Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for January 31, 2020

On January 31, 1733, six boats carried Georgia’s first colonists to Trench’s Island, now called Hilton Head Island, where they spent the night before continuing on to land in Georgia at Yamacraw Bluff on February 1, 1733.

The United States Supreme Court held its first session in New York City, Chief Justice John Jay presiding, on February 1, 1790.

On January 31, 1865, Robert E. Lee began service as Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate armies.

On January 31, 1865, Congress passed the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing slavery.

The first recorded reference to Groundhog Day was in 1841; the first Punxsutawney observance was in 1870.

Atlanta City Council met for the first time on February 2, 1848.

On February 1, 1861, Texas seceded from the Union.

On February 2, 1870, the Georgia General Assembly ratified the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states, “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 race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

On February 1, 1871, Jefferson Franklin Long of Macon, Georgia became the first black Member of Congress to speak on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. Long was born into slavery and taught himself to read and write. Long was a prominent member of the Republican Party, speaking on its behalf in Georgia and other Southern states. He helped elect 37 African-American members to the 1867 Georgia Constitutional Convention and 32 members of the state legislature; Long continued after his term in Congress as a delegate to Republican National Conventions through 1880. In 1880, Long’s support of Governor Alfred Colquitt showed that African-Americans could be an electoral force in Georgia politics.

General William Tecumseh Sherman visited Kimball Opera House in Atlanta on January 31, 1879, which was then serving as State Capitol, fifteen years after burning the city.

On January 31, 1893, the trademark for “Coca-Cola” was filed.

On February 2, 1932, Al Capone was sent to federal prison in Atlanta.

On February 1, 1965, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. arrived in Selma, Alabama, where he was arrested.

Richard M. Nixon announced his candidacy for President of the United States on Feburary 1, 1968.

On February 2, 1988, the Georgia Senate ratified the 22d Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides that pay raises for Members of Congress shall not go into effect until the next term.

Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker was suspended on January 31, 2000 for remarks made to ESPN.

On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded while re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Under the Gold Dome – LD

8:00 AM HOUSE MOTOR VEHICLES 515 CLOB

8:00 AM HOUSE JUDICIARY NON-CIVIL 132 CAP

9:30 AM FLOOR SESSION (LD 9) House Chamber

TBD SENATE RULES UPON ADJOURNMENT 450 CAP

Governor Brian Kemp appointed James Prine, II as a Judge on the Superior Court for the Southern Judicial Circuit, which serves Brooks, Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes, and Thomas Counties.

Governor Kemp is not amused after the Georgia State Patrol fired an entire class of troopers, according to WSB-TV.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant broke the news Wednesday that 31 state troopers were fired this week for cheating at the state’s training academy.

Diamant spoke one-on-one with Kemp on Thursday about the public safety impact the scandal could have.

“Well, it’s very disappointing,” Kemp said.

“What is your expectation of that agency?” Diamant asked.

“Well, I certainly am going to make sure we get to the complete bottom of what’s going on and be transparent as we do that,” Kemp said.

Gov. Kemp signed legislation clarifying the responsibility of online retailers to collect and remit Georgia sales tax, according to the Rome News Tribune.

The tax is projected to raise hundreds of millions of dollars annually in Georgia.

Lawmakers in Georgia’s House and Senate hashed out a compromise measure early in this year’s legislative session to collect the tax from so-called “marketplace facilitators,” which allow third-party companies to conduct business on their websites.

The measure, House Bill 276, stalled in the Senate last year amid pushback from ride-share companies like Uber, which wanted a tax exemption. Lawmakers involved in negotiating the compromise bill expect separate legislation to be filed that would give Uber an exemption or require them to pay a fee.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, said state revenue experts estimate the tax could raise $10 million a month — though he thinks that’s a conservative estimate.

“It’s great for cities, counties, schools and Georgia businesses that the playing field will be more level now,” Hufstetler said Thursday.

Governor Kemp’s proposal for anti-gang measures is drawing praise and criticism, according to the AJC.

The Nicholas Sheffey Act, named for the Chamblee boy who was killed in a 2010 drive-by shooting, would give judges the option to add drastically more prison time for convicted gang members than current law allows and let prosecutors seek the death penalty more often.

