Benjamin Franklin became Georgia’s agent in England on June 1, 1768, making him also Georgia’s first lobbyist.
On June 1, 1775, Georgia patriots sent a care package to their brethren in Massachusetts comprising 63 barrels of rice and £122 after the battles at Lexington and Concord.
The court martial of Benedict Arnold convened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 1, 1779.
Arnold negotiated his defection to the British and the subversion of West Point over several months. The British already held control of New York City and believed that by taking West Point they could effectively cut off the American’s New England forces from the rest of the fledgling nation.
In August 1780, Sir Henry Clinton offered Arnold £20,000 for delivering West Point and 3,000 troops. Arnold told General Washington that West Point was adequately prepared for an attack even though he was busy making sure that that it really wasn’t. He even tried to set up General Washington’s capture as a bonus. His plan might have been successful but his message was delivered too late and Washington escaped. The West Point surrender was also foiled when an American colonel ignored Arnold’s order not to fire on an approaching British ship.
Arnold’s defection was revealed to the Americans when British officer John André, acting as a messenger, was robbed by AWOL Americans working as pirates in the woods north of New York City. The notes revealing Arnold’s traitorous agreement were stashed in his boots.
The Treaty of Augusta was signed on May 31, 1783, between the Creek Indians and Georgia Commissioners. A second, identical document would be signed on November 1 of that year.
The first graduation ceremony for the University of Georgia was held on May 31, 1804.
Savannah-born John C. Fremont was nominated for President of the United States by the Radical Republicans on May 31, 1864. Fremont had previously been nominated for President by the Republican Party as their first presidential candidate in 1856.
The Capital City Club in Atlanta was chartered on May 31, 1889.
United States Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan certified the 17th Amendment as part of the Constitution on May 31, 1913, authorizing the direct election of United States Senators. Georgia never ratified the Amendment.
On May 30, 1922, Chief Justice of the United States William H. Taft dedicated the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Inside the memorial is a seated statue of Lincoln by Daniel Chester French carved from 175 tons of Georgia white marble.
French also created the statue of Jame Oglethorpe that stands in Chippewa Square in Savannah and a seated statue of Samuel Spencer considered to be a prototype of the Lincoln carving. Samuel Spencer was the first President of Southern Railway and was originally located at the rail station in downtown Atlanta before moving to the Southern Railway passenger station in Buckhead in the 1970s and is currently at 1200 Peachtree Street in front of Norfolk Southern.
On June 1, 1942, a Polish newspaper first published information about the gassing of Jews at Nazi concentration camps in Poland.
The Beatles released Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on June 1, 1967. The album is listed as #1 on the Rolling Stone top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the most important rock & roll album ever made, an unsurpassed adventure in concept, sound, songwriting, cover art and studio technology by the greatest rock & roll group of all time. From the title song’s regal blasts of brass and fuzz guitar to the orchestral seizure and long, dying piano chord at the end of “A Day in the Life,” the 13 tracks on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band are the pinnacle of the Beatles’ eight years as recording artists. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were never more fearless and unified in their pursuit of magic and transcendence.
Issued in Britain on June 1st, 1967, and a day later in America, Sgt. Pepper is also rock’s ultimate declaration of change. For the Beatles, it was a decisive goodbye to matching suits, world tours and assembly-line record-making. “We were fed up with being Beatles,” McCartney said decades later, in Many Years From Now, Barry Miles’ McCartney biography. “We were not boys, we were men… artists rather than performers.
“It was a peak,” Lennon told Rolling Stone in 1970, describing both the album and his collaborative relationship with McCartney. “Paul and I were definitely working together,” Lennon said….
Rolling Stone should stick to writing about music.
A summit between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev ended on May 31, 1988. Four years later, in 1992, Gorbachev was dancing for dollars in the United States, including the keynote address at Emory University’s graduation.
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Camilla Mayor Kelvin Owens, Interim City Manager Cheryl Ford, and former Election Superintendent Rhunette Williford were arrested and charged with election offenses, according to WALB.
Mayor Kelvin Owens, Interim City Manager Cheryl Ford, and former Election Superintendent Rhunette Williford were arrested and charged with election fraud and conspiracy to commit election interference. The arrests have shocked the community and raised serious concerns about the ongoing targeting of public officials who are meant to uphold the integrity of the local electoral process.
According to the Magistrate’s Office, Magistrate Judge Bubba Lamb was instructed to hold court on Monday following the arrests. By law, individuals arrested are required to appear in Magistrate’s Court no later than 24 hours after their arrest.
The legal reference states:
“Every law enforcement officer arresting under a warrant shall exercise reasonable diligence in bringing the person arrested before the judicial officer authorized to examine, commit, or receive bail and in any event to present the person arrested before a committing judicial officer within 72 hours after arrest.”
