Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for October 28, 2021

Christopher Columbus “discovered” Cuba on October 28, 1492.

The Battle of Wauhatchie, one of a handful of night battles in the Civil War, began along the Georgia-Tennessee border on October 28, 1863.

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886; the first ticker tape parade followed.

The United States Senate overrode President Woodrow Wilson’s veto of the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919.

The Cuban Missile Crisis ended on October 28, 1962 as Kruschev agreed to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba if the United States would respect Cuban sovereignty.

Democratic President Jimmy Carter debated Republican Ronald Reagan in Cleveland, Ohio on October 28, 1980.

The Atlanta Braves beat the Cleveland Indians 1-0 to win the World Series on October 28, 1995.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

Former President Donald Trump will attend Saturday’s World Series game in Sunday, dooming my chance of seeing my two favorite baseball teams compete in the Fall Classic. From the AJC:

Braves chief executive Terry McGuirk told USA Today that Trump called the league to request tickets to attend Saturday’s game against the Houston Astros.

“We were very surprised. Of course, we said yes,” he told USA Today, adding: “We are apolitical. We’re open to anyone coming. It’s great that he wants to come to our game.”

Trump called on his supporters to “boycott baseball” in April after the league yanked the All-Star game from the suburban ballpark in protest of the new law. Also set to be in attendance at the game is Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, who made the decision to pull out of the game.

This wouldn’t be Trump’s first visit to Atlanta for a championship sporting event. He attended the college football title game between Georgia and Alabama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2018 and was greeted with a chorus of cheers mixed in with boos as he took the field. He left shortly before halftime.

The AJC also reports that former United States Senator David Perdue is considering challenging Governor Brian Kemp’s reelection.

In recent weeks, Perdue has called donors and other allies to float the idea, according to eight people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential matters. Several of them said he’s “conflicted” about a run, while others say he’s leaning toward a challenge.

Perdue has kept quiet publicly about his plans, and he declined to comment. But he remains close to former President Donald Trump, who encouraged the former U.S. senator to run at a rally in Middle Georgia in September. Trump’s allies also recently leaked polls that show Perdue in a strong position.

The biggest question is whether the 71-year-old is motivated to take on Kemp after narrowly losing a January U.S. Senate runoff to Jon Ossoff. Perdue ruled out a comeback bid against Democrat Raphael Warnock but hasn’t yet backed Kemp’s reelection after initial indications he would do so. Meanwhile, he’s building a new estate in coastal Georgia.

Kemp campaign spokesman Tate Mitchell said in a statement that the governor and his wife, Marty, “proudly campaigned hard” for Perdue throughout the 2020 election cycle and suggested a primary challenge would be a betrayal.

“Both the governor and the first lady were honored when Sen. Perdue told them personally that he would fully support their campaign for reelection earlier this year,” he said.

Complicating matters, Kemp has also backed Sonny Perdue, who appointed him secretary of state in 2010, to lead the state’s higher education system. Sonny Perdue recently had positive words for Kemp, telling a crowd of activists in Perry to show the governor “respect and honor because it’s a tough job.”

He also reported raising nearly $12 million for his re-election bid in July, the most recent financial deadline, and posted about $9.2 million in cash on hand. And legislation he recently signed allows him to set up funds that can collect unlimited contributions from donors for a 2022 campaign.

A former legislative staffer was arrested and charged with impersonating the Lieutenant Governor, according to the AJC.

A former staffer of the lieutenant governor was arrested Monday after being accused of sending emails in which she impersonated her former boss to get information about her divorce.

Beth Green, who worked as director of operations in Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan’s office from January 2019 until July, turned herself into the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office on Monday on charges of impersonating a public officer or employee, computer invasion of privacy and computer trespass.

Green, 49, of Acworth, is accused of taking her state-issued computer when she left the lieutenant governor’s office and using it to send emails pretending she was Duncan, according to an arrest warrant.

