Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 25, 2023

General Charles Lee of the Continental Army told Congress that Georgia’s value to the young nation required more forces to defend against the British on August 24, 1776.

On August 25, 1864, Union troops stopped artillery bombardment of Atlanta and withdrew from fortifications around the city. On the same day, in Virginia, Confederate forces attacked Federals under Gen. Grant at Ream’s Station.

On August 26, 1864, having withdrawn from trenches and fortifications outside Atlanta the previous day, U.S. General Sherman sent most of his forces westward around Atlanta and toward the south of the city. Sherman’s forces tore up 12 miles of railroad between Red Oak and Fairburn on August 29, 1864.

On August 25, 1877, delegates to the state Constitutional Convention approved a new post-Reconstruction state Constitution, the seventh in state history, to be submitted to the voters on December 5, 1877.

On August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted. Ratification took place on August 18, 1920, as the Tennessee House of Representatives adopted it, but adoption became official on August 26, when United States Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the Amendment. It reads:

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

The all-time highest score in a professional baseball game was recorded on August 25, 1922, as the Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies by 26-23.

On August 24, 1931, the Georgia General Assembly adopted a joint resolution appointing a committee to work with the Governor in planning a bicentennial celebration to be held in 1933.

Advertising in the rights of way of state roads and placing signs on private property without the owner’s approval were prohibited in the first Georgia law regulating outdoor advertising, which was signed by Governor Richard Russell on August 27, 1931. Over the years, both practices would become enshrined in Peach State political strategy.

Paris was liberated from German army control on August 25, 1944.

On August 24, 1945, the United States Postal Service held a first day of issue ceremony in Warm Springs, Georgia for the release of a stamp bearing the images of Franklin D. Roosevelt and The Little White House.

On August 25, 1950, President Harry S. Truman ordered the seizure of the nation’s private railroads by executive order.

On August 26, 1961, the 718th Engineer Light Equipment Company of Fort Valley and the 210th Signal Base Depot Company of Augusta were called up to take part in the American response to the crisis in Berlin.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for President by the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey on August 26, 1964.

On August 26, 1965, Sonny & Cher were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘I Got You Babe’, the duo’s only UK No.1. Sonny Bono was inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term “babe,” as heard in Bob Dylan’s ‘It Ain’t Me Babe.’

On August 25, 1973, the Allman Brothers of Macon, Georgia released “Ramblin’ Man” as the first single from the album “Brothers and Sisters.” From the Wall Street Journal,

Dickey Betts: In 1969, I was playing guitar in several rock bands that toured central Florida. Whenever I’d have trouble finding a place to stay, my friend Kenny Harwick would let me crash at his garage apartment for a few days in Sarasota. One day he asked me how I was doing with my music and said, “I bet you’re just tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best you can.”

Then one day in 1972, I was sitting in the kitchen of what we called the Big House in Macon, Ga.—where everyone in the band lived—and decided to finish the lyrics.

My inspiration was Hank Williams’s “Ramblin’ Man,” from 1951. His song and mine are completely different but I liked his mournful, minor-chord feel.

Except for Kenny’s line, the rest of the lyrics were autobiographical.

The WSJ article is worth reading in its entirety if you’re a fan of the Allmans.

Former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox was nominated for President on the American Independent Party ticket on August 27, 1976, making the race probably the only one to ever feature two former Georgia governors. During the campaign, Maddox described Jimmy Carter as “the most dishonest man I ever met.”

On August 27, 1982, Oakland Athletics outfielder Rickey Henderson broke the record for stolen bases in a season, nabbing number 119 against the Milwaukee Brewers and breaking the record held by Lou Brock.

On August 26, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a Welfare Reform bill, called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

Georgia Governor Zell Miller addressed the Democratic National Convention on August 27, 1996. In 2004, Miller would address the Republican National Convention, likely becoming the first Georgian to address both major parties’ national conventions. Congressman John Lewis and Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney also addressed the ’96 DNC. That day, President Bill Clinton signed a Welfare Reform bill, called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

On August 27, 2008, Barack Obama became the Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, the first African-American nominee of a major United States political party.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

It’s getting hot in here. Please don’t take off all your clothes. From the Ledger-Enquirer:

Since Sunday, Columbus’s temperatures have not fallen below 75 degrees. The overnight maximum lows have ranged from 75-78 degrees with heat indexes up to 82 degrees at night. These high night time temperatures are five times more likely because of climate change, according to Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index.

Columbus has been under a heat advisory since Monday. The National Weather Service forecasted temperatures to reach 105 for the “feels-like” temperature. The feels-like temperature, or heat index, comes from a calculation that combines temperature and humidity. The nighttime low in the early hours of the 24th had a heat index of 82 degrees.

