Manuel Maloof dies at 80

[Alpharetta]

Sad news. Good guy.


Manuel J. Maloof dies at 80

By BEN SMITH, TOM BENNETT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/07/04


Manuel J. Maloof, the profane, hot-tempered and big-hearted barkeep who rose from obscurity to head one of metro Atlanta's largest governments, died early Saturday.

The former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer and Commission Chairman died at 5:30 a.m. of cardiac arrest at Emory University Hospital, according to Elaine Nachman, a family friend. He was 80 years old.

Maloof, who'd been admitted to the hospital multiple times in the past 16 years for complications from diabetes, had gone to the hospital a week ago after complaining of shortness of breath and after choking on liquid, she said.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Mr. Maloof's death marks the passing of an era in Georgia politics before elected office-seekers became pasteurized by image consultants and focus groups. Mr. Maloof, who rarely wore a tie, was known for his public tirades and his "What the hell do you want?"— or worse — retorts to other elected officials seeking an audience or reporters wanting interviews with him.

Mr. Maloof ruled a pair of unlikely domains: on the one hand as the Democratic chief executive officer of the $213 million-a-year DeKalb County government, and on the other as the principal owner of Manuel's Tavern on North Highland Avenue.

more at link: http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0804/07maloof.html

[xfundy]

1. Manuel's

...was one of the first bars I ever went to. What a great place! As I recall, he was always doing something to piss off the righties.