Deputies accuse Green of sending seven emails in July on her state-issued computer impersonating Duncan from his email address to get information about her divorce from her divorce attorney.

Pro-tip: if you’re going to impersonate the Lieutenant Governor, wear pinstripes, not horizontal orange stripes.

Wilcox County voters will decide on a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) on Tuesday, according to 13WMAZ.

Wilcox County voters will have only one decision on their ballots this year.

That’s the option to vote “Yes” or “No” on approving a one-cent education SPLOST.

Superintendent Julie Childers says the E-SPLOST has been in place for a long time.

“We are asking voters to just renew the 1 penny sales tax that we’ve had in place since 1997,”  Childers said.

Childers says the E-SPLOST not only keeps property taxes low, but it helps the school system.

DeKalb County voters will decide on the continuation of the E-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education) and some municipal seats, according to the AJC.

DeKalb County voters will soon decide the top officeholders in the county’s 13 cities, including part of Atlanta.

Election Day is Tuesday, but almost 10,000 early voters have already cast ballots. Another 10,000 absentee ballots have been received by the county elections office.

Every DeKalb voter is able to weigh in on the extension of a countywide education sales tax. If approved, the additional one penny tax would be renewed for another five years starting in July 2022. A maximum of $816 million in revenue would help fund capital improvements in Atlanta, Decatur and DeKalb County schools.

Additionally, voters in Atlanta and Decatur will be able to approve homestead exemptions on school taxes.

If approved, the Atlanta exemption would continue a $50,000 reduction in taxable value from homes assessed at more than $10,000.

In Decatur, the exemption would give older homeowners a tax break. Low-income residents older than 64 would see the taxable value of their home lowered by $200,000. All homeowners older than 69 would also get the reduction.

Cherokee County voters are also deciding whether to continue the county’s E-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education).

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger will release a book called “Integrity Counts,” according to WTVM.

“I want to really memorialize what exactly the facts were in the case so I wrote Integrity Counts. Cause at the end of the day, Integrity Counts, always has. Always will,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

The question could be asked of Raffensperger’s efforts in writing a book – was his stand against Trump for show to help his cause in bookstores later?

The secretary says he won’t make much money from the deal.

“When you self publish, you’d have to sell a whole lot of books. It’s not about that,” said Raffensperger.

“Integrity Counts” is 240 pages and is available for pre-sale for $25.

The University of Georgia will require COVID vaccination for some employees, according to the Athens Banner Herald.

In an email Tuesday from UGA President Jere Morehead and other top UGA officials, the university announced that workers required to get vaccinated are those employed as part of a federal contract.

The move comes in response to a federal executive order signed Sept. 9 by President Joe Biden requiring federal contractors to comply with COVID-19 guidance that in part requires the vaccine.

“As a Research-1 institution, the University receives hundreds of millions of dollars annually pursuant to federal contracts. This funding is critical to our mission as a land-grant and sea-grant institution, and these new requirements apply to us as a federal contractor,” said the email.

The deadline to be fully vaccinated is Dec. 8. One is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the final dose. There are some exemptions to the requirement, including disability and “sincerely held religious belief,” according to the email.

In order to meet the deadline, an employee would have until Wednesday to get the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, and until Nov. 3 for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Second doses would have to be received by Nov. 24.

If an employee chooses the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, they have until Nov. 24.

Employees will have to submit proof of vaccination to the university.

The university has more than 10,800 in its workforce, according to its website. It was not immediately known by the UGA communications department Tuesday how many employees the vaccine requirement would impact.

The UGA Athletic Association will try a pilot program for alcohol sales at basketball games, according to the Albany Herald.

The University of Georgia Athletic Association will launch a pilot alcohol sales program in Stegeman Coliseum for both men’s and women’s basketball this season, the school announced Wednesday.

The pilot program will allow UGAAA to monitor food and event operations with alcohol sales, while also bolstering the fan experience with expanded concessions offerings. Georgia will be the 11th Southeastern Conference school to sell alcohol at athletics venues.