“Our core body temperature has to be within a narrow range to protect our organs,” Professor Kristie Ebi for the Center of Health and Global Environment from the University of Washington said. “The nighttime is a chance for [our] bodies to cool down. The heat burden is difficult physiologically for our body.”

Jack Rodgers, the Director of Emergency Services at Piedmont told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email that there has been an increase in the number of heat-related injuries this year. “We believe the cause [in more injuries] is due to higher than average daytime temperatures and increased number of days temperatures staying high,” he said.

Columbus Fire-EMS Chief, Salvatore Scarpa wants citizens to be careful during these warm days. “Drink plenty of water, seek shade when outdoors, and take advantage of shelters when they are open,” he said. “Extended time outdoors can increase the risk for heat-related illnesses, especially with vulnerable populations.”

The National Weather Service forecasts for highs in the triple digits with the heat index reaching between 102 and 106 degrees Friday and Sunday. The 75-degree low streak could break this Sunday evening. The continued high temperatures are connected to climate change according to the CSI.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers (SD-WV) held that the state of West By God may restrict the availability of abortion pills, according to the Associated Press via AccessWDUN.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers determined Thursday that the near-total abortion ban signed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice in September 2022 takes precedence over approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The Supreme Court has made it clear that regulating abortion is a matter of health and safety upon which States may appropriately exercise their police power,” Chambers wrote in a decision dismissing most challenges brought against the state by abortion pill manufacturer GenBioPro, Inc. in a January lawsuit filed in the state southern district’s Huntington division.

Regulation of medical professionals “is arguably a field in which the states have an even stronger interest and history of exercising authority,” than the federal government, Chambers decided.

GenBioPro, Inc., the country’s only manufacturer of a generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, had argued that the state cannot block access to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug.

Chambers dismissed the majority of the manufacturer’s challenges, finding there is “no disputing that health, medicine, and medical licensure are traditional areas of state authority.”

Chambers will allow a challenge by the manufacturer concerning telehealth to proceed, however. Congress has given the FDA the right to dictate the manner in which medications can be prescribed, and the agency has determined that mifepristone can be prescribed via telemedicine.

Mail-order access to the drug used in the most common form of abortion in the U.S. would end under a federal appeals court ruling issued Aug. 16 that cannot take effect until the Supreme Court weighs in.

President Joe Biden’s administration said it would appeal, with Vice President Kamala Harris decrying the potential effect on abortion rights, as well as on the availability of other medications.

“It endangers our entire system of drug approval and regulation by undermining the independent, expert judgment of the FDA,” Harris’ statement said.

I wonder who will file legislation in Georgia to outlaw this drug.

WRDW in Augusta investigated allegations about Burke County Sheriff Alonzo Williams.

News 12 first raised questions about Williams’ credit card spending two years ago. Now, the I-TEAM is digging deeper and found the sheriff seemingly broke Georgia law.

The money in question was used to pay for his expenses and travel, which county commissioners say wasn’t his to spend. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars that came from taxpayers, and not just those in Burke County.

[O]n August 19, 2021, Williams received a $50,000 grant from the Waynesboro Housing Authority. The money was to be used to “provide certified law enforcement officers and deputies to cover security at public housing areas.”

According to the audit, the county was never told about the grant. It should have been disclosed because the $50,000 is considered public money, according to the audit.

The guide for Georgia counties says the county commission approves a budget for the sheriff’s office. If the sheriff’s office gets a grant after the budget is approved – the budget is amended to add in grant money. The county audit says that never happened.

The next month, Williams opens a bank account with the $50,000 grant and opens a line of credit, including a county credit card at First National Bank.

This goes against the Georgia code.

According to O.C.G.A 36-80-24, “an elected official of a county shall be prohibited from the use of a government purchasing card or a government credit card unless: Purchases are in accordance with guidelines adopted by the county.”

The very next month, Williams receives a $375,000 Georgia Power Company grant. That grant is to increase traffic enforcement in and around Plant Vogtle.

According to the audit, the county wasn’t notified about that grant either. Instead, the sheriff put $375,000 into his unauthorized bank account.

And it gets uglier and uglier. Allegedly.

Statesboro cannot schedule a special election for City Council until a resigning member actually leaves office, according to the Statesboro Herald.

The city of Statesboro cannot add a special election to the Nov. 7 ballot to fill the unexpired term of District 1 Councilman Phil Boyum while he remains in office, despite his stated intent to resign effective Dec. 31, city staff members have determined.

