Georgia Governor Joseph Terrell signed legislation creating the State Board of Health on August 17, 1903.
Georgia Tech was designated the State School of Technology on August 17, 1908 by joint resolution of the State Senate and State House.
In a quaint bit of Georgia history, on August 17, 1908, Governor Hoke Smith signed legislation prohibiting corporate donations to political campaigns. Cute!
On August 17, 1998, President Bill Clinton testified as the subject of a grand jury investigation.
The testimony came after a four-year investigation into Clinton and his wife Hillary’s alleged involvement in several scandals, including accusations of sexual harassment, potentially illegal real-estate deals and suspected “cronyism” involved in the firing of White House travel-agency personnel. The independent prosecutor, Kenneth Starr, then uncovered an affair between Clinton and a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky. When questioned about the affair, Clinton denied it, which led Starr to charge the president with perjury and obstruction of justice, which in turn prompted his testimony on August 17.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Rudy Giuliani is expected to be questioned before a Fulton County Grand Jury today, according to the Associated Press via the Valdosta Daily Times.
Several downtown Atlanta streets are expected to take on a circus-like atmosphere as reporters from local and national news outlets jockey for the best view of the former New York City mayor.
Giuliani later cited the development as evidence that “we’re starting to live in a fascist state.”
“It’s just a further desecration of the Sixth Amendment. I was his lawyer of record in that case,” Giuliani said on Newsmax Monday, referencing Trump. “The statements that I made are either attorney-client privilege, because they were between me and him, or they were being made on his behalf in order to defend him.”
He added, “When you start turning around lawyers into defendants when they’re defending their clients, we’re starting to live in a fascist state. Look, I’ve already had my law office raided. I never thought I’d ever see that happen.”
More than a quarter-billion dollars worth of ad time has been reserved for the fall elections, according to the AJC.
An analysis by media guru Rick Dent found that more than $270 million worth of ads have already been booked or reserved in Georgia.
That includes $64 million in the race for governor between Democrat Stacey Abrams and Republican incumbent Brian Kemp. So far, Abrams and her allies account for about $38 million of the spending while GOP ads amount to $26 million.
In the race for U.S. Senate, the ad spending already tops $207 million: At least $90 million to support GOP Senate hopeful Herschel Walker and more than $117 million backing Democrat Raphael Warnock’s reelection.
Abrams has brought in nearly $50 million for her governor’s race so far, while Kemp has raised about $31 million.
A poll worker shortage threatens issues in November elections, according to the AJC.
All the largest counties in metro Atlanta are trying to find new hires between now and Election Day. Tuesday is Help America Vote Day, an effort to reach potential poll workers through in-person events and social media ads.
Poll worker shortages at this point before a major election aren’t unusual, but they could turn into a bigger problem, as they did when health concerns about the coronavirus led many people to abandon plans to work the 2020 election.
“We’re recruiting them up to the last minute,” Gwinnett County spokesman Joe Sorenson said. “I don’t think we’ve ever gone into an election where we’ve met every goal for poll workers — even when it was patriotic to be a poll worker.”
Some counties have increased poll worker compensation. Pay for election clerks starts at $15 per hour in DeKalb. Election Day pay begins at $175 in Fulton County, $150 in Cobb County and $120 in Gwinnett.
Besides Election Day jobs, counties also need to meet a need for poll workers during early voting, which begins Oct. 17. All counties must provide at least 17 days of early voting, including two Saturdays, according to the state’s voting law passed last year.
“It is always difficult to staff for early voting,” Cobb Elections Director Janine Eveler said. “We are just starting our hiring, so it’s too early to say” how many vacancies must be filled.
In Fulton County, the shortage may top 2000 election workers, according to the AJC.
Fulton is home to one out of every 10 Georgians and roughly 750,000 active voters. With a potential voter base of that size, Fulton is still searching for about 2,000 poll workers to staff the 240 sites on Election Day and the 36 locations that’ll host early voting for two weeks.
Under-staffed polls and under-trained workers contributed to Fulton’s disastrous June 2020 primary that put them in the searing national spotlight and at risk of temporarily losing control of managing the county’s elections.
Also to appear before the Grand Jury will be attorney Jenna Ellis, according to the Associated Press via WSAV.
A judge in Colorado on Tuesday ordered a legal adviser for former President Donald Trump’s campaign to travel to Georgia to testify before a special grand jury that’s looking into whether Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia.
Judge Gregory Lammons in Fort Collins, Colorado, made the decision after holding a hearing on a request from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to compel testimony from attorney Jenna Ellis. Prosecutors are interested in Ellis’s role in helping to coordinate and plan legislative hearings in Georgia and other states where false allegations of election fraud were pushed, according to testimony in court.
Fulton County prosecutors have purchased plane tickets and made a hotel reservation in preparation for Ellis to testify on Aug. 25.
In the petition seeking Ellis’s testimony, Willis identified her as “an attorney for the Trump Campaign’s legal efforts seeking to influence the results of the November 2020 election in Georgia and elsewhere.”
