Tag: Georgia

Stacey Abrams Says of Georgia: ‘We Are the Worst State in the Country to Live’

Addison Basurto

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams made waves with her statement on Saturday at the Gwinnett County Democratic dinner when she stated, “I am tired of being told that we are the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live.”

Abrams is running unopposed for Georgia’s Democratic primary for governor. She will face the eventual winner of the Republican primary election which will be decided on Tuesday. Abrams’ statement received criticism from Republicans.

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Jake Evans Discusses Past Success Fighting for Election Integrity in 2020 in Georgia

Addison Basurto

Jake Evans, the 6th Congressional District candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, spoke with The Georgia Star News on Friday about his success fighting for election integrity in the 2020 elections in Banks, Stephens, and Habersham Counties.

Evans stated, “[I’m the] only lawyer in Georgia history to overturn two elections in the same race, and then I contested the other one down in Long County. So, we found people that voted twice. We found people voting in a district they didn’t live in. We found people that were wrongly assigned a district. We found people who hadn’t signed absentee ballots. There’s fraud out there. It’s a thing.”

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Perdue Issues Statement on ‘Out of Control’ Crime in Georgia and Threats Against SCOTUS

Aaron Gulbransen

The Trump-endorsed candidate in the May 24 Republican primary, former U.S. Senator David Perdue, issued a statement on Monday in the aftermath of the shooting of six people on Mother’s Day.

“This is another tragic example of what happens when a Governor keeps his ‘powder dry’ instead of taking bold action to keep people safe. Crime is out of control across the state. People are being shot daily, but Brian Kemp is missing in action. This disaster is happening on his watch. My question to the people of Georgia is do you feel safe? If not, then it’s time for a new Governor. Nothing is more important to me than ensuring you and your family are safe.” 

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Georgia Democrat Labor Groups Express Opposition to Biden Energy Policies

Aaron Gulbransen

Several Georgia-based labor groups, which are traditionally Democrat in both endorsements and membership, have sent letters to the Biden administration urging them to change course on policies that have resulted in rising inflation and higher gas prices.

The Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists – Atlanta Chamber, and UFCW-Retail Wholesale and Department Store Unions have all sent letters to the Biden administration expressing their displeasure with current energy policies, expressing the plight of their membership in relation to inflation and fuel prices, and demanding a change of course.

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Trump-Endorsed Georgia Attorney General Candidate John Gordon Calls Out Rival Carr in Conversation with the Candidates

Addison Basurto

State attorney general candidate John Gordon criticized incumbent Attorney General Chris Carr for what he characterized as a “do nothing” term at an event Monday.

“I’ve worked hard and now I’ll work hard for each of you and for the people of Georgia, which is, unfortunately, more than I can say about my opponent, Chris ‘Do Nothing’ Carr,” stated Gordon. “I have worked hard for election integrity. I didn’t hear one word about election integrity [from Carr].”

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John Fredericks-Led ‘Team Trump Georgia Bus Tour’ Kicks Off, Highlighting Election Fraud and the Goal to Turn Georgia Counties Red

Addison Basurto

The Team Trump Georgia Bus Tour, a state-wide circuit supporting Trump-endorsed political candidates, hit the road Monday morning at Wild Wings restaurant in Dunwoody, Georgia.

DeKalb County Republican Party Chairman Marci McCarthy stated, “We’re thrilled to be here in welcoming the John Fredericks Georgia Trump Bus Tour here in DeKalb County, Georgia! We’re the kickoff stop, and we are going to vote DeKalb red.”

Garland Favorito, the head of the Georgia-based election integrity group, VoterGA, added, “It’s really got to change now or we’re going to lose Georgia, and if we lose Georgia we’re going to lose America, and if we lose America we’re going to lose the world. So this is huge.”

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Georgia Could Receive $636 Million as Part of Opioid Settlement

The Center Square

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a measure that opens the door to $636 million for state and local governments to bolster their opioid treatment and prevention efforts.

The money is part of a $26 billion multistate opioid settlement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors — Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen — and opioid manufacturer and marketer Johnson & Johnson.

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Trump-Endorsed AG Candidate John Gordon Speculates Absent Incumbent Opponent ‘Must Have Moved into Joe Biden’s Basement’

Aaron Gulbransen

Former President Donald Trump-endorsed candidate for Georgia attorney general, John Gordon, in an interview on The John Fredericks Show, hammered his opponent – incumbent Attorney General Chris Carr – for what he described as a lack of accessibility on the campaign trail.

“I have been campaigning every day for the past two months and I have yet to see Chris ‘Do Nothing’ Carr anywhere,” he said. “In fact, I have concluded that he must have moved into Joe Biden’s basement because we can’t find him anywhere.”

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Georgia State Senate Candidate Shawn Still Wants to ‘Eliminate Drop Boxes’ in Georgia

Aaron Gulbransen

During an appearance on The John Fredericks Show, Georgia State Senate candidate Shawn Still reminded the audience that he filed a lawsuit in 2020 against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and stated very clearly how important election integrity is to him.