City Clerk Leah Harden, who is in charge of qualifying for elections – such as the process underway this week to place candidates for regular terms in council Districts 2, 3 and 5 on the Nov. 7 ballots – and City Attorney Cain Smith researched the matter further after Boyum announced his intent during the Aug. 15 meeting. At that meeting Boyum made a motion, seconded by District 4 Councilmember John Riggs and passed 5-0, to call the special District 1 election for Nov. 7.

Getting the District 1 seat onto a ballot on the same day as the three seats now scheduled for regular election would save the city money and staff members time, Boyum said. After 11 years on the council he is halfway through his current four-year term, so the special election would be for the remaining two years.

“A special election will not be called until such time as there is a vacancy,” [Ms. Harden] stated Tuesday in reply to a follow-up email from the Statesboro Herald.

“Election code states how a special election may be called in the event of a vacancy, but the question of what constitutes an office vacancy is answered by relevant case law, not Georgia code,” Smith stated.

“There’s a long progeny of cases…,” he said, which affirm that an “office is not vacant so long as it is filled by an incumbent who is legally qualified to exercise the powers and perform the duties which pertain to it.”

“Ergo, in this case there is no vacancy until such time as the office is not filled,” Smith said.

Asked whether council members will need to rescind their Aug. 15 vote, Smith said they won’t have to as far as he is concerned because the special election call was “a legally impossible action and automatically moot.”

Former Governor Nathan Deal (R) will speak at Brenau University in Gainesville on Tuesday, August 29th, according to a Press Release.

The Brenau University Learning and Leisure Institute, a signature program of Brenau’s Center for Lifetime Study, will celebrate 30 years of programming with a special guest lecture from former Gov. Nathan Deal on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

“We welcome the public to help BULLI celebrate our 30th year, and join us as we celebrate the good works of BULLI and its vision to be a model lifelong learning community, accessible to and meeting the needs of a diverse and growing population of mature adults,” BULLI Executive Director Tim Bryant said. “We are grateful for Gov. Deal’s support of BULLI by serving as a guest lecturer.”

In the lecture, “The Keeping of Our Republic,” Deal will discuss the challenges of the past 250 years to our form of government at the state and federal levels.

The lecture, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. in the Hosch Theatre at the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts. A pre-event reception to celebrate BULLI begins at 6 p.m. in the Burd Center lobby. Due to limited seating, registration is required for the lecture; visit this link to register on Eventbrite.

United States Representative Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) discussed the Trump case, according to WTOC.

Rep. Carter said he feels that the 19 indicted are being persecuted for questioning an election.

Rep. Carter was one of the Republicans who objected to certifying Georgia’s election results.

Because of that objection and the indictment citing republicans in Congress helping Trump’s efforts, Rep. Carter was asked if he believes any Republicans did or would’ve interfered in the election.

“I do not believe that any Republican that I know would’ve done that, that serves in Congress. I don’t believe that any Republican would’ve done that. But just because we didn’t vote to certify the election, that doesn’t mean that we were going against the Constitution. In fact, in my mind, it means we were upholding the Constitution,” Rep. Carter said.

United States Representative Rick Allen (R-Augusta) writes in support of the Parents Bill of Rights Act in the Statesboro Herald.

in certain places across our nation, over the past several years, we’ve seen parents being silenced and denied the right to make decisions about their child’s education. Parents are being sidelined while their children are being taught divisive curriculum; vilified by those who want to protect special interests over student success. While Georgia has taken steps to protect educational freedom, many families across the nation are not as fortunate.

The Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) even went so far as to label concerned parents “domestic terrorists” just because they wanted a say in their children’s education. This is not the way our education system is intended to operate. Parents know what’s best for their children. Parents should be viewed as partners, not pariahs. As the son of two educators, I can tell you that the best schools know how to work with parents, not around them.

Democrats’ efforts to radically reshape education and deny parents a voice has led our nation to a crossroads when it comes to K-12 education. However, my Republican colleagues and I have a different vision: H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which ensures parents have every right to be actively engaged in their child’s education. As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, I was proud to co-introduce this critical legislation that puts parents back in the driver’s seat.

The Parents Bill of Rights Act would amend several existing laws to improve transparency and accountability within the public school system by guaranteeing: 1) parents have the right to know what is being taught; 2) parents have the right to be heard; 3) parents have the right to see the school budget and spending; 4) parents have the right to protect their child’s privacy; and, 5) parents have the right to be updated on any violent activity in school. H.R. 5 would enshrine these fundamental rights into law, ensuring they can no longer be infringed upon by those seeking to suppress a parent’s basic right to be informed.

Savannah City Council voted unanimously to rename the former Calhoun Square as Thomas Square, according to WTOC.