Mayor Pro Tem Dewayne Burley commented on the situation, saying, “The arrests have shocked the community and raised serious concerns about the ongoing targeting of public officials who upheld the integrity of our local electoral process.”
A Camilla resident also expressed frustration, stating, “When I heard just a while ago that they’re not going to take them to Magistrate’s Court — you’re supposed to take a person to Magistrate’s Court within 24 hours. That’s a violation of constitutional law.”
From an earlier story by WALB:
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has finished its investigation into election interference in Camilla.
According to a release, South Georgia Circuit District Attorney Joseph K. Mulholland requested the GBI investigate allegations of election interference for the City of Camilla’s municipal election held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.
Residents in the city of Camilla are now calling for justice in the indictment of Mayor Kelvin Owens, Cheryl Ford and Rhunette Williford saying that they were wrongfully indicted. Some residents said it used to be innocent until proven guilty but, in this case, they believe it’s guilty until proven innocent.
“We support Mayor Owens, and we support the city manager, Cheryl Ford, and we support our superintendent, Rhunette Williford, and this too shall pass.”
Owens, Ford and Williford have collectively been indicted on six counts of “interference with elections,” four counts of conspiracy to commit election fraud and three counts of failure of public or political officer to perform duty.
This comes after the GBI began an investigation into Mayor Kelvin Owens locking the doors on Election Day — November 5, 2024 — causing voting to start in the afternoon.
This comes after a grand jury found that Owens, Ford and Williford conspired to quote, “prevent elections from occurring on November 5, 2024, contrary to the laws of said State, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.”
“My husband and I were literally locked out of City Hall. We should be able to walk up on Election Day and be able to vote without any hindrance,” one resident said.
“The mayor had a paper up there saying that there was no one there qualified to run the election since they had removed Cheryl Ford and Rhunette Brown, so they don’t know what will become of elections on Election Day,” another resident added.
The indictment says Kelvin Owens did instruct officers to prevent anyone from entering.
The indictment went on to say that Cheryl Ford’s decision to resign the day before was to stop voters from voting.
The document also said Rhunette Williford willfully attempted to defraud electors and voters.
According to the magistrate court, they will make their first appearance in court for a bond hearing on Monday morning, meaning they will wait in jail over the weekend.
The legal issues had been brewing for a while in the majority-Black city of about 5,000 residents, but it all came to a head on Nov. 5 after the city informed voters via the city’s public Facebook account on Nov. 4 that the “final day of voting and special election scheduled for November 5, 2024 has been canceled.” The post included a resignation letter from Williford and Ford, leaving the town without election officials.
The election cancelation allegedly prompted Owens to instruct the Camilla chief of police to “post officers outside the polling places to prevent anyone, including poll officers and citizens desiring to vote, from entering into the polling place and casting votes,” according to the indictment.
He also allegedly instructed city employees to take down election signage indicating where polling places for the special election were located and did “personally affix signage on the door of the polling place stating” that the election had been canceled.
Owens, who spoke to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in November, said the Nov. 5 special election had to be canceled because of the resignations.
“From our perspective, at 7 o’clock this morning when the election did not kick off as advertised, the election became void,” Owens said at the time. “It won’t be acknowledged or accepted.”
The chief judge of the South Georgia Judicial Circuit disagreed and issued a ruling at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 5 appointing replacement election officials and ordering polling locations to stay open for 12 hours.
The special election was for two city council seats which had been vacated, one by the death of a council member and the other after the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld that Venterra Pollard was not a city resident and couldn’t serve on the city council.
Even though the appeals court issued the ruling, election officials in Camilla still allowed Pollard to qualify as a candidate for the November special election.
A Mitchell County superior court judge again ruled Pollard wasn’t allowed to participate in the election and ordered Williford and Ford, as the city’s election officials, to remove Pollard from the ballot and discount any votes cast for him, which they appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, who denied their request Nov. 1.
The indictment alleges Williford and Ford failed to post notices that any ballots casts for Pollard would not be counted. Owens previously called the judge’s ruling on Pollard unlawful and said the election should have gone ahead with all the votes counted, including those for Pollard.
From today’s Absentee Voting File for the June 17, 2025 Statewide Special Primary Elections for Public Service Commission:
Republican – 3730
Democratic – 5187
Nonpartisan – 55
Voters are also going to the polls in Centerville to select between J. Micheal Evans and Justin Wright as Mayor in the June 17, 2025 election, according to 13WMAZ.
J. Micheal Evans has lived in Centerville for 17 years. He’s served on city council for 9.5 years and most recently served as Mayor Pro-Tem. He graduated from The Citadel and retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel after 28 years.
Justin Wright grew up in Bibb County and attended Mercer University. He has lived in Centerville for 12 years. He’s served on city council for about 7 years. He is also the pastor at Centerville Community Church, where he’s served for 11 years.