A variety of domestic, import, craft and premium beer and seltzer will be available at designated concession stands throughout the Coliseum with strict attention to our Drinking Responsibly guidelines and fan management protocols. The pilot program will also include a focus on promoting the responsible sale, service, and consumption of alcohol.

State House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) and State Rep. Don Hogan (R-St Simons Island) both said Georgia will work on improving mental health care, according to The Brunswick News.

Frustrating, heartbreaking, complicated —words used by House Speaker David Ralston and Rep. Don Hogan to describe the abysmal state of mental health care in Georgia and efforts to elevate it.

“I don’t have a higher priority than to improve our mental health delivery system in Georgia,” Ralston told The News while in Glynn County this week.

It’s an issue that is especially dear to Hogan, who dedicated more than three decades of his life to the role of rehabilitation counselor.

“That’s where my heart is,” Hogan said.

One major attempt by Hogan to address the situation was House Bill 590, which he introduced in the House Health and Human Services Committee in February. Hogan is a member of the committee.

The measure called for setting up a grant program for the development of assisted outpatient treatment programs. Their purpose would be to help those with mental illness “who struggle to maintain engagement with essential mental health treatment.”

The bill did not get anywhere, but Hogan is optimistic for a more favorable showing in 2022.

It’s a lengthy article, well worth taking a few minutes to read in its entirety.

Democratic state legislators continue tilting at windmills asking for Medicaid expansion to be considered during the legislative Special Session that convenes Wednesday, according to WSAV.

“Georgia has the third-highest uninsured population in this country,” said Rep. Matthew Wilson, a Democrat from Brookhaven.

Wilson says in July, he sent a letter to Gov. Brian Kemp calling on him to include Medicaid expansion.

“A lot has developed in the realm of Medicaid expansion over the course of the summer,” said Wilson. “We know that the Biden administration has made it perfectly clear that Gov. Kemp’s partial Medicaid expansion program is dead on arrival. It will not be approved by the Biden administration, so we’re back to square one.”

He says a dozen rural hospitals have closed, i.e. because hospitals are still required to treat patients, especially those who enter their emergency rooms. But if those patients don’t have insurance, the hospital is out that money.

He acknowledges, however, the governor makes the agenda for the special session and that he never heard from Kemp after his July letter.

Georgia’s Democratic United States Senators are also pushing Medicaid, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Rome News Tribune.

“We are united in this push and to doing everything we can to ensure that our constituents who lack health insurance, have access to health care and to close the circle on the Affordable Care Act by ensuring that folks are not suffering or dying, simply because the state government has decided not to expand Medicaid,” said U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff.

Ossoff said both he and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock have spoken to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, several times to secure his support. Manchin and U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, have expressed serious reservations about the size and cost of President Joe Biden’s $3.7 trillion spending and infrastructure plan.

“Health care is a human right in every state,” Warnock said. “Your ability to access health care ought not to be based on personnel. The Affordable Care Act is the law, and Medicaid saves lives.”

Some Augusta residents urged the Augusta-Richmond County redistricting committee to not split communities in redistricting, according to WJBF.

The ad hoc redistricting committee has learned a lot over the last couple of weeks according to their chairman, Commissioner Sean Frantom.

He said, “That’s the reason we did it four times. We were originally only going to do three (public hearings) but we felt like we had to go in each part of the county to hear the representation of what they actually felt.”

During the redistricting public hearings, many people like Charles Rollins have urged the committee to keep the Summerville, Forest Hills area in District 3 together. Under the draft map, Summerville is divided into three different districts.

Right now, District 3 is about 6,000 people over the recommended size.

“When you shift around that many people, it is going to affect significant change. It’s not surprising that there would be some who would not be happy with what they see,” said Richmond County Board of Elections Executive Director Lynn Bailey.

