The responses by the state’s top elected officials to the pro-Palestinian protests at Emory on Thursday might as well have been a political litmus test.
Senior Republicans labeled the protesters who were removed by state and local police as antisemitic anarchists and accused them of supporting terrorists. Key Democrats questioned the use of force by officers who, in some cases, carried semiautomatic weapons as they dismantled the camp and arrested at least 23 people.
Natrice Miller/AJC
Natrice Miller/AJC
On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, likely 2026 candidates for statewide office, each called them “pro-terrorist radicals.” And Attorney General Chris Carr said he “proudly” stands by the university’s approach.
“Nobody has the legal right to shut down our schools by camping out and making antisemitic threats,” said Carr.
Democrats have wrestled with how to address protests over the Israel-Hamas war that have divided the party. While some stayed silent, others demanded answers.
Natrice Miller/AJC
Natrice Miller/AJC
State Rep. Ruwa Romman, a Duluth Democrat and the only Palestinian-American in the Legislature, criticized the use of “extreme-riot techniques” by law enforcement to disband the protest.
“Regardless of one’s views on this or any other issue, there is no justification for this kind of excessive force,” read a letter signed by more than a dozen Democratic legislators that Romman helped organize.
State Sen. Elena Parent, whose Atlanta-centered district encompasses Emory University, raised questions about a video that showed officers using a stun gun on a demonstrator they had pinned to the ground.
“The right to protest and free speech are foundational to our rights and freedoms,” she wrote. “At the same time, safe places to learn and the university’s mission are essential to the community I represent.”
Emory Police Commander Thomas Mann defended his officers’ actions, telling our AJC colleagues, “The ones that were arrested, there wasn’t anything peaceful about what was going on.”
Other Democrats had a different perspective. State Rep. Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the Legislature, said she’s more concerned about chants by demonstrators she said were antisemitic.
“The issue of whether law enforcement acted excessively or not is up for legitimate debate,” she said, “but showing edited videos of the arrests without displaying what prompted them is patently misleading.”
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LABOR LAW. Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su criticized efforts in Georgia and other Republican-led states to pass legislation designed to block the spread of unions.
“It’s clear that working people should have a voice on the job. And when they do, it’s not just better for them, but for their employer and for their industry,” she said in an interview with the AJC, adding: “I don’t know what those people are afraid of. … It’s clear what workers want in this moment and their rights should be protected.”
Her comments came days after Gov. Brian Kemp signed anti-union legislation that would make it harder for workers to organize labor unions at the state’s auto plants and other mega developments that get significant tax incentives.
The United Auto Workers has pledged to step up its campaign to organize in the South after a majority of workers at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga voted to join the union.
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Miguel Martinez/AJC
Miguel Martinez/AJC
BACK AGAIN. Vice President Kamala Harris is traveling to Atlanta on Monday, making her 12th trip to Georgia since taking office in early 2021.
This time, Harris is coming to deliver a speech focused on ways she and President Joe Biden are working to improve economic opportunities for Black men.
The White House in a news release said Harris will highlight how the administration has implemented policies that have increased the number of Black-owned small businesses. In addition, improvements in health care and infrastructure, and in forgiving student loan debt, removed barriers to access and helped families build wealth.
“Vice President Harris will also outline additional steps that she and President Biden are taking to expand this work,” the release said.
The White House has not said where in Atlanta her speech will take place.
Black men are a key constituent group for Harris and Biden as they seek another term in office. Polling has consistently shown that more Black men are open to supporting former President Donald Trump than in previous elections.
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Hyosub Shin/AJC
Hyosub Shin/AJC
BIDEN AND THE BATTLEGROUND. The vice president’s visit next week is just the latest example of how intensely the Biden campaign is focusing on Georgia, a state the Democratic ticket narrowly won in 2020.
The campaign has been ramping up with multiple “Biden for Georgia” events this week.