Both mayoral candidates Justin Wright and J. Micheal Evans agree: life in the city center is good, and the city itself is in solid shape. But as early voting kicks off, each has ideas for how to make the community even better.
Early voting ends June 13. Election day is June 17.
One thing that won’t happen in the June 17, 2025 Special Primary Election is Democrat Daniel Blackman being nominated, as the Secretary of State ordered him stricken from the ballot. From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News:
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Wednesday disqualified state Public Service Commission (PSC) candidate Daniel Blackman from next month’s Democratic Primary ballot.
In a ruling that upheld a decision an administrative law judge handed down on Tuesday, Raffensperger declared that Blackman failed to prove he had established residence inside PSC District 3 at least one year before this November’s general election as required by state law.
The challenge to Blackman’s residency was brought by a voter who lives in District 3, which covers Fulton, Clayton, and DeKalb counties.
Blackman was among four Democrats vying to win the party’s nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Commissioner Fitz Johnson.
Since early voting in the June 17 primary began on Monday, it’s too late to remove Blackman’s name from the ballot. A notice will be placed in the polling places informing voters of Blackman’s disqualification, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office wrote in an email to Capitol Beat.
Johnson and District 2 Commissioner Tim Echols are currently serving terms that were extended because of a 2022 lawsuit challenging the way members of the PSC are elected in Georgia.
Four Black Fulton County residents argued that electing the commissioners statewide rather than by district dilutes Black voting strength in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act.
A lower federal court agreed and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, but the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned that decision. The appellate court ruling was allowed to stand when the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to take up the case.
The General Assembly passed legislation last year scheduling special elections for PSC districts 2 and 3 this year.
Mr. Blackman is appealing the SOS ruling, according to WALB.
Daniel Blackman, who was disqualified this week from running in this year’s special Public Service Commission (PSC) election, announced Thursday he has filed an appeal.
According to a Tuesday afternoon ruling from Dominic Carparo, a judge on Georgia’s administrative court through its office of state administrative hearings, Blackman was ruled ineligible because he has not been a resident of District 3 for a sufficient amount of time.
District 3 includes Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties.
“Our campaign remains firmly committed to making sure every vote counts — and to fighting for reliability, affordability, and transparency for Georgia’s ratepayers,” Blackman said Thursday. “As we enter the final phase of this legal process, our resolve has never been stronger. My focus is clear: we will continue to fight to ensure that every voice is heard, and that the people, not special interests, remain at the center of this campaign.”
Tuesday’s ruling came only hours after early voting began in the special PSC election for two seats on the powerful commission, which sets electric and gas rates and regulates the state’s utilities and infrastructure.
Blackman had been endorsed by Georgia Conservation Voters, an environmental advocacy group, which said Thursday it does not plan to endorse another candidate in Blackman’s place.
“We believe it’s important to highlight the broader issue,” the organization said in a Thursday statement. “Under the current system, commissioners are required to live in the district they run for, even though they are elected by voters statewide and make decisions that impact all Georgians.
“As always, we encourage Georgians to exercise their right to vote for the candidate of their choice.”
The primary is set for June 17, 2025, with the general election on November 4, 2025.
The Georgia Supreme Court held that the state’s prohibition on carrying weapons by people under 21 is constitutional, according to the Associated Press via WJBF.
The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a state law Wednesday that bans most people under 21 from carrying a handgun in public.
Under Georgia law, anyone ages 18 to 20 years old can possess handguns on their own property, in their car, at their business or for hunting, fishing and sport shooting. Those in the age group who have been trained by the military are exempt.
Thomas Stephens, a 20-year-old man from Lumpkin County, sued Georgia after a probate court denied him a weapons carry license in 2023, when he was 18. Stephens asked the state to stop enforcing that law, which he said violated his constitutional rights.
A trial court granted the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The Georgia Supreme Court denied his appeal, noting Georgia’s Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms but lets the General Assembly regulate how they are carried.
Georgia has some of the loosest gun laws in the country. The decision comes in the aftermath of heated debates about gun control in the state after a mass shooting at Apalachee High School, northeast of Atlanta, where a 14-year-old boy stands accused of killing two teachers and two students and wounding several others last Sept. 4.
Stephens asked the state Supreme Court to pick one of two federal legal tests used for Second Amendment challenges, “strict scrutiny” or “history and tradition,” to evaluate whether Georgia’s law is constitutional. The decision, written by Justice Andrew Pinson, says those standards are “not viable substitutes” for determining what the text of the state Constitution originally meant. Unlike Georgia, the U.S. Constitution doesn’t explicitly let legislatures regulate how people carry guns.
Pinson wrote in the decision that construing the meaning of a constitutional provision “requires careful attention to not only the language of the clause in question, but also its broader legal and historical context.”
Stephens’ attorney John Monroe argued the law infringed on his client’s rights. He also called it an arbitrary law because military training focuses on weapons other than handguns. But he knew unraveling the law would be an uphill battle.
