Georgia Politics, Campaigns and Elections for March 11, 2021

On March 11, 1779, Congress created the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

On March 11, 1861, the Confederate Congress, assembled in Montgomery, Alabama, adopted the Constitution of the Confederate States of America. Today the original signed manuscript of the Confederate Constitution is in the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries.

On March 11, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur obeyed the President’s order dated February 20, 1942, and left the Philippines.

On March 11, 2005, Brian Nichols shot and killed Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rowland Barnes and court reporter Julie Brandau in the Fulton County Courthouse, leading to a lockdown of the state capitol and a number of nearby buildings. Nichols killed two more before taking a young woman hostage in Duluth; that woman, Ashley Smith, would talk Nichols into surrendering the next day. Nichols was eventually convicted for four murders and is serving consecutive life sentences.

Happy Birthday to former Governor Roy Barnes, who served from 1999-2003, and lost to Republican Sonny Perdue in 2002, and to current Governor Nathan Deal in 2010.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns and Elections

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

TBD Senate Rules Upon Adjournment – 450 CAP
7:30 AM Senate Appropriations- Compensation Sub – 125 CAP
8:00 AM Senate Ethics – canceled – 307 CLOB
8:00 AM Senate Appropriations- Higher Education/Education Sub – 310 CLOB
8:00 AM Senate Appropriations- Government Operations Sub – 450 CAP
8:00 AM HOUSE Natl Res & Envt Environmental Quality Subcommittee – 606 CLOB
9:00 AM HOUSE RULES – 341 CAP
10:00 AM Senate Floor Session – Senate Chamber
10:00 AM HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD31) – House Chamber
11:30 AM HOUSE EDUCATION – 506 CLOB
1:00 PM Senate Public Safety – Mezz 1
1:00 PM HOUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM – CANCELLED – 341 CAP
2:15 PM Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs – Mezz 1
2:15 PM Senate Transportation – canceled – 450 CAP
3:30 PM Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities – 450 CAP
3:30 PM HOUSE Regulated Industries Occupational and Professional Licensing Subcommittee – 606 CLOB
4:00 PM Senate Appropriations- Economic Development Sub – Mezz 1
4:45 PM Senate Government Oversight- canceled – 450 CAP

SENATE RULES CALENDAR

SB 274 – Bartow County; homestead exemption; school district ad valorem taxes for educational purposes; provide (SLGO-14th)

SB 275 – Bartow County School District Ad Valorem Taxes; homestead exemption; increase exemption amount (SLGO-14th)

Governor Brian Kemp yesterday announced expanded criteria for vaccine eligibility, according to a press release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced expanded eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations. On March 15, vaccination criteria will expand to include Georgians aged 55 and older and individuals with disabilities and certain medical conditions.

“As we have said from the beginning of this pandemic, we will protect the most vulnerable from severe illness, hospitalization and death, and ensure that Georgians can get back to normal as soon as possible,” said Governor Kemp. “With increased vaccine supply from the federal government, and significant progress made in vaccinating Georgia seniors and other high-risk individuals, this expanded vaccination eligibility will enable more people to get vaccinated over the next few weeks.”

For a complete list of health conditions that qualify for vaccination effective March 15, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

Adding Georgians over the age of 55 and those at high risk to COVID-19 will make vaccines available to categories that account for 92% of deaths due to COVID-19 in Georgia.

Provided supply allows, vaccine eligibility is expected to open to all adults in April.

Over the past 30 days, the state has administered over one million vaccines, and on March 17, a total of nine state mass vaccination sites will be operational. To register for a vaccine at one of these sites, visit MyVaccineGeorgia.com.

From WSB-TV:

These are the health conditions provided by the governor’s office: Asthma, cancer, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, COPD, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions, immunocompromised state, liver disease, neurologic conditions (Dementia, ALS, Parkinson’s), overweight and obesity (BMI > 25), pulmonary fibrosis, Sickle Cell disease, thalassemia.

“We will continue to encourage all eligible Georgians not to wait to get their dose,” Kemp said.

Kemp’s office is expecting the state will receive 233,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines next week, but not the Johnson & Johnson, though that could change.

With an expected increase in supply, the governor believes he can open it up even further in April.

