ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The concept of an American government actually shutting down can be traced to the administration of the only Georgian to ever occupy the Oval Office, who was born 101 years ago almost to the moment of the current standoff .

James Earl Carter, Jr., better known as Jimmy Carter, served as the nation’s 39th president from 1977 to 1981. One of his administration’s attorney generals was Benjamin Civiletti, who served as the nation’s 73rd top judicial official from 1979 to 1981.

Before the 1980s, federal agencies generally continued to operate even when appropriations had expired. But during Carter’s administration, Civiletti - the first Italian-American to lead the U.S. Justice Department - issued legal opinions stating that non-essential functions of

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