“It’s not unexpected because there’s over a century of precedent that was against us,” Monroe said of Wednesday’s decision. He said they are “disappointed with the decision” but “it is what it is.”
Stephens’ lawsuit came less than a year after Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill in 2022 allowing Georgians to carry a handgun without a permit from the state. A bill that would let people sue local governments for enacting gun safety measures died on the final day of Georgia’s legislative session in April, and several gun safety proposals did not make it out of committee.
The Georgia Supreme Court also rejected a petition by former Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard for voluntary discipline, according to AccessWDUN.
The opinion, decided on Wednesday, stated that Woodard was “in a position of power and responsibility, and when considering the appropriate sanction to impose ‘this Court is … concerned … about the public’s confidence in the profession.’”
In August of last year, Woodard stepped down amid an indictment of 24 felony counts of theft by taking and giving false statements.
Back in March, the State Bar of Georgia recommended a public reprimand as opposed to suspension or disbarment for Woodard, which was aligned with her petition.
The Supreme Court referenced precedent that for a violation of the State Bar of Georgia’s Rules of Professional Conduct rule 8.4 (a) (3) — which is to be convicted of a misdemeanor involving “moral turpitude” — suspension or disbarment is an appropriate sanction.
“Although the State Bar supports Woodard’s request for a public reprimand, we do not agree that a public reprimand … is sufficient,” the opinion reads.
The court also said that a violation of rule 8.4 (a) (4) — “engaging in professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation” — is among “the most serious violations” a lawyer can be charged with.
The court will now allow Woodard to file a renewed petition for voluntary discipline “more consistent” with the applicable cases.
State Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy (R-Macon) announced he will run for Lieutenant Governor next year, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Tifton Gazette.
The race to succeed Republican Burt Jones as Georgia’s next lieutenant governor is heating up, with multiple leading state senators vying for the position.
Sen. John F. Kennedy, R-Macon, stepped into the race Thursday, registering his intent to raise campaign contributions. As the Senate’s president pro tempore, he is only one notch below Jones.
Kennedy outranked Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, who entered the race earlier this month and recently vacated the role of Senate majority leader.
Also vying in the Republican primary is Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia. He’s not in Senate leadership, but has led the powerful Appropriations Committee for several years, making him a key player in budget decisions.
Also running for the GOP nomination is Takosha Swan of Conyers, who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to the board of the state Department of Veterans Service in 2019 after running unsuccessfully for the state House of Representatives. And Republican Jerry Timbs, II of Griffin, who ran for Henry County Commission in 2016, has entered the race.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, is going for his party’s nomination. He is not in Senate leadership but has been a consistent foil for Republicans during debates on the Senate floor.
State Senator Colton Moore (R-Extreme NW GA) is considering running for United States Senate, according to the AJC.
Moore posted on social media that unnamed conservatives consider him the “best option” to challenge Ossoff. Remember, this is the same Moore whom Republicans booted from the Senate GOP caucus and banned from setting foot on the House floor — the latter punishment resulting in Moore’s arrest earlier this year when he tried to defy that ban during Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State address.
In a news release dripping with MAGA bravado, Moore blasted “generic Republicans,” praised U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome, and said his team was in prayer about “what God needs from us.”
He also cited a questionable poll that showed him leading a GOP gubernatorial field. But this isn’t a governor’s race. His chances of securing the mythical Kemp-Trump blessing are about as likely as a quiet news cycle in Georgia during campaign season.
“Help me, Obi-Wan Abrams, you’re my only hope.” That’s what Georgia Democrats might be asking of Galactic Emperor Stacey Abrams. From the AJC:
Georgia Democrats are stepping up their efforts to flip the state House. And they’ve enlisted a familiar face to help kick-start their campaign.
House Democrats launched a listening tour this week that featured a fiery campaign-style speech from two-time gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, who was once the House’s top Democrat.
Now she’s working with her ally, House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, to target the 11 seats needed to wrest control of the chamber. And their hunt is focusing far beyond the suburban swing districts that have become the state’s most heated battlegrounds.
Abrams joined Hugley on Thursday in Montezuma, the heart of a majority-Black area in southwest Georgia where Democrats aim to expand their foothold. Other stops on the tour include LaGrange and Dawson, rural areas where the party also sees potential.
The party is targeting a dozen or so House districts where Vice President Kamala Harris topped 45% of support in last year’s election. And it’s deploying Abrams, who helped draw a crowd of roughly 100 to a listening session that centered on local issues.
As for her own future, Abrams was circumspect. She still hasn’t ruled out a third run for governor, though she also didn’t sound like someone itching to get in. She told us she was “laser-focused” now on helping Democrats fight Trump’s policies.
“The only way to reverse the carnage that we are seeing coming from Republicans is to elect Democrats who do the right thing.”