“We will send a clear message,” Kemp said, “to those who want to prey upon our families, our communities and our young people, that their actions will have big consequences.”

For defendants convicted of multiple crimes in a gang case, the bill would let judges sentence them to an additional five to 15 years in prison for each count, instead of five to 15 years for the whole case. That could easily leave more convicted gang members facing the rest of their lives behind bars, as is the case with the man who killed Nicholas.

In a lengthy statement, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers said the state’s gang laws and sentencing guidelines are already strict — as evidenced by the sentence for Nicholas’ killer. The legislation also has defense attorneys on edge because the governor has proposed decreasing funding for public defenders and increasing funding for prosecutors and the GBI.

Nicholas’ mother is most thankful for another part of the proposal: the bill would make defendants in gang-related murder cases automatically eligible for the death penalty. The death penalty can already be used in a wide range of cases that could include gang incidents, although capital punishment has become far less common in recent years as life without parole has become more common.

From the Associated Press via AccessWDUN:

As part of his anti-gang push, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday said he wants prosecutors to be able to charge crimes across multiple counties and to be able to seek the death penalty for murders committed during gang activity.

“Criminal street gangs are plaguing our communities with violence, drugs, weapons and fear,” Kemp told reporters, with more than two dozen lawmakers standing behind him. “They’re responsible for the most violent crime in our state.”

Allowing prosecutors in one county to charge crimes in other counties is also something the Georgia Bureau of Investigation had asked for earlier. Merchant said she feared that could lead to prosecutors seeking to bring cases in “tough-on-crime” counties.

Murders committed during gang activity would be added to the list of other crimes tied to a murder that make a convicted killer eligible for execution, such as rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, murder-for-hire or killing a law enforcement officer.

One bill would also expand the state’s power to seize property and put people who commit sex crimes as part of gang activity onto Georgia’s sexual offender registry.

A second bill would create a legal division at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and allow those GBI lawyers to serve as special prosecutors for gang crimes when requested. Currently, the GBI only investigates crimes. Kemp said he saw no reason to fear prosecutors working for an investigative agency instead of having independence, and said having them in an agency under his control underlined gang prosecutions as one of his priorities.

From Capitol Beat News Service via the Gwinnett Daily Post:

Georgia has more than 71,000 gang members at large plus another roughly 30,000 in prison or on parole, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds. It’s likely the actual number of gang members is higher, he said.

“This is the major issue facing law enforcement today,” Reynolds told a joint hearing of the House and Senate Public Safety committees on Monday.

Kemp’s budget calls for nearly $1.6 million this fiscal year and next to add seven agents and analysts to the gang task force, more than doubling its current staff. He launched the new task force last year under the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The budget would also pump $420,000 into a gang database created in 2010 that has gone unfunded. The database would allow local sheriff’s offices and city police departments to better share information on gang activity in the state, officials say.

Those additional funds come as Kemp has proposed budget cuts for several criminal justice areas like alternative-sentencing courts and the Georgia Public Defender Council.

Legislation to change the “jungle” election for the Senate seat held by Republican Kelly Loeffler is less likely to pass, according to the AJC.

House Speaker David Ralston says a bill to end free-for-all special elections in Georgia probably wouldn’t affect this year’s upcoming election for the U.S. Senate.

Ralston told News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB that it’s unlikely the bill would have an impact on the U.S. Senate special election, which under current Georgia law will include all candidates from multiple political parties on the same ballot in November.

“It was never directed at this special election,” Ralston said of House Bill 757. “This special election was not to be singled out. I think jungle primaries are bad policy. We’re just trying to change the policy moving forward.”

State appropriators will take a ~~hatchet~~ scalpel to Governor Kemp’s proposed budget, according to the AJC.

“It’s pretty obvious we’re not excited about these cuts,” state Rep. Butch Parrish, R-Swainsboro, told the head of one state agency during testimony before a House Appropriations subcommittee on health funding.

House Appropriations Chairman Terry England, R-Auburn, said “the brunt of the cuts” appear targeted at some of the General Assembly’s most recent work, such as efforts over several years to alleviate the shortage of health care workers in rural Georgia.

Proposed cuts of particular interest to rural lawmakers include funding for county health departments, which stand to lose $6.4 million this year and $9.24 million next year.

