CL story prompts Pitts Campaign hires

Mayoral hopeful Robb Pitts hired two new deputy campaign chairs last week after receiving phone calls from supporters worried that their candidate was micromanaging his election drive.

Pitts' backers were responding to a CL story that questioned whether Pitts was making a fatal blunder early in the election season by refusing to hire a press secretary or experienced campaign manager to head up a race that could cost $3 million.

"He listened," says Pitts spokesman Dana Bolden about the calls the candidate received from supporters. "He has released the reins, which is good to see."

Pitts also is considering hiring a press secretary, Bolden says.

Both new hires are former dot-commers. Michael Barsella, a West Point graduate and former CEO of SpokenGreetings .com, and Jennifer Mendel, founder of Incpio Inc., will help plan and coordinate campaign events for Pitts.

Pitts, currently Atlanta City Council president, plans to formally kick off his mayoral campaign this week with a rally from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Event Loft at Underground Atlanta.

Meanwhile, fellow mayoral candidate Gloria Bromell-Tinubu has hired Kenny Tatum as her campaign manager. He replaces Emmett L. McCord Jr., who left the campaign in April. Tatum is a lawyer with Hunton & Williams.

And on July 2, Shirley Clarke Franklin picked up endorsements from Fulton County Sheriff Jackie Barrett and DeKalb County Sheriff Tom Brown.??