The State House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access held their first meeting yesterday in Gainesville, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Valdosta Daily Times.
Cancer care is hard to come by in rural Georgia, as the medical payments system squeezes smaller service providers amid traditional challenges such as rising costs and inadequate transportation, state lawmakers learned Thursday.
A special committee of the House of Representatives is traveling the state to hear about access to cancer care, starting with a meeting in Gainesville when they heard from practitioners such as Dr. Harsha Vayas, who has a small medical office in Dublin.
“Over the decade and a half I’ve been here, things have significantly worsened,” said Vayas, who couldn’t attend and addressed the panel by video. “I believe we are at a moment of crisis, and we need to act before the last of the few practitioners like me are either driven out of business or get consolidated.”
Vayas said insurers have been pricing out smaller providers like him who have less leverage to negotiate than big hospital groups. Add to that the traditional problems such as transportation — some of his patients live 50 miles away — and medical costs, and fewer people are getting screened for cancer in time to catch it when it’s treatable, he said.
Georgia has a higher rate of cancer than the nation, said state epidemiologist and trained veterinarian Dr. Cherie Drenzek. The state had 472 people per 100,000 versus 436 per 100,000 nationally, she said. In 2022, 62,078 Georgians were newly diagnosed with cancer, with cancer of the lung and colon among the most frequent manifestations of the disease, although both have been in decline for more than two decades.
Rural areas, defined as counties with fewer than 50,000 residents, had slightly higher rates than the state average, a statistic that was more pronounced among women.
Dr. Nikita Machado, an endocrine surgeon, noted an alarming rise in thyroid cancer in Northeast Georgia, where the rate doubled that of the nation.
“The most important question then is why,” she said.
Parker Hyde, an associate professor at the University of North Georgia’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, speculated that pollution plays a role. He pointed to polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. The non-stick and heat resistant properties of the chemical make it useful for stain resistance in rugs and flame retardant in firefighter suits, Hyde said.
“Now, the data is not strong on this, right? But we’re starting to see trend lines where there is some sort of a potential cause or potential linkage here,” he said.
A number of other legislative Study Committees will be meeting this year, according to Georgia Recorder.
School may be out for the summer, but at the state Capitol in Atlanta, lawmakers are gearing up for their own version of summer school. Study committees, which meet outside the regular 40-day legislative session, have already begun gathering information and soliciting expert testimony on topics ranging from chronic student absenteeism to improving tourism.
All told, 16 different House study committees and 20 Senate panels will convene under the Gold Dome, which is the most each chamber has seen in the past decade. Here is a look at a few notable ones.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been a hot-button issue both in Georgia and around the country. During the 2025 session, legislators in both chambers introduced bills aimed at increasing regulations on the use of AI technology, but none managed to pass through both chambers by the Sine Die deadline.
However, two new study committees will allow legislators in the Senate to continue compiling research and drafting a report that may guide their efforts when lawmakers reconvene for the 2026 session next January. Senate Resolution 391, introduced by Roswell Republican Sen. John Albers, creates a new committee dedicated to examining the use of AI across industries like education, health care and financial services. The committee will also explore the use of digital and cryptocurrency, and how to better prevent security threats.
A second AI-related committee, created by SR 431, will study the impact of social media on children across Georgia, examining privacy implications and the impact of chatbots and other AI features on minors. The resolution was introduced by Atlanta Democrat Sen. Sally Harrell, who will serve as co-chair alongside Johns Creek Republican Sen. Shawn Still.
Elections
Lawmakers are getting a jump start on election policy this year, perhaps hoping to avoid a repeat of the months-long battle between Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the five-member State Election Board that characterized the lead-up to Georgia’s 2024 election.
House Resolution 885 established a special panel that will examine Georgia’s existing election code and how responsibilities are shared between election officials at the local and state levels. It will be chaired by Rep. Tim Fleming, a Covington Republican.
Another study committee, created by SR 429, will research ways to remove barriers for those who are seeking to restore their voting rights after a felony conviction. Georgia “has one of the longest parole and probationary periods in the nation and the highest number of individuals under supervision per capita of any state,” according to the resolution.
Insurance rates
The fight to overhaul Georgia’s civil litigation landscape may be settled for now, but discussions over Georgia’s insurance rates are set to continue. A newly created panel will investigate the driving forces behind insurance rate hikes throughout the state by analyzing insurance industry practices, profit margins and compliance with state regulations. It will be chaired by Duluth Republican Rep. Matt Reeves.
House lawmakers will also delve into how the state’s reinsurance landscape intersects with climate change in a study committee created by HR 40. Citing the estimated $6.46 billion in damage that Hurricane Helene caused in Georgia, lawmakers are hoping to combat insurance-related challenges that businesses may face during future storms and severe weather events.
