Fashion faux pas?

By Alan Mauldin
THOMASVILLE TIMES-ENTERPRISE (THOMASVILLE, Ga.)

THOMASVILLE, Ga. Sat, May 17 2008

— Georgia state Sen. John Bulloch wasn’t smoking, talking on his cell phone or reading a newspaper Thursday while his colleagues debated weighty issues, but his fashion sensibility was called into question.
Bulloch, R-Ochlocknee, came under fire from fellow Republican Sen. Dan Moody of Alpharetta because of his blue jeans, which he wore with a white shirt and tie.
Moody was so incensed by the attire that he voted against Bulloch’s bill that would require those convicted of driving under the influence to take certified courses, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Thursday online.
Bulloch seemed to take Moody’s dressing down in stride. Contacted Monday at the capitol, he said he was in the offending attire again, although he was not attending a Senate session.
“I’ve got jeans on right now,” he said. “Actually, I’m going to a committee meeting. Mr. Moody is a chair of the subcommittee of this committee. Dan Moody’s a great guy and he’s my friend.”
Senate rules require members to conduct themselves with dignity while in session, but leaves it to the body’s president to call them on violations, including inappropriate conversations and dress.
The rules also prohibit smoking, eating, using cell phones or reading newspapers and other material not relating to legislation while in session. Senators also are prohibited from using personal computers except for legislative business.
Bulloch said he has worn jeans “lots of times” in the past without incident.
“Personally, I think it was not in the best of taste to be handled in the chamber,” Bulloch said of the chastising he received from Moody. “The definition of proper attire — everybody’s got their definition.”
Bulloch said he is ready to put the issue behind him but is not apologetic about wearing the cotton product.
“I don’t think we’ve got any sheep that are sheared to make wool in Thomas County,” he said. “I don’t see any Dacron factories in the area. This really is not an issue to me.”

Alan Mauldin writes for the Thomasville (Ga.) Times-Enterprise.