According to Frantom, the redistricting committee is listening to everybody’s ideas but it’s inevitable that some areas will be split.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) endorsed Herschel Walker for United States Senate from Georgia, according to the Associated Press via AccessWDUN.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday endorsed Herschel Walker for the Senate in Georgia, lending the clout of the highest-ranking elected GOP official in the country to the candidacy of a former football star whose turbulent personal history could create problems for his general election campaign.

Walker is the odds-on favorite to win the Republican primary next May and at an initial glance seems to have a coveted political profile as he seeks the chance to unseat Democrat Raphael Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, and help the GOP regain control of the Senate.

“I am happy to endorse Herschel Walker for U.S. Senate in Georgia,” McConnell said in a statement. “Herschel is the only one who can unite the party, defeat Senator Warnock, and help us take back the Senate. I look forward to working with Herschel in Washington to get the job done.”

Walker was effusive in his own statement, praising McConnell’s “commitment to bringing the party together toward the collective goal of defeating Senator Warnock.”

“The Democrats have already said they will spend whatever it takes to keep Georgia blue,” Walker said. “The stakes have never been higher — if we all work together, we will win next November, and take back the Senate. Team Herschel is very thankful for Senator McConnell’s support.”

Atlanta City Council transportation committee members wants private companies to pay airport custodial employees $15/hour, according to the AJC.

An Atlanta City Council committee is urging companies to pay airport custodial workers at least $15 an hour.

But the committee vote could prove merely symbolic even if it is approved by the entire council. That’s because Georgia state law preempts locally set minimum wages, specifically prohibiting municipalities from directly or indirectly mandating a minimum wage for private-sector workers or city contractors.

The resolution by the city council transportation committee Wednesday says starting hourly wages for some jobs at janitorial contractors ABM Industries and CSM America are as low as $8.50. More than 700 janitorial and maintenance workers clean 3 million square feet at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, including restrooms, gate areas and other public areas.

Responsibility for cleaning and maintenance of the airport terminal falls to the airlines, which decades ago formed a cooperative called Atlanta Airlines Terminal Company to jointly handle the work. AATC contracts with ABM Industries and CSM America for janitorial work.

Gwinnett County Solicitor General Brian Whiteside (D) is warning residents against posting social media threats against Board of Education members, according to AccessWDUN.

“Any individuals who threaten or endanger the lives of anyone, if convicted, will receive a recommended sentence of up to 12 months confinement and/or a $1,000 fine per conviction pursuant to O.C.G.A § 16-11-39.1 (Harassing Communications), O.C.G.A. § 16-11-37 (Terroristic Threats), O.C.G.A § 16-5-90 (Stalking), and if there’s evidence that the crime was racially motivated, O.C.G.A § 17-10-17 (Enhanced sentence where defendant intentionally selected victim or property as object of offense because of bias or prejudice). State and Recorder’s Court Judges maintain and enact all sentences,” said the statement.

“More serious offenses could be referred to the District Attorney for prosecution,” said Solicitor-General Brian Whiteside in the release. “All threatening social media posts directed towards the Gwinnett County Board of Education are being investigated.”

The Savannah Racial Equity and Leadership (REAL) task force issued recommendations, according to the Savannah Morning News.

A housing voucher program.

A local cash bail ordinance.

Partnerships to build Black-owned businesses.

Increasing access to healthy food options.

These are just a few of the recommendations put forth by Savannah’s Racial Equity and Leadership (REAL) task force. The group’s report will be presented to Savanah City Council during the Oct. 28 workshop.

The committee’s report found that Chatham County’s racial disparities largely mirror those of the state. Black males account for 20% of Chatham County’s population, but they account for 68% of the Chatham County Detention Center’s inmate population.

The county’s juvenile justice system looks similar. Black youth under 18 years of age represent 20.4% of Savannah’s population and 20.8% of the population of Chatham County,  yet they are 76% of the county’s juvenile justice system, according to the report.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson delivered his State of the City address, according to WTOC.