Co-chaired by Republican Reps. Darlene Taylor of Thomasville and Noel Williams of Cordele, the committee aims to collaborate with the Georgia Office of Insurance and Department of Agriculture to mitigate rising property and casualty insurance costs for small businesses across the state.
Medical cannabis
Cannabis consumption, both medical and recreational, was another prominent issue that surfaced during the 2025 legislative session. While House Bill 227 and Senate Bill 220 both sought to widen access to medical cannabis, neither bill managed to make it over the finish line before lawmakers adjourned for the year. Instead, two separate study committees will tackle the issue over the summer.
A House study committee led by Augusta Republican Rep. Mark Newton, who works as a doctor, will dive into Georgia’s medical marijuana policies. In the Senate, lawmakers on the Study Committee on Intoxicating Cannabinoids in Consumable Hemp Products will tackle the issue of regulating recreational products like THC-infused drinks, which are chemically similar to medical cannabis but more broadly available to consumers because they fall under the federal 2018 Farm Bill and the Georgia Hemp Farming Act.
State income tax
Georgia lawmakers at both the state and federal level are pushing for legislation that would overhaul the current tax code, replacing the current system with a fixed consumption tax that proponents refer to as “FairTax.” The congressional version of the bill, which was first proposed in 1999, was sponsored this year by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who recently announced a bid for the U.S. Senate.
At the Georgia Capitol, the Senate State FairTax Study Committee will examine similar legislation that would apply a fixed sales tax rate within the Peach State. The committee will be chaired by Rome Republican Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, who also heads the Senate Finance Committee.
Much digital ink is being poured out on articles about how businesses and governments are responding to President Trump’s tariffs and other decisions, and court decisions on those. From “Georgia businesses whipsawed by tariff court rulings” by the AJC:
Georgia business owners who have been caught in the crossfire of the Trump administration’s trade war welcomed a court ruling this week to block many of the president’s new tariffs.
Their relief lasted about 24 hours. On Thursday, a federal appeals court reinstated them, at least temporarily, leaving many business leaders uncertain about what to do.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Wednesday that Trump overstepped his authority when he invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to declare a national emergency and justify the sweeping tariffs, The Associated Press reported.
The trade court’s decision blocked the so-called reciprocal tariffs Trump imposed in April on almost all U.S. trading partners as well as tariffs on goods from China, Mexico and Canada announced earlier this year. The ruling left in place other Trump tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos that were invoked under a different law.
A day later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said most of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs could stay in place as the administration appeals the case.
Some Georgia businesses say the back-and-forth over tariffs is creating sleepless nights and financial uncertainty.
Angela Hawkins, owner of Bamblu, a company selling buttery soft pajamas and sheets, said the material, sourced from China, faces some of the highest tariffs.
To avoid raising prices, she sought U.S.-based manufacturers but received quotes double what she previously paid.
Hawkins now hopes the court rules that the President lacks the authority to impose the tariffs.
She has held off restocking inventory for months, losing customers due to shortages.
“My peace of mind, my financial stability, and all the other things that come with it, you know, are failing,” Hawkins said. “Courts should have no role here. Ultimately, the Supreme Court should put an end to this for the sake of the Constitution and the sake of the country.”
“The ruling by the U.S. Court of International Trade blocking most of President Trump’s tariffs is just another chapter in this difficult journey toward a clear, consistent, and strategic trade policy. The implementation of the IEEPA tariffs on our trading partners and their reciprocal actions against the U.S. have made it increasingly difficult for retail businesses, large and small, to operate with the clarity they need to invest and grow in order to best serve their customers and communities. We urge rapid resolution as this process continues in the courts.” [said] National Retail Federation Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold
On Thursday, the White House said the administration would address what it called “rogue judges” after the appeals court allowed the tariffs to stay in place for now.
This development is part of the core mission of Head Start, a federal program that provides free early learning, health and family support services to low-income families from pre-birth all the way to age 5. The program served 833,000 low-income students in the U.S. in 2022, including nearly 19,000 students in Georgia. In rural, poverty-stricken areas like Terrell County, it’s one of the few, if not only, early education and child care options for families.
In mid-April, the program faced a potential funding crisis and complete elimination outlined in an internal draft budget from the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services.
Several centers across the country were forced to close while awaiting funding. However, in early May, the administration released an updated “skinny budget.” Head Start avoided the chopping block, but advocates remain nervous. In southwest Georgia, Head Start’s parent organization, the Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, which serves low-income Georgians from housing assistance to health care, may see other cuts.
“The value of the program is undervalued and undermined,” Yolanda Daniels, the southwest Georgia Head Start program director said. “Any threat to that is a threat to our communities as a whole.”
The Headline reads: “Marjorie Taylor Greene’s new enemy isn’t even human. Georgia Rep. fights AI bot on X” in the Savannah Morning News, Athens Banner Herald, and maybe more later.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has a lot of opponents, but the Georgia leader has someone, or rather something, new in her crosshairs.