“Provided we continue to see increasing vaccine supply, it is our intent to open up vaccination to all adults in the first part of next month,” Kemp said.

Georgia could reap a COVID-19 windfall of $4.7 billion dollars in federal aid, according to the AJC.

The big question at the state Capitol these days is, “What do we do with all that money?”

To put it in perspective, it’s the equivalent of adding about 17% to the $27.2 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that the Georgia House just passed.

The state constitution gives Gov. Brian Kemp the say over how the money will be spent, and his staffers note the federal Treasury Department will have to provide guidelines for using the money, just as it did last spring when the CARES Act was approved early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republicans fear wording in the relief bill even threatens the modest $140 million state income tax cut the Georgia House has already approved.

“Democrats in Washington, D.C., are now telling states they can’t cut their taxes,” Kemp said. “This bill represents everything that is wrong with Washington, D.C.”

The governor’s office said the relief money can broadly be spent for economic relief and recovery purposes, including giving assistance to households and small businesses, replacing revenue lost because of the recession, and shoring up infrastructure. At least some of it may go to pay the tab for state-funded unemployment checks and possibly increasing funding in areas cut by lawmakers last year.

House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, said he doesn’t “have a clue” how the $5 billion will be spent, but he added that Kemp officials will likely have discussions about it with legislative leaders in coming weeks and months.

“One of the things we have been looking at is, what are some one-time expense items we could use it for that don’t create reoccurring expenditures,” England said. “Even to the point of capital investments, like repaving roads, fixing more bridges, doing buildings we were going to do at some point.”

State Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) is drawing fire in his day job over state legislation to change voting procedures, according to 13WMAZ.

Hancock County commissioners are asking their county attorney to resign because he’s sponsored what critics call a voter-suppression bill.

This came after about 40 people protested outside the county courthouse saying attorney Barry Fleming should be fired

“We have lots of protests at the capitol, but when we have protests in our local communities, that sends a message everywhere,” said participant Jeanne Dufort. “Taxpayers are paying for the guy who’s trying to take their voting rights away.”

Fleming is also a Republican state representative who sponsored House Bill 531. Critics call it a voter suppression bill.

Hancock’s District 1 Commissioner Gloria Cooper told 13WMAZ that they have asked Fleming for a letter of resignation.

House Bill 163 by State Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) passed the State Senate and will create an “express lane” for some children to be eligible for Medicaid, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Gwinnett Daily Post.

Sponsored by state Rep. Sharon Cooper, R-east Cobb, the bill would create an “express lane” for families eligible for food stamps to be automatically enrolled in Georgia’s Medicaid program, rather than having to fill out separate paperwork.

Pending approval from the federal government, the automatic enrollment would allow an estimated 60,000 Medicaid-eligible children who receive food stamps to also join the joint state-federal health program, according to the nonprofit advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future.

The bill passed the state Senate unanimously on Wednesday after advancing out of the Georgia House of Representatives last month, also by unanimous vote. It now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature.

“It reduces duplicative services, it reduces bureaucracy and actually gives services to children in need,” Watson said from the Senate floor. “It’s good from a hospital perspective … and it’s good from a government perspective as well.”

Senate Bill 289 by Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah) would merge the the Chatham County Board of Elections and the county Board of Registrars, according to the Savannah Morning News.

“Chatham County needs to look at not only streamlining these boards and the process but look to become more efficient,” Jackson said. “It works well in 99% of the counties in Georgia, so I think it’s something that has to come to pass.”

The split board is a rarity in the state. Chatham is one of the only counties in Georgia that splits the responsibilities surrounding elections work between two offices. The other is Union.

The Board of Registrars is currently in charge of voter registration, organizing early voting and nearly all aspects of absentee balloting, from responding to ballot requests to sending out and receiving them.

The Board of Elections is in charge of most of the on-the-ground work for Election Day, managing polling places, election day voting, the counting of ballots and election certification. The BOE also has the power to determine local-level candidate qualification and eligibility, and campaign finance.

Former President Donald Trump urged Herschel Walker to run for United States Senate against Democrat Raphael Warnock in 2022, according to The Hill.