“And that’s the motion, all in favor, I, all opposed? The motion passes,” said Mayor Van Johnson.

The Savannah City Council unanimously voted to name the unnamed square Taylor Square in Honor of Susie King Taylor.

“We think it would appropriate to have a women of her honor on the square. And closing I wanna say that this journey has brought these coalition members and others together . It warms my soul to see the veterans and we have an opportunity to have a new sunrise in Savannah and let’s begin with a woman on the square,” said Patt Gunn.

Taylor was the first black nurse during the American Civil War and a nurse to freed slaves and now will be remembered for her work in the heart of Savannah.

From the Savanah Morning News:

Taylor was born into slavery near Savannah in 1848 and throughout her life served the Union Army as a nurse, was an educator and authored “Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33d United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers,” as the only Black woman to publish a memoir of her wartime experience.

A committee to promote the Floyd County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum is forming, according to the Rome News Tribune.

Bob Berry is back at the helm in order to promote the 2023 special purpose local option sales tax as it reaches the final stretch before going before voters in November.

“This SPLOST really has projects for everyone across the city and county,” Berry said. “And also addresses some of our critical infrastructure needs.”

Berry said the one-cent sales tax is a fair one that benefits everyone on Floyd County.

“Up to 40% of the sales tax in generated by people outside of Floyd County,” Berry said. “This provides a huge help lifting the burden for these necessary projects off the shoulders of Floyd County taxpayers.”

Glynn County Commissioners voted unanimously to finalize millage rate for county operations and for the school system, according to The Brunswick News.

Tamara Munson, county finance director, said commissioners had to accept the school board’s millage rate, which was approved by the board earlier in the day. She said it was a requirement by the state before the county could submit its millage rate.

The good news is the county millage rate was lowered by .255 mills, the third year county millage rates have been lowered in the past six years. The county’s millage rates are also projected to be the second-lowest in the state, only behind Fannin County.

More on the school board‘s adoption of their millage rate from The Brunswick News.

The Glynn County Board of Education voted Thursday to decrease its millage rate, though it will still amount to a school tax increase to some.

The board approved the 2023-2024 millage rate at a special-called meeting held after a public hearing opportunity during which no members of the public commented.

The board approved a 15.4 millage rate, down from 15.65 mils.

“It’s technically an increase in tax because of the digest increase,” board chair Eaddy Sams said. “For most people, though, especially if you’re under Scarlett-Williams (exemption), your value’s frozen. If you meet those qualifications or if your assessed value didn’t change from last year to this year, the amount of tax that you pay will actually be lower this year because the millage rate’s lower.”

Glynn County Schools saw an 11.77% increase this year in the tax digest. The school district will receive a nearly $1.5 million increase in its budget.

Richmond Hill has proposed to increase property taxes by keeping the same millage rate as assessments have risen, according to WSAV.

4.132 is the current millage rate and city leaders are looking to keep it the same. The millage rate has been the same for 15 years. They tell News 3 the Georgia law requires the millage rate to be advertised as an increase. That is because state measures change against the rollback rate.

“Basically, what the city has done and historically done is maintain our millage rate at 4.132,” Derrick Cowart, Richmond Hill’s finance director said. “So, we did not roll it back this year. Now, the values – that’s totally separate from the city.”

The increased property tax does not come from the millage rate. It stems from growth in the community.

“We’re actually keeping the same millage rate that we’ve had for years,” Kristi Cox, a Richmond Hill council member said. “Our millage rate is not going up. So, the reason your taxes went up was because of what Mr. Cowart said, your property was assessed at a higher value.”

The Whitfield County Republican Party will host a Hispanic Republican Forum, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen News.

After welcoming remarks from WCRP Chairman Eddie Caldwell, opening prayer and flag salute, the scheduled speakers will discuss how the values evident in the Latino community, such as Christianity, traditional family, right to life and strong work ethic, align with the platform and policies of the Republican Party.

Speakers include Zeucis Martinez, WCRP outreach coordinator. Martinez, a local business owner who has lived in Dalton for more than 30 years, will present a PowerPoint on the alignment of conservative values of the Latino community with that of the GOP. A native of Venezuela, Martinez will share firsthand information on the devastating impact that socialism has had on that country and some of his family members.

The second speaker will be Carli Eli, chairwoman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Georgia and chief strategy officer for Grassroots Strategies in Atlanta. Eli’s passion is to connect with her audiences and equip grassroots leaders to become more effective in their communications and strategic initiatives in the multicultural and multimedia space.

Bleckley County will hold a Special Election for Sheriff to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Kris Coody, according to 13WMAZ.