Ellis appeared with Giuliani at a Dec. 3, 2020, state Senate committee hearing at the Georgia Capitol during which false allegations of election fraud were made, Willis wrote. She also wrote at least two legal memos to Trump and his attorneys advising that then-Vice President Mike Pence should “disregard certified electoral college votes from Georgia and other purportedly ‘contested’ states” when Congress met to certify the election results on Jan. 6, 2021, the petition says.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations of mischief involving voting machines in Coffee County, according to the AJC.
A group of Donald Trump supporters copied a trove of sensitive Georgia election files in Coffee County after the 2020 presidential election, a breach that included data from an election server, voter check-in computers and ballot memory cards, according to documents produced in response to subpoenas.
The GBI confirmed Tuesday that it has opened a criminal investigation of the incident on Jan. 7, 2021, when the group flew from Atlanta to South Georgia and were given access by local election officials to equipment that was supposed to be kept secure from outsiders. Computer trespass is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Election integrity activists say the Coffee County case shows that Georgia’s touchscreen-based voting system is vulnerable to insider attacks, a weakness that could enable wrongdoers to manipulate results.
State election officials have said Georgia’s elections remain secure, and it would be difficult to hack election computers during an ongoing election.
Text messages disclosed through the subpoenas indicate that local officials helped the computer experts copy election information, giving them access to the county election office.
“Rogue election officials will not be tolerated in Georgia,” said Mike Hassinger, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office. “Prior to this latest disclosure, the Georgia secretary of state’s office and the State Election Board had already looped in appropriate authorities, including criminal law enforcement agencies, to assist in the investigation into the alleged unlawful access in Coffee County. That investigation continues, and any wrongdoers should be prosecuted.”
The Georgia Secretary of State’s Elections Division announced that Sara Koth will serve as Chief Investigator, according to the Georgia Recorder.
Koth will supervise a staff of more than 40 investigators, inspectors, and support personnel “overseeing complex case management spanning 43 professional licensing boards, the State Election Board, cemeteries, charities, securities, and corporations,” according to a press release from Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office.
“Sara Koth is a seasoned law enforcement professional who will execute her duties with the highest degreee of integrity,” Raffensperger said. “Her background complements the complete and unique investigations undertaken by the Secretary of State’s office, and her skill set makes her uniquely qualified for this role.”
Koth started at FPPD as a senior patrol officer, later serving as lead detective and operations commander. While at FPPD, she also was co-chair of the Clayton County Child Abuse Protocol. In that role, Koth “oversaw investigations into human trafficking and child abuse” and served on the Clayton County Domestic Violence Task Force’s steering committee.
The GBI is also investigating allegations against Floyd County Clerk of Superior Court Barbara Penson, according to the Rome News Tribune.
Greg Bluestein of the AJC writes about why Trump-backed candidates in Georgia fared worse than in other states.
Democratic strategist Fred Hicks said Kemp “successfully avoided nationalizing the Republican primary” by focusing attention on his policies.
That meant Kemp crisscrossed the state promoting pro-gun expansions and anti-abortion measures to die-hard Trump supporters even as he appealed to more moderate voters by touting new job projects.
The victorious candidates also tapped into Georgia’s maverick streak.
“I can’t tell you how many people came up to me and said, ‘I love Trump, but he shouldn’t try to tell me how to vote,’ ” said [State Senator Mike] Dugan, the GOP Senate leader. “Georgia is still a state where we don’t like when people tell us what to do.”
Cobb County has seen rising overdose numbers, according to the AJC.
“Particularly concerning is that it appears that street-bought drugs, such as cocaine, were mixed with fentanyl,” [a health department spokesperson] said.
Opioid overdose deaths reached an all-time high in the county, with 123 deaths in 2021, a 75% increase since pre-pandemic levels in 2019 which had 70 deaths, according to public health data.
“In the past three months alone, 30 people went to the ER at Cobb Hospital for fentanyl poisoning,” [Missy Owen, founder of the Davis Direction Foundation] said. “Fifteen of those 30 believed they were taking something other than fentanyl.”
Cobb has remained one of the top counties in Georgia for opioid overdose deaths, which spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
This year, the county received federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act — $25.7 million is designated for community health, the top spending priority in the investment plan. Under the community health umbrella, the county plans to allot $12 million for mental health, $7.5 million for public health disparities and $3.6 million for substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation initiatives.
Kelly Farr, director of the state’s Office of Planning and Budget, asked state agencies to maintain current spending levels in their budget requests, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Albany Herald.
Although Georgia continues to see higher net tax collections, state officials are worried that rising inflation could hurt the state’s cash flow.
“Rising costs are impacting critical state services just as they are impacting Georgia families,” Kelly Farr, director of the state’s Office of Planning and Budget, said in a memo last week to agency heads.
“Though Georgia’s economy and state revenues remain strong, inflationary pressures will be a significant driver in the upcoming budget cycle,” Farr added. “Therefore, agencies are instructed to submit operational budgets equivalent to their current FY 2023 appropriation for Amended FY 2023 and FY 2024.”
Agencies must submit their budgets by Sept. 7. The state also encouraged agencies to use technology to streamline their operations.