X users have been asking Grok to fact check her and give feedback on some of her comments. Last week, she clapped back. Here’s what we know:
Grok is a free AI tool built into X. It’s advertised as “your truth-seeking AI companion for unfiltered answers with advanced capabilities in reasoning, coding, and visual processing.” Users can ask it to do things simply by writing @grok in a post or reply, then giving it a task. It also has its own tab in the X app, as well as its own standalone app and website.
Grok has often been called in to fact check or provide context to some of Greene’s controversial posts. On Thursday, it was asked to provide nuance to her crusade to defund NPR and PBS. It said in part that “Defunding could reduce local news and educational services, especially in underserved areas….the bias is debated….defunding may not address bias but could limit media diversity and independence.”
Grok has also been asked to do some behavioral analysis. Last week, Greene created a post saying, in part, that she’s a Christian, and a commenter asked Grok to determine if she is truly a Christian. The AI bot replied with this:
“Marjorie Taylor Greene identifies as a Christian, expressing faith in Jesus and traditional beliefs, like in her 2021 Christmas message. However, her Christian nationalism and support for conspiracy theories, like QAnon, spark debate. Critics, including religious leaders, argue her actions contradict Christian values of love and unity, citing her defense of January 6 and divisive rhetoric. Supporters may see her stances as faith-driven. Whether she’s ‘really’ a Christian is subjective, depending on personal and theological views. Her faith appears genuine to her, but public actions create controversy.”
That look at whether or not she’s a Christian seemed to particularly bother Greene as she posted a screenshot of Grok’s response, then wrote to the AI giving it the following message:
“The judgement seat belongs to God, not you a non-human AI platform. Grok is left leaning and continues to spread fake news and propaganda. When people give up their own discernment, stop seeking the truth, and depend on AI to analyze information, they will be lost.”
Bryan County Chairman Carter Infinger (R) may run for the First Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-SSI), according to the Savannah Morning News.
Bryan County Chairman Carter Infinger (R) said he is considering a run for Georgia’s 1st Congressional District – a seat incumbent Buddy Carter said he would not run for again since he announced he will challenge United States Senator Jon Ossoff.
“I’m just kind of looking at it and seeing if it’s a good option for me and my family to do it,” said Carter. “It’s a lot of work. I think August is when you can qualify, so I’ve got a little bit of time. My consultants are looking into it. We need conservative leadership in Washington and someone who is going to look out for the people. I am a regular guy, I think I can look at things with a different perspective. I’m not a business owner, so I don’t have to worry about that being impacted or impacting my decision making.”
“I want to protect Medicare and Medicaid and have no taxes on social security. They should not do that,” said Infinger. “We need to secure borders for our country. You have to come through the legal system. Those are some of the issues.”
“When I got elected, I want to say the millage rate was 9.43 and its either 5.6 or 7 today,” said Infinger. “That takes a lot of work with the staff to see what we can cut every year and make sure we continue to roll those millage rates back. With the Hyundai deal, I was fortunate enough to be part of that. It took a lot of effort. My job as chairman is to go out and get as much money as we can for our county and get things done around the area without costing taxpayers and that’s what I have done. All of that infrastructure being put up there is not really costing the taxpayers any money.”
In February, candidate Kandiss Taylor, a Republican from Baxley, who previously ran for Governor of Georgia under the slogan “Jesus, guns and babies,” announced that she would be running for the District 1 seat.
Political consultants who work on the coast say interest is high, but the candidate list thus far is “not stellar,” as one put it. If the GOP primary were held today, the election would pit Kandiss Taylor, a polarizing hard-liner who once ran for governor with the campaign slogan “Jesus, guns and babies,” against Pat Farrell, a mild-mannered, long-serving Savannah-area county commissioner.
Other Republicans who have taken steps toward entering the race include Bryan County Commission Chairman Carter Infinger and insurance executive Jim Kingston, the youngest son of the former congressman.
There are no announced candidates yet from the Democrats, who last won a District 1 election in 1990.
The district’s highest-profile politician, state Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, said he expects at least 15 GOP primary candidates. Stephens is a 30-year statehouse veteran and one of the region’s lawmakers who has said he won’t run for U.S. House. That list also includes state Reps. Jesse Petrea, R-Savannah, and Rick Townsend, R-Brunswick; and state Sens. Ben Watson, R-Savannah, and Mike Hodges, R-Brunswick.
Petrea said he doesn’t “think anybody needs to be in a hurry to announce” their campaign since there’s no favorite out there raising money.
Lumpkin County Commission Chair Chris Dockery announced he is running for the State House District 9 seat being vacated by Rep. Will Wade (R-Dawsonville), who is running for State Senate, according to Access WDUN.