Former Bleckley County Sheriff Kris Coody pleaded guilty to groping TV Judge Glenda Hatchett at a hotel bar in Cobb County. There was a state sheriff’s convention happening at the hotel.

On Monday, Coody wrote a resignation letter to the governor. Chief Deputy Daniel Cape took over as the interim sheriff shortly after Coody’s resignation was announced.

The Bleckley County Probate Court posted a legal notice to qualified voters on its website to announce a special election will be held on Nov. 7.

Not sure I can think of a worse place to assault (sexually or otherwise) someone than a Sheriff’s Convention.

The Gwinnett Daily Post covers municipal election qualifying:

Lilburn Mayor Tim Dunn will face two challengers including his predecessor

Two Suwanee City Council races will be contested but mayor won’t face challenger

Lawrenceville won’t have contested races on fall ballot

Eight people qualify to run for three Loganville City Council seats

Three Sugar Hill City Council members will face challengers in municipal election

Grayson will have one contested City Council race

The GDP’s political writer, Curt Yeomans, is truly doing yeoman’s work.

Lowndes County municipal candidates continued to qualify for the November elections, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

Valdosta City Council has five positions up for grabs in the Nov. 7 election: Mayor and Council Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7. These seats are currently held by Mayor Scott James Matheson and Councilmembers Vivian Miller-Cody, Thomas B. McIntyre Sr., Tim Carroll and Ben Norton.

The Valdosta Board of Education will have three open seats for Districts 4, 5 and 6, currently held by Tyra Howard, Trey Sherwood and Dr. Tad Moseley.

In Hahira, District 2 and 3 seats are up for election, currently held by Kenneth Davis and Mason Barfield.

Remerton will be electing a new mayor as well as two council seats, currently held by Mayor Cornelius Holsendolph, Bill Wetherington and Steve Koffler.

In Dasher, City Council Posts 3 and 4 are up for election, seats currently held by Alvin Armstrong and Anita Armstrong.

Julia Pearce qualified as the first African-American candidate for Mayor of Tybee Island, according to WSAV.

Pearce is the first African-American woman and the second woman to run for mayoral office on Tybee.

“When I went to sign up for mayor, I took the photo of my grandfather with me because in 1923, exactly 100 years from now, he left LaGrange, Georgia, because he did not have the right to vote,” she said. “I felt very historic being able to sign and very thankful that in a time like this, I am able to do something like this.”

Mack Kitchens and Brian West have also qualified for the Nov. 7 municipal election. Current Mayor Shirley Sessions announced in May she would not be seeking reelection.

Albany candidates continue qualifying, according to the Albany Herald.

With time running down to qualify for the city of Albany’s municipal election, the pool of mayoral candidates had doubled from two to four and a rarely challenged city commissioner had drawn an opponent for the first time in several election cycles.

A fifth candidate could join the quest for mayor on Friday, as current Ward IV Commissioner Chad Warbington is weighing the decision of whether to seek re-election for that position or to qualify as a mayoral candidate.

“I’m undecided as of today,” Warbington, whose first four-term expires at the end of the year, said Thursday. “Tomorrow will be my decision day.”

The Ward IV commissioner said he had no issues with Mayor Bo Dorough, who qualified to seek a second term on Monday.

Qualifying ended in Hall County municipalities, according to AccessWDUN.

The most contended seat in the county is Flowery Branch’s City Council Post 2 seat, which is currently held by Joe Mezzanotte. Mezzanotte will face opposition from three other candidates this November: Charles Vanderbilt, Kyle Gomez-Leineweber and Christian Danele Mays.

Elsewhere in the region, the City of Lula will see two contested races, with City Council District 4 Representative James Garnett Smith running against challenger Ray Hall. Additionally, Juliette Talley and Joseph Michael Headrick will face each other for a currently vacant City Council District 5 seat.

Election day is set for Tuesday, November 7. The first day of early in-person voting is October 16.

Toombs County Sheriff Alvie Kight announced he will not run for reelection in 2024, according to WSAV.

“I believe it is time for the people of Toombs County to choose the next Sheriff and pray that you will select someone who loves this country as much as I do,” he wrote. “Though I will miss this job and the people that I work with, my wife, Patty, and I look forward to this next phase of our lives.”

Kight said he hopes the next sheriff will be a sheriff “for all people.”

“My prayer for the future Sheriff is that he be an ethical individual who will be adaptable to change, proactive, and stand by parents in the challenges of raising our kids,” he added.

The sheriff said it’s “not goodbye, but see you around.”

“Thank you for entrusting me to serve as your Sheriff for the past 25 years.”