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the legendary Herschel Walker ran for the United States Senate in Georgia? He would be unstoppable, just like he was when he played for the Georgia Bulldogs, and in the NFL,” Trump said in a statement. “He is also a GREAT person. Run, Herschel, run!”

Trump’s endorsement of a possible bid by Walker is the latest indication he plans to lift up allies in midterm races across the country next year. He’s already backed an array of candidates, most of whom have been loyal incumbents, though he has indicated he’ll fight against Republicans who have not been supportive.

The Georgia seat held by Warnock is a top target for Republicans in their attempt to win back the Senate next year. Warnock won the seat in a special election that went to a January runoff by about 2 points and will have to run in 2022 for a full six-year term.

It is still unclear what affect a Trump endorsement would have in the Peach State. While his backing would likely carry great weight in what could be a crowded GOP primary, Trump’s support could be harmful in a general election. Trump lost Georgia in November by about 12,000 votes, and Republicans have in part credited the former president’s claims of election fraud with the losses of the state’s two Senate seats in the January runoffs.

From the AJC:

But many Republicans are skeptical Walker, who hasn’t returned repeated calls seeking comment, will run. He now lives in Texas and would have to move to Georgia to run for office. And he would also have to launch a political network from scratch after no involvement in state grassroots politics.

Cameron McWhirter of the Wall Street Journal writes about the call from then-President Trump to the top investigator at the Georgia Secretary of State’s office.

Then-President Donald Trump urged the chief investigator of the Georgia Secretary of State’s office to look for fraud during an audit of mail-in ballots in a suburban Atlanta county, on a phone call he made to her in late December.

During the six-minute call, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Trump repeatedly said that he won Georgia. “Something bad happened,” he said.

“When the right answer comes out, you’ll be praised,” Mr. Trump told the chief investigator, Frances Watson.

During the call, Mr. Trump told Ms. Watson that she had the most important job in the country at the time and urged her investigators to review signatures going back several years, according to the recording. While her audit was focused on Cobb County, he said she should look at Fulton County, the state’s most populous county that includes most of Atlanta.

“If you can get to Fulton, you are going to find things that are going to be unbelievable,” he said.

Seven Metro Atlanta public school districts plan to offer a virtual option for public school students in the fall, according to the AJC.

The leaders of Atlanta Public Schools and the Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Henry County school districts joined the panel, moderated by AJC education columnist Maureen Downey.

Most of the superintendents said students attending in person in the upcoming school year will be subject to COVID-19 mitigation measures similar to those in place now, including masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing. Virtual learning will take place through students’ home campuses or expanded districtwide virtual academies, the panelists said.

“I actually have great confidence and optimism in the quality and effectiveness of virtual learning,” said Henry County Schools Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis. “I don’t think it is for every family and for every child, but I believe families who have opted to continue in the virtual environment should have confidence that it will be a quality and comparable education.”

Yesterday, I was listening to GPB’s Political Rewind and the panelists were discussing U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. It occurred to me that their criticisms of MTG reminded me of criticism of another Georgia Congressman years ago, Newt Gingrich.  I’ll write more fully about this in tomorrow’s edition, but for now, here’s a bit from Jamie Dupree, writing for the AJC.

In recent weeks, Greene has made her presence felt on the floor, moving to adjourn the House, delaying action on some bills, and earning criticism from Republicans as she called for surprise votes.

“This is what we’re hired to do,” Greene said.

With no committees, Greene could use the House rules to torment Democrats on the House floor, or just throw sand in the legislative gears.

On Monday, Democrats postponed work on 13 non-controversial bills because Greene was ready to call votes on all of them, which would have taken hours under COVID voting rules.

“She seems to have down pat the obstructive part of the role,” said George Washington University political science professor Sarah Binder.

“On the other hand, it doesn’t really strike me as the best route if her goal is to gain media attention, raise money, and advance her and MAGA’s agenda,” Binder added.

Matt Glassman of Georgetown University’s Government Affairs Institute agreed, saying of Greene, “if her goal is bombastic attention, she has lots of avenues besides wreaking havoc on the floor.”

If Greene really wanted to learn the House rules, she could funnel the intensity of her star power into regular floor combat with Democrats, a throwback to Newt Gingrich tangling with Speaker Tip O’Neill.

Consider that the setup for tomorrow.