Glynn County Commissioners plan a full rollback of the property tax millage rate, according to The Brunswick News.
County commissioners have announced intentions to decrease the millage rate at a special called meeting 5 p.m. on Aug. 25 in the second-floor meeting room at the Glynn County Historic Courthouse.
The current millage rate of 4.453 will be lowered to 4.119, which county officials said represents the inflationary portion of the tax, estimated at 9% for 2022.
“Doing a full rollback of the millage rate for the second year in a row is evidence of the commission’s commitment to be fiscally responsible,” said Wayne Neal, commission chairman.
The Fulton County Board of Education lowered their projected property tax millage rate, but still will reap higher revenues, according to the AJC.
The Fulton County Board of Education lowered the property tax rate to 17.24 mills, a move that amounts to a 2.78% tax increase because of rising property values.
District leaders initially planned to set the rate at 17.49 mills, but the board recently authorized the slightly lower rate to give taxpayers more relief. The district reported it will forgo approximately $10.1 million in tax revenue because of the last-minute rate change.
The change legally is considered a tax increase because the district would have had to roll back the rate to 16.773 mills to completely offset tax increases because of higher property assessments.
Under the new rate, the owner of a $350,000 home will pay about $64 more than if the rate had been rolled all the way back, according to district numbers.
An Augusta Starbucks employee who helped lead unionization efforts at his store has been fired, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
[Jaysin] Saxton shared the notice of separation, which documented him for “multiple disruptive behaviors” during a union protest on July 18 at the Starbucks location on Robert C. Daniel Parkway.
In April, workers at the store became the first in Georgia to vote for unionization with Starbucks Workers United. Since then, they felt that management was not meeting their obligations and organized “March on the Boss” to share a list of demands with managers.
After the protest was shut down by managers part way through the list of demands, the workers began a two-day strike.
According to the separation notice, Saxton was cited for blocking an exit, blocking the customer drink area, and using his keys to open the store when he was not scheduled.
Bulloch County Commissioners approved a moratorium on rezonings in the southeastern part of the county, according to the Statesboro Herald.
With Hyundai Motor Group’s plans for an 8,100-employee factory just across the county line accelerating demand for housing in the region, the Bulloch County commissioners unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium Tuesday on site-specific rezoning for new subdivisions in the southeastern part of the county.
In the moratorium area, the county government has halted consideration of new requests for rezoning to seven zoning classifications, effective immediately, for 180 days, ending at the close of business on Feb. 10, 2023.
A further passage reserves the commissioners the right to extend the moratorium up to 180 additional days. Commissioners Chairman Roy Thompson said he does not want or expect that long a hold on rezoning but that the commissioners could extend it by a month or two past the first 180 days if needed.
The Lula City Council adopted a 90-day moratorium on rezonings, according to AccessWDUN.
Baldwin County public schools will hire a part-time public safety director, according to 13WMAZ.
“We determined that we need somebody totally devoted to school safety,” Superintendent Price says.
“This position is to focus on school safety and look at all of our safety measures, make recommendations for new safety measures, but also work with law enforcement and EMS folks to make sure that we have a comprehensive plan in place so that if we have a catastrophic event, we are able to respond, and respond appropriately,” she explains.
Price says she and the district saw that this job was needed, especially after the mass shooting that happened in Uvalde, Texas.
“It was devastating — heartbreaking that you had so many lives lost. It’s something that you never, ever want to happen in your school district. Nothing is foolproof and we know that, but we’re going to do everything in our power to prevent it.”
Some Bryan County parents are raising concerns about school bus overcrowding, according to the Savannah Morning News.
A student at Richmond Hill High School posted a video on Facebook showing students sitting on the floor – and on top of each other.
“My biggest concern is if a private citizen was caught driving around in a similar fashion where they were exceeding the maximum capacity of the vehicle, they would definitely be pulled over and fined,” said [parent Eric] Schwan.
Schwan stressed the importance of the county taking precautions when transporting students because for many, the school bus is their only way to get there.
Valdosta On Demand, the city’s app-based transit system, says their first year was a success, according to WALB.
Valdosta On-Demand is the city’s first-ever transit system. City officials said it has already been a great success. A success that has led to extended hours and an expanded fleet.
Public transit is all about convenience for riders. All you do is give them your pickup and drop off location and they’ll have you there.
“When you think of how many individuals that need transportation to and from work, to and from school, medical appointments and just to run their errands,” said Deputy City Manager Richard Hardy. “We’ve provided over 88,000 since Valdosta On-Demand launched back in April.”
It offers rides for as little as $2 for 1 person and only $1 more for every additional passenger.
Valdosta On-Demand is only available on weekdays for now. But if you would like service Monday-Friday, 5:30 a.m.- 9 p.m., download their mobile app and they’ll be happy to serve you.
Chatham Area Transit is seeking public input on proposed route changes, according to WTOC.
The Rome Board of Education announced a single finalist for the system’s superintendency, according to the Rome News Tribune.
Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden will host a multi-candidate meet-and-greet, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
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