AAPOR found the firm guilty of violating its Code of Professional Ethics and Practices for failing to provide sufficient information about presidential primary polls conducted in New Hampshire and Wisconsin in 2008, even though the firm was not a member of the association.

Speaking to Research at the time, the firm’s CEO David Johnson (pictured) vowed legal action against AAPOR. However, Johnson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution this week that he has dropped those plans. “You know the old adage – lawyers should never represent themselves?” Johnson said. “I guess a PR person should never be their own publicist. That was me speaking in anger because I was really outraged at the time.”

Johnson told the paper that since the row broke last September the firm has concentrated on polling for private companies and not publicising the results.

That changed this week, however, with the release of a poll about the gubernatorial elections in Georgia – complete with a set of crosstabs for the first time.

Johnson said: “We just decided to take a hiatus while the controversy detracted from our poll numbers. I’m not going to pursue it. I’m sure I’ll be hounded by somebody. We’re releasing the crosstabs and everything.”