“I have been on the forefront on election integrity since all of this began, when we saw the election irregularities. When we saw that we knew the election results, that we knew the election had been stolen, I filed a lawsuit in State Superior Court in Fulton County against the Secretary of State,” said Still.

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Georgia Policy Group Warns That State’s Labor Force Participation Rate Lags Behind Other States

The Center Square

While state officials touted their recent unemployment numbers as an all-time record, a state organization says a deeper analysis of the numbers shows a troubling undercurrent.

Georgia’s unemployment rate in March dropped to an all-time low of 3.1%, down from February’s revised rate of 3.2%, as the number of employed Georgians also hit a record high. Georgia is tied with Arkansas for the 16th lowest unemployment rate, according to an analysis from the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO).

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Polls Show Walker and Jones with Massive Leads in Georgia Senate and Lt. Gov Races, Raffensperger Trails Trump-Endorsed Hice

Aaron Gulbransen

Two different polls were released that show Herschel Walker and State Senator Burt Jones with massive leads in the Republican primaries for U.S. Senate and Lt. Governor, respectively.

Current Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger trails Trump-endorsed U.S. Representative Jody Hice in both polls and has a massive deficit in the second survey.

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Raffensperger Says He Referred More Than 1,600 Georgia Election Cases for Possible Prosecution

The Center Square

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said he referred more than 1,600 cases of potential non-citizens attempting to register to vote in Georgia to local prosecutors and state investigators.

The secretary of state referred the cases to the State Election Board, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and local prosecutors. The announcement comes weeks after Raffensperger said the state completed the first citizenship audit of the state’s voter rolls.

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President Trump Amplifies Accusations That Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Blocked Election Integrity Bill

Aaron Gulbransen

President Trump amplified accusations that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp used Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan to block an election integrity bill in a Monday morning email to supporters and media.

Trump shared a statement issued by VoterGA, a Georgia-based election integrity group. Its website says it is “a coalition of citizens working to restore election integrity in Georgia. We advocate for independently verifiable, auditable, recount-capable and transparent elections.”

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Trump, Perdue Back Buckhead City Effort Prior to May 24 Ballot Question

Neil W. McCabe

At his March 26, 2022, rally in Commerce, Georgia, President Donald J. Trump namechecked Buckhead City and told the tens of thousands of his supporters there that Bill White was one of his best and oldest friends.

White told Neil McCabe of The Star News Network that the key factor driving the residents to leave Atlanta is the need for them to take over their own affairs, especially as the neighborhood suffers its current crime wave, and the Atlanta mayor does not provide the law enforcement officers they need.

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Trump, Perdue Back Buckhead City’s Escape from Atlanta

Neil W. McCabe

The man running to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp in the May 24 Republican primary told The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network that Kemp failed Georgians out in many ways, and one of them was when Kemp refused to back the separation of Buckhead City from Atlanta.

“Look, this is a governor that has sold us out,” said former senator David A. Perdue Jr., the man President Donald J. Trump endorsed to defeat Kemp.

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21 States Join Lawsuit to End Federal Mask Mandate on Airplanes, Public Transportation

The Center Square

Twenty-one states have filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued mask mandate on public transportation, including on airplanes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are leading the effort. Moody filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida along with 20 other attorneys general. DeSantis said the mask mandate was misguided and heavy-handed.

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Georgia Plans to Use Tax Dollars to Upgrade State-Owned Rail Lines

The Center Square

Georgia plans to spend about $10 million to upgrade state-owned rail lines to Class II standards, which officials said would better integrate the lines with the national rail network and allow faster speeds.

The funding is included in the proposed fiscal year 2023 budget Georgia lawmakers are considering. However, the funding isn’t enough for the state to completely overhaul the lines, Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) spokesperson Natalie Dale told The Center Square.

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David Perdue Harpoons Georgia Gov. Kemp’s Swamp Corruption

Julie Carr

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond; WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia; WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 (7-9 p.m.) – Hampton Roads; WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke; and weekdays 6-10 a.m. and 24/7 stream – host Fredericks welcomed David Perdue to discuss his enthusiastic endorsement by Donald Trump for Governor of Georgia and his attempts to talk to Brian Kemp about 2020’s election integrity.

Fredericks: David Perdue joining us now, running for governor, Georgia. That’ll be decided primary May 24th. And zero chance of that being a runoff.

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Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr Joins Lawsuit Challenging Biden Administration Concealing Federal Intimidation Tactics Against Parents

Chris Butler

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said late last week that he has joined a lawsuit to force the Biden administration to release records that might reveal Biden’s attempts to intimidate parents. In a statement, Carr said these parents tried to speak out on issues concerning their children’s education. The lawsuit follows Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed last fall.

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Athens, Georgia Pastor Says County Officials Turn Deaf Ear to Complaints of Homeless Harassing His Church Members

Chris Butler

Members of one Athens church fear for their safety after they said homeless people — many of whom they suspect aren’t even from that city — have harassed and threatened them on church grounds. Luis Ortiz, senior pastor of the Athens’ Young Harris Memorial United Methodist Church, said his complaints to Athens-Clarke County officials go mostly ignored. He and other city residents told The Georgia Star News they believe Athens’ officials are using a $60 million federal grant to bestow upon homeless people. Consequently, homeless people from other areas of the state are relocating to Athens.