On Thursday, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su joined Democratic state Reps. Sam Park of Lawrenceville, Long Tran of Dunwoody, Michelle Au of Johns Creek, Marvin Lim of Norcross and Farooq Mughal of Dacula for a discussion focused on engaging the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Hyosub Shin/AJC
Hyosub Shin/AJC
The national Educators for Biden-Harris initiative kicked off on Tuesday with a news conference at the East Atlanta Kids Club. Featured speakers included former Atlanta school board member and state Sen. Jason Esteves, D-Atlanta, current Atlanta school board member Alfred “Shivy” Brooks and Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators.
It wasn’t a campaign event but Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Georgia on Thursday. He was at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to highlight the use of innovative prefabricated construction for the Concourse D expansion.
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Arvin Temkar/AJC
Arvin Temkar/AJC
LISTEN UP. On today’s episode of the “Politically Georgia” radio show, the AJC’s Martha Dalton talks about what she saw Thursday as she reported from Emory University as law enforcement officers clashed with pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
Later in the episode, former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux, a Democrat, shares her concerns that President Joe Biden is taking the wrong approach if he wants to win Georgia again in 2024.
The show airs at 10 a.m. on 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.
On Thursday’s episode, Atlanta Press Club debate organizer Lauri Strauss discussed the impact of U.S. Reps. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, David Scott, D-Atlanta, and other incumbents deciding not to participate in debates.
Then, Democratic state Rep. Saira Draper of Atlanta joined the podcast to discuss her concerns about a Georgia voting bill that she said could open the door wider for mass challenges of voter registrations. Gov. Brian Kemp has yet to sign the bill into law.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC
Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC
‘HELLHOLES.’ Easing into a new job is evidently not U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s style. Politico is out this week with a profile on the first-term Georgia Democrat focused on his crusade for prison reform.
The feature compares Ossoff’s adoption of prisons as his signature issue to the late Sen. John McCain’s quest to change campaign finance laws and late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s push to take on health care.
“American prisons are hellholes,” Ossoff told Politico’s Katherine Tully-McManus. “That’s unacceptable.”
The story probes why Ossoff has embraced an issue that has what is described as “little discernible political benefit” and how Ossoff is working across the aisle with Republican colleagues on prison-related legislation.
According to the story, the effort for Ossoff is a matter of morality, not politics. It’s also his tribute to his mentor, the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a fellow Atlanta Democrat.
“I want to focus my effort and work while I hold office,” he said, “on the suffering and abuse of people who have no voice.”
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Natrice Miller/AJC
Natrice Miller/AJC
WHAT A NUISANCE? We told you last week about the signing of a state nuisance law meant to curtail unpermitted pop-up events promoted via social media, such as the recent Orange Crush beach party for HBCU students and alumni at Tybee Island.
Orange Crush passed without major incident — although there were 54 arrests over the weekend amidst a crowd that numbered more than 55,000 visitors. But Tybee officials did serve notice to one attendee who advertised an unsanctioned party at the beach. Under the new law, promoters must be identified and told that they could face lawsuits for their activities prior to legal action being taken.
According to Tybee City Manager Michelle Owens, the warning also applies to a follow-up event being promoted for this weekend, known as Peach Fest.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden finishes his campaign swing in New York before returning to the White House.
- The House and Senate are on recess.
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Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
KUDOS. State Rep. Roger Bruce received an honorary law degree from John Marshall Law School in recognition for his long tenure on the House Judiciary Committee. The Atlanta Democrat is retiring after 22 years in the General Assembly.
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Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. Say hello to Peppermint Bark Kiefer, the two-and-a-half-year-old pooch who calls AJC subscribers Lauren and David Kiefer her people.
When Peppermint Bark isn’t busy being featured in this newsletter, she spends her time chasing tennis balls, stealing socks out of the hamper and watching the Kiefers read the AJC.
Today, she’ll watch them read about her in Politically Georgia. Happy Friday, Peppermint!
Send us your pups of any political persuasion —and cats on a cat-by-case basis — to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC. Please include a horizontal photo of the pet as well.
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AS ALWAYS, Politically Georgia readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.