The District 9 seat is currently held by Will Wade, who previously announced he would run for State Senate. District 9 includes Dawson, Lumpkin and White counties.
Dockery is currently serving his fourth term as Lumpkin County Commission Chairman. Prior to his time in public service, he served in the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.
Dockery said in a release he plans to defend conservative values, should he be elected into office.
“In the State House, I will carry with me the conservative North Georgia values we all share and a commitment to faith, family, and freedom,” he said. “I will stand firm against the left and their radical agenda, and I will never waiver when it comes to protecting our conservative principles. I look forward to working hard to earn the trust and support of the people of Dawson, Lumpkin and White Counties in the months ahead.”
Dockery also worked in law enforcement for six years before founding his own contracting business. In his current role, he is a member of the Association of County Commissioners and holds numerous positions within the organization. His roles in the ACCG include serving as the District II representative on the Board of Managers and the Georgia Legislative Policy Council. Additionally, he was awarded as the recipient of the Emory Greene Leadership Award, the highest honor given by the organization.
Dockery also currently serves on the University of North Georgia Corps Advisory Council, is a lifetime member of the North Georgia Corps of Cadets and UNG Alumni Associations and as a member of the Dahlonega Sunrise Rotary Club.
“Growing up in North Georgia, my family and faith taught me early in life the importance of serving others. From serving our nation to now serving as the Lumpkin County Commission Chairman and everything in between, that is what I have been committed to doing for over 30 years.”
Athens-Clarke County Commissioners are considering a proposed FY 2026 budget, according to the Athens Banner Herald.
The government issued a release that the proposed $201.6 million budget is balanced and the 2025 millage rate of 12.45 does not change from the current rate.
However, before the mayor and commissioners can finalize the budget and millage rate, they are required to have three meetings for the public to air their views. The commission is expected to vote on the budget and millage rate during a meeting at 6 p.m. June 10.
Former Columbus City Manager Isaiah Hugley’s attorney spoke about City Council’s firing Hugley, according to WTVM.
As of now, Hugley and his lawyer have not filed a lawsuit, but his attorney Scott Grubman said that could change between now and the end of the year. According to him, Columbus City Council has no legitimate reason to remove Hugley from his position.
“How does the city get all sorts of accolades and awards and named the friendliest city, etcetera, and yet according to the city council, the city manager who has been in that role for over 20 years is completely incompetent,” said Grubman.
He said he believes the termination of Isaiah Hugley was unlawful and improper.
During an investigation into the leak of the city manager’s tax information being posted online, city council member Charmaine Crabb was interviewed. She told investigators Hughley was attempting to “run for mayor” and going to black churches to accumulate votes.
In that interview, she also said Hugley is contributing to ‘skin color-based discrimination.’ Grubman said he believed once this knowledge became public, she wanted to move forward with removing Hugley as the city manager.
“She was the first councilperson to sign the termination letter. One week after being called out for overt racism, accusing my client of wrongdoing by visiting black churches,” he said.
In the city council’s termination letter of the former city manager, obtained by News Leader 9, reads in part:
“Over the past several months departments under your direct supervision, including animal care and control and finance have experienced ongoing failures which has resulted in law enforcement scrutiny and criminal investigations. The ongoing issues within the departments that you oversee demonstrate your lack of leadership and failure to meet the standards for your role. As result council has lost confidence in your leadership.”
Former city manager Isaiah Hugley’s termination months before his retirement makes the transition more difficult, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson told the Ledger-Enquirer, as he works with other officials to keep the city running.
The Columbus Council voted 7-3 Tuesday night to fire Hugley, meeting the required supermajority threshold as the mayor did not initiate the motion.
In the meantime, Henderson hasn’t appointed an interim city manager. The city is “fortunate” that Hugley prepared deputy city managers Pam Hodge and Lisa Goodwin to handle any issues that arise, Henderson said.
Hodge and Goodwin will continue the momentum that the city is seeing with the mayor playing a larger role, Hodge told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Thursday. Any signatures or decisions that would normally go to the city manager’s desk will now come to the mayor as per the city charter, Henderson said.
Each deputy city manager has departments they oversee, Hodge said, and nothing will change along those lines. Hodge is over finance, planning and development, while Goodwin is over operations, including departments such as the METRA Transit System, Columbus Civic Center, Citizens Service Center and Parks & Recreation.
Glynn County Commissioners voted unanimously to name Danny Smith as Assistant County Manager, according to The Brunswick News.
Related Posts
State Senator Hardie Davis To Run For Mayor Of Augusta-Richmond – WJBF-TV ABC 6 Augusta-Aiken News, Weather, Sports
Rep. Buddy Carter criticizes King v. Burwell decision
Adoptable (Official) Georiga Dogs for July 25, 2016
Bob Barr on Susan Rice for National Security Advisor
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for August 12, 2022
Comments ( 0 )