the final two days of this year's legislative session.
On Wednesday, Staton said he didn't want the email controversy to be a distraction. Staton also said he wants to stay focused on what's important.
"I assure you, you know, I am going to survive it," Staton said. "I will be fine, because at the end of the day what matters to me is my family, my comunity, my character and my integrity."
Ealier this week, Adams, an internet expert and trampoline salesman, gave Senate Repuublicans a report that said he tracked Merkleson's emails back to Staton's blackberry.
Staton said he's been told that the tracking method Adams mentioned isn't possibe. Meanwhile, Staton said he has some internet specialists researching the situation in hopes of getting to the bottom of the controversy.
Adams hasn't returned our phone call.