That’s a significant blow, said House Appropriations Vice Chairman Clay Pirkle, who called the departments “the front line of health care in rural Georgia.”

“There are many counties in this great state that don’t have a doctor,” the Republican from Ashburn said, “but every one of them has a county health department.”

Rev. Raphael Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta will run for the United States Senate seat currently held by Republican Kelly Loeffler, according to The Epoch Times.

Warnock, who became the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church at the age of 35 in 2005, released a campaign announcement video highlighting his family and upbringing, saying his parents taught him and his 11 siblings the value of hard work.

Responding to those who might wonder why a pastor would run for Senate, Warnock told viewers: “I’ve always thought that my impact doesn’t stop at the church door; that’s actually where it starts. I love this country. I believe that what makes America so great, is that we’ve always had a path to make it greater.”

Warnock is vying for a seat that was vacated by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), 75. Kelly Loeffler, a 49-year-old business executive, was selected to fill the seat temporarily by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican. The seat is up for grabs in the 2020 election, as is the seat held by Sen. David Purdue (R-Ga.), who is running for reelection.

Warnock is the third Democrat to join the race. Also running are Ed Tarver, a former federal prosecutor who served as U.S. attorney for Georgia’s Southern District under President Barack Obama; and Matt Lieberman, the son of former senator and vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman.

~~Governor~~ Stacey Abrams will ~~appoint~~ support Warnock for Senate, according to the AJC.

Stacey Abrams endorsed the Rev. Raphael Warnock’s bid for U.S. Senate on Thursday hours after the pastor of the famed Atlanta church entered the race, calling him a “proven leader” as she pledged to help him appeal to voters on the campaign trail.

“Wherever there is need, Reverend Warnock can be found on the front lines. And that’s where we need him at this moment. On the front lines of the battle for the soul of America,” Abrams wrote to supporters.

“So today, as he kicks off his campaign, I am proud to endorse Reverend Raphael Warnock for the U.S. Senate because Georgia must have a leader who sees all of us and serves all of us.”

United States Senator David Perdue (R-Sea Island) will report raising $2.5 million this quarter, according to the AJC.

U.S. Sen. David Perdue raised $2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, including $1.8 million that went directly into his campaign account, his team announced today.

That leaves the Republican incumbent with $7.8 million in cash on hand for his reelection campaign this year.

“Georgians are proud of Senator Perdue’s record as a bipartisan leader and political outsider who gets results for our families,” campaign manager Ben Fry said in a statement. “Their early investment in his campaign shows they are not taking this election for granted and they are grateful that Senator Perdue is leading the way to grow our economy and keep Americans safe.”

State Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) announced via Facebook that he will run for the Ninth Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Doug Collins.

Today I made an official announcement. I am running for United States Congress to fill the seat Doug Collins is vacating to run for Senate.

I have spent the last several days praying about the decision and talking it over with my family. I have truly enjoyed serving in the State House, but I feel the call to try to make a difference at the national level.

We will be sending out a lot of official posts as we move forward, but tonight I wanted to ask my friends to just remember me in prayer.

Will Wade, a Dawson County Board of Education member, told the Dawson News he’s considering running for Tanner’s seat in the State House.

Should Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville) announce his decision to run for Georgia’s 9th Congressional District seat, longtime Dawson County Board of Education member Will Wade will likely run to fill Tanner’s seat in the state house of representatives, the education official announced on Thursday.

“Serving the Dawson County citizens and students over the past almost 16 years on the school board has been truly an honor,” Wade said in a statement to the Dawson County News. “Given the recent possibility of Kevin Tanner running for Congress I have had lots of phone calls and nudges from friends and customers to consider running for this house seat.”

Wade said he will likely make his announcement following Tanner’s decision.

“I believe in service and love Dawson County and this district. I know I have a heart and passion for my neighbors, this community and this region of the state,” Wade said. “Given my deep roots in Dawson, Lumpkin and Forsyth County both personally and professionally I am seriously considering running for State House to continue the next chapter in the call to serve.”

Georgia’s District 9 represents Lumpkin County and parts of Dawson and Forsyth counties. Tanner has held the state house position since 2013.

