State Representative Barbara Massey Reece, a Democrat from Menlo, has come out in support of Georgia House Speaker David Ralston –  a Republican from Blue Ridge.

Ralston is being criticized for acceptance of money from a consulting firm to pay for his family’s travel and lodging expenses during the Speaker’s fact-finding trip to Europe at Thanksgiving.

Representative Reece told The Summerville News:

“Speaker Ralston is a very fine man and I have high respect for him,” said Reece. “His trip was fully disclosed and he did nothing illegal. If you want to learn about rapid rail you have to go to Europe or Singapore, places where they have real experience with it. If a private group offered to pay for his family to go with him over the holidays, I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

Representative Reece has told AM 1180 that Speaker Ralston understands the concerns of rural North Georgia legislators and has worked with the Speaker on several issues that concern Chattooga and Floyd Counties.