They mayor says in total, Savannah is receiving $55 million from the American Rescue Plan. The city has gotten half so far. Leaders are expecting the other half in May.

The mayor says they plan to use part of the money to give city employees raises.

“I will champion using these funds to help us make significant progress toward a 15 dollar minimum wage for our city of Savannah employees. For providing funding for non profit agencies to help local small businesses that have not received assistance from other sources. And to partner with other government agencies to expand broadband access. We can do this,” said Mayor Johnson.

From WSAV:

Johnson also spoke on the recent gun violence the city has seen. The mayor hopes the reemergence of the Police Athletic League (PAL) will help build better relations with police and its youth.

“PAL is an excellent mentorship opportunity that helps build trust and positive relationships between young people in our community and our police department,” says Johnson.

The city anticipates a four percent increase in economic growth by the end of the year, despite the ongoing pandemic.

United States Representative Sanford Bishop (D-Albany) announced more than $1 million in federal funding for Columbus-area agencies, according to WTVM. Congressman Bishop also announced federal funding for the Albany Museum of Art, according to the Albany Herald.

Lee County Commissioners amended their zoning ordinance relating to solar installations to limit further installations, according to WALB.

Lee County Commissioners amended Chapter 70 of their Solar Ordinance to include extended zoning regulations after the sustainable energy company, NextEra Energy spoke about changes to the regulations.

“You know, we love jobs but these two projects that are coming to Lee County are enough right now. We really want to balance helping provide solar jobs but also we want to protect the agriculture integrity of Lee County,” said Billy Mathis, Chairman of the Lee County Commission.

“We worked with both the University of Georgia and Valdosta State to come up with a model ordinance for, and ordinance for us. We used some of their model ordinances and changed a few things. But just trying to be careful that we ah protect all concerns, wildlife to habitats to neighbors everything we just try to be very careful to make sure we’re doing things the way they should be done,” said Mathis.

When asked if solar projects will affect farmers in the area, Commissioner Mathis had this to say, “It obviously takes up some farmland but it’s obviously helping the farmers where the solar farmers are going but they will continue for example to hopefully graze sheep and some I talked to the other day maybe their experimenting with grazing cattle on the solar farm. So there will be, will be some ah grazing going on, on the solar farms too.”

The Floyd County Board of Education approved a $1000 bonus for all employees, according to the Rome News Tribune.

The Floyd County Board of Education approved a $1,000 supplement that will be included in the November paycheck for all employees in the school system.

After rescinding and tabling two different incentives for teachers, school board members still wanted to give the employees something to alleviate any economic stress they might have endured in the past year and a half during the pandemic.

The school board will use approximately $1.3 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds to cover the supplement for all employees, including teachers, bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria staff.

Hall County municipalities are joining the gold rush for federal COVID relief funding, according to the Gainesville Times.

Votes for Nick “Big Nick” Harden will not count after the Lowndes County Board of Elections voted for his disqualification, according to the Valdosta Daily Times.

Harden had filed to run as a write-in candidate for the District 9 at-large school board seat. The election board had OK’d his candidacy several weeks ago and Harden had been campaigning as a write-in candidate.

On Monday, Oct. 18, Harden received a phone call from Deb Cox, Lowndes County election supervisor, that he was not qualified as a write-in candidate based on the date his qualifying packet was submitted to the board of elections.

Harden received the qualification paperwork Sept. 14 and returned the signed and notarized packet Sept. 17, Harden said.

The state board of elections confirmed that Harden submitted his paperwork after the deadline of Aug. 27 disqualifying him as a write-in candidate.

“This is one of the reasons why the public does not trust the voting process,” Harden said in an earlier interview. “I want to encourage supporters to continue to vote for me, because we are going to fight this.”

Following the decision of the board of elections, Harden and his team plan to file an appeal in Superior Court, he said.