Brunswick lawyer Keith Higgins will run as an independent for Glynn County District Attorney, according to The Brunswick News.

Brunswick attorney Keith Higgins is looking to change those facts as he launches his campaign to unseat incumbent District Attorney Jackie Johnson. Higgins, who is running as an independent, discussed his entry into the race Wednesday with local news media at Brunswick Country Club.

Higgins, who worked as a prosecutor in the circuit for more than 20 years and as a defense attorney for nearly a decade more, said he feels the office is a calling. He also said he feels it’s time for a change — that some things need to be conducted differently to provide fairness for everyone in the system.

By running as an independent, Higgins needs the signatures of 5 percent of the number of registered voters in the circuit as of the 2016 general election. He has until July 14 to file his nomination petition with at least 4,991 verified signatures of voters in the counties of Glynn, Camden, Appling, Jeff Davis and Wayne.

Higgins’ candidacy is a bit of a surprise for more than one reason. In the past 28 years, there was primary opposition only three times to the person who won in November, and the last general election showdown had Republican nominee Stephen Kelly, now a superior court judge, defeating Democratic nominee John Johnson 54.9 percent to 45.1 percent — an ultimate difference of a little more than 4,000 votes.

Jackie Johnson’s run opposed in each of the past three general elections since receiving appointment to fill the end of Kelley’s term in 2010. However, Jonathan Miller, who worked as a local assistant district attorney from 2005 to 2012, challenged Johnson in the Republican primary. He lost in a rout, 68.57-31.43 percent, a difference of more than 10,000 votes out of more than 27,800 cast.

Nicole Love Hendrickson will run for Chair of the Gwinnett County Commission, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.

Longtime Gwinnett County outreach director Nicole Love Hendrickson announced she will step down from that position on Feb. 28 to run for chairman. She said she will run as a Democrat.

“I am uniquely qualified for this position because I have the proven experience in local government and understand the tough decisions that have to be made in order to balance the needs of the community with being a steward of our tax dollars,” Hendrickson said in a statement. “But most importantly, I have the heart to serve.”

“It gives me so much pride to look back on all I’ve accomplished in this short tenure,” Hendrickson said. “Community outreach started out as a concept, but has now evolved into an award-winning program that has motivated countless residents to volunteer in their communities, seek other opportunities to be more knowledgeable about their county government and even run for office.

Mitch Taylor announced he will run for Hall County Sheriff, according to the Gainesville Times.

Mitch Taylor joined the Hall County Sheriff’s Office in 1991 and retired in October 2013.

Following a stint as the Athens Technical College assistant police chief, Taylor has been a police officer with Braselton Police since September 2017.

“First, my campaign’s platform is based on integrity and trust. The sheriff is employed by the people of Hall County and must be visible and involved in the community as well as his agency. Second, loyalty and respect must be earned, and respecting the person behind the Sheriff title is a true mark of great leadership. Third, my proactive focus on the current and future needs of our community is critical,” Taylor said in a statement announcing his candidacy.

Kris Hall also announced a campaign for Hall County Sheriff, according to the Gainesville Times.

Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Kris Hall has entered the race for Hall County Sheriff.

Hall started his law enforcement career in 1996 following his service in the U.S. Army.

A graduate of Forsyth Central High School, Hall holds a criminal justice degree from Columbia Southern University and more than 3,200 hours of training through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

He currently supervises the traffic unit and part of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic unit.

The Bulloch County Board of Elections is hosting demos of the new voting system, according to the Statesboro Herald.

The Bulloch County Board of Elections and Registration staff has a room set up until Feb. 27 to demonstrate the all-new voting equipment to civic and faith groups who call and schedule a time.

To make a group appointment, call (912) 764-6502. The demonstration should take about an hour, said Election Supervisor Patricia Lanier Jones.

Georgia’s new voting equipment, combining touchscreen digital voting and a printed-out paper ballot, amounts not so much to a single type of new voting machine as a set of different machines with which voters will interact.

Bibb County School District is soliciting parent input on a plan to increase parent involvement, according to WGXA.

WMAZ-13, The Macon Telegraph and GPB will hold listening sessions ahead of this year’s Macon elections, according to the Macon Telegraph.

Four Columbus schools went on lockdown yesterday morning, according to the Ledger-Enquirer.