Bibb Mill Resurfaces As Issue for Foley

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Malloy reopened an old wound this week in GOP rival Tom Foley, launching a new ad alleging Foley's business practices ruined a Georgia textile mill and cost thousands of workers their jobs.

But whether the Bibb mill controversy will yield the same results for Malloy as it did for Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele - Foley's chief rival in the Republican gubernatorial primary, remains to be seen.

Foley, who launched his own attack spot earlier this month challenging Malloy's record as mayor of Stamford, had to scramble back in early August to respond to Fedele, who aired his Bibb commercials less than two weeks before the GOP primary.

"There's no disputing it had a negative impact," Republican State Chairman Christopher Healy said of the Fedele spots, calling them "unfounded" and "inaccurate." But "it was only problematic," he added, "because Tom wasn't able to respond as quickly."

Foley, who watched a 35-point lead over Fedele whittled down to 8 points days before the primary, was hit hard by ads that charged he earned millions of dollars in his final years owning the plant, which he held from 1985 through 1996. The Bibb plant, located in a former in Muscogee County that has since been incorporated in Columbus, Ga., filed for bankruptcy in 1996.

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