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Georgia Speaker David Ralston Proposes Major Tax Reform Legislation

Chris Butler
Speaker David Ralston presides over the Georgia House chamber

Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) and House Ways and Means Chair Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire) on Tuesday announced legislation that would, if enacted into law, lower Georgia’s maximum income tax rate. Ralston and Blackmon want to reduce Georgia’s maximum income tax rate from 5.75 percent to a single and flat rate of 5.25 percent. They said at a press conference that state residents would save an estimated $1 billion per year if and when the proposed cut goes into effect for calendar year 2024.

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Georgia Redistricting Causes Democrat Incumbent U.S. Representative Lucy McBath to Flee the State’s 6th Congressional District

Aaron Gulbransen

Georgia’s redistricting process has caused Democrat Incumbent U.S. Representative Lucy McBath to flee the 6th Congressional District, leaving an open seat.

McBath has left the race for the Sixth district and is running in the much bluer neighboring new Seventh district, taking on fellow Democrat incumbent U.S. Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux. The new GA-7 has a partisan rating of D+16. According to the FEC, McBath has raised $3,199,954.75 and has a war chest of $2,452,731.80 cash on hand. Bourdeaux has $2,005,771.81 cash on hand and has raised $2,406,048.45 for the 2022 election cycle.

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Buckhead Site of Yet Another Violent Crime, Brian Kemp and Other GOP Leaders Still Not Endorsing Movement to Separate City from Atlanta

Chris Butler

News of yet another violent crime in Buckhead apparently won’t nudge Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and other high-ranking GOP legislators to push for legislation to allow Buckhead residents to vote on separating from crime-plagued Atlanta. Members of the Atlanta Police Department (APD) reported a violent carjacking in Buckhead on Sunday.

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Georgia Republican Candidate Rich McCormick’s Name No Longer Appears on List of RINO-Endorsed Candidates

Chris Butler

An organization tagged as catering to Republicans-In-Name-Only (RINOS) has apparently endorsed Republican Rich McCormick, who is running for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District — but reports say that they are keeping that endorsement under the radar. Members of McCormick’s campaign staff did not return The Georgia Star News’ repeated requests for comment this week.

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Georgia Legislator Burt Jones Files Bill to Create New ‘Back the Blue’ Fund

Chris Butler

Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) filed a bill last week that would, if enacted into law, allow Georgia residents to contribute money to increase law enforcement officers’ pay. Georgia residents would subsidize this Back the Blue fund through motor vehicle insurance policies. According to the language of the bill, SB 532, state residents would pay into this fund voluntarily.

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Nonprofit Blasts Georgia Officials for Lack of Transparency on Rivian Deal

Chris Butler

Georgia officials recently announced that the company Rivian will construct a $5 billion Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Morgan and Walton counties, but no one knows how much money the company took in government incentives. This, according to a statement that the Washington, D.C.-based Good Jobs First issued this month. According to its website, Good Jobs First is a policy resource center that promotes corporate and government accountability in economic development.

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Georgia State Senate Members Want Political Candidates to Spend Campaign Expenses on Personal Childcare

Chris Butler

Sixteen Democrats and two Republicans in the Georgia State Senate filed legislation this week that would, if enacted into law, allow political candidates to use campaign funds on childcare and other caregiving expenses. Senator Nikki Merritt (D-Grayson) is the primary sponsor of the bill, SB 523. On Thursday she did not return The Georgia Star News’ requests for comment.

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Top Georgia Official Indicted for Allegedly Faking Pregnancies Through Family and Medical Leave Act

Chris Butler

Members of a Fulton County grand jury have indicted a former top-ranking state official for allegedly and repeatedly lying that she was pregnant just so she could take advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Act. That woman, Robin Folsom, 43, previously directed external affairs for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. This, according to a statement from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

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Buckhead City Committee Members Say Georgia Legislators’ Recent Actions Will Endanger Lives

Chris Butler

BUCKHEAD —  Georgia General Assembly members have, for this year, written off legislation that would allow Buckhead residents to vote on separating from Atlanta, but members of Buckhead’s City Committee aren’t done and announced new priorities Wednesday. Buckhead City Committee members held a press conference at Buckhead City Headquarters. There, they announced that Bill White will continue to serve as the Buckhead City Committee CEO. Committee members then called on Governor Brian Kemp, Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), and other high-ranking GOP legislators to use their clout to push for a vote.

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Brad Raffensperger Calls for More ‘Policing’ to Protect Georgia’s Election Integrity

Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger this week said state officials must do more to protect the integrity of the state’s elections, and, toward that end, he said it’s time for the state to provide additional security. Raffensperger called for greater vigilance of elections in a statement that his office published Monday. He also said it was essential for state officials to take extra steps to protect voters and poll workers. Raffensperger said the state can accomplish this by dispatching state law enforcement resources at polling places, early voting locations, and county election offices where officials handle absentee ballots.

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