With South Carolina voters set to go to the GOP primary polls in just two days, Nikki Haley is calling for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to be removed from the election interference case against former President Donald Trump in order for the case to go forward.
“I think she needs to be off the case,” Haley told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview Wednesday in North Augusta, South Carolina, after a rally with voters. “I think they need to do what they’re gonna do without any more distraction.”
Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee is now considering whether Willis and her team can continue to prosecute the case against Trump after two days of explosive testimony explored Willis’ past romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor for the Trump case.
That hearing took place against the backdrop of the Republican race for president, with Haley working to convince Republicans in her home state and around the country that Trump is a “chaos candidate” who would further damage the country if he were put back in power. She told the AJC the cases against Trump in Fulton County and elsewhere in the country are proof of that.
“He’s got three judgments against him already. He’s going to be in court in March, April, May and June. He said he’s going to spend more time in a courtroom than he is going to be on the campaign trail. That’s a problem,” she said. “Look at the chaos that goes with these court cases. … That’s not what the American people want.”
Even though Haley has said the cases against Trump in Fulton County and elsewhere should continue, she also told a Fox News town hall this week that if she’s elected president, she would pardon Trump from the federal charges against him if he’s convicted.
“I would pardon Donald Trump because I think it’s important for the country to move on,” Haley said during a Fox News town hall in South Carolina. “We’ve got to leave the negativity … behind.”
Even with 91 felony counts against him, Trump has so far won the first three GOP presidential nominating contests by wide margins, with all of his challengers except Haley dropping out of the race. And polls show him set to dominate the race against Haley in South Carolina on Saturday, too.
***
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
BEHAVE. House Speaker Jon Burns’ top aide fired off an email to House members Tuesday with a message that can be boiled down to six words: Don’t be jerks to your staffers.
We’re not quite sure what happened — send Greg Bluestein or Patricia Murphy your tips! But it’s not a good look when Terry England, Burns’ chief of staff and a former longtime legislator, has to remind lawmakers that “disrespecting or mistreating staff” is not tolerated.
Your insiders agree with England: The men and women who work in the Legislature keep the gears of our state working. They work long hours under immense pressure. Don’t abuse them.
***
GEORGIA 2024. Hours after longtime Republican state Rep. Penny Houston announced she will retire, a local business executive joined the race to succeed her in the Georgia House.
Jaclyn Ford, vice president of Dixon Gin Co. said Wednesday she will run for the Nashville-based seat that Houston has represented for 13 terms.
***
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
FANTASY SPORTS. State Rep. Ron Stephens, a Savannah Republican who chairs the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee, has introduced legislation to establish a framework for fantasy sports contests in Georgia.
Under House Bill 1329, the Georgia Lottery Commission would be empowered to oversee fantasy sports games, in which participants pick players and win awards based on their performance. We’re told the measure is backed by Atlanta-based PrizePicks, one of the biggest players in the growing industry.
***
NEW MEMBER. Republican former state Rep. Tim Bearden was sworn in Wednesday as a state Senator representing District 30 by Judge Dustin Hightower.
“It’s an absolute honor, and I’m humbled that you allowed me to be your voice in the state Capitol,” he said.
The position was vacated by former state Sen. Mike Dugan, a Republican from Carrollton. Dugan resigned to run for the congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, who isn’t seeking reelection.
The notoriously outspoken Bearden acknowledged he may make statements fellow members of the Senate will not like but promised, “I will never lie to you and I will never try to deceive you.”
***
Credit: Casey Sykes
Credit: Casey Sykes
UNDER THE GOLD DOME, Legislative Day 25
- 7 a.m.: Committee meetings begin.
- 9 a.m.: The House gavels in.
- 9 a.m.: The Senate convenes.
***
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
IN THE HOPPER. State lawmakers close out another week of legislating today. With Crossover Day looming next Thursday, here’s what’s on the move.
- The House is poised to take up revisions to the state’s film tax credit that would require film production companies to meet a set of criteria to qualify for the lucrative incentive. The House Ways and Means subcommittee blessed House Bill 1180 earlier this week. The bill’s primary sponsor is Rep. Kasey Carpenter, R-Dalton.
- The Senate could soon consider legislation that would require school libraries to email parents every time their children check out books and other materials. Senate Bill 365 passed the Senate Education and Youth Committee earlier this week.
- A House bill meant to allow for lower property tax rates is now in the Senate. HB 987 would move the minimum public school district millage rate from 14 mills to 10 mills. Currently, districts with tax rates below 14 mills do not qualify for state funds. The minimum tax rate is a long-explored issue in the Legislature and is at 14 mills to prevent rural districts from from keeping artificially low rates.
***
Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
LISTEN UP. On Wednesday’s episode of “Politically Georgia,” The Associated Press’ Meg Kinnard talked about the GOP primary in South Carolina and why she expects Nikki Haley to stay in the race through Super Tuesday.
Georgia Equality’s Jeff Graham joined the radio show to discuss how his organization lobbies against legislation reflecting the culture wars, particularly when it comes to transgender children, and the AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu provided additional insight on the legislative session.
On today’s edition, we recap our exclusive conversation with Haley, who was campaigning in North Augusta, a South Carolina town just over the Georgia border. Also, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop joins to talk about the looming government shutdown deadlines — March 1 and March 8 — and his efforts to bring federal resources to Georgia.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And listen to Thursday’s show live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.
***
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
SOUR ON DAVID SCOTT. Politico is out with yet another article elevating concerns from unnamed Democrats about Congressman David Scott’s age and health as he seeks a 12th term in office.
Scott has been working in recent months to show that he is up to the task, meeting with constituents at events in Georgia and ensuring he keeps missed votes to a minimum.
But that hasn’t stopped the hand-wringing. In the latest Politico article, Democrats in the House are quoted anonymously expressing concern that the 78-year-old Atlantan has been slowed by age and health challenges even as he continues to hold key committee leadership positions. If Democrats retake control of the House in November, Scott would be in line for another round chairing the powerful Agriculture Committee.
“David Scott is Exhibit A for term limits,” one Democratic lawmaker told Politico.
Scott did not respond to the article, continuing an office policy not to engage with Politico after a series of reports questioning his fitness for the job.
Scott will run this year in a newly drawn 13th District in the suburbs south of Atlanta. Marcus Flowers, who ran against GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome in 2022, has filed paperwork to wage a primary challenge against Scott.
***
MORE LOAN FORGIVENESS. Nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the income-based Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, loan repayment plan will be notified soon that all or a portion of their federal student loan debt will be wiped out.
Biden administration officials said that the borrowers are the first to benefit from a provision within the SAVE Plan that forgives debt for those who borrowed $12,000 or less and have been in repayment for at least a decade.
The latest announcement represents the erasure of about $1.2 billion in loan debt, the AJC’s Vanessa McCray reports. It is part of roughly two dozen executive actions taken by President Joe Biden to relieve about $138 billion in loans for nearly 3.9 million borrowers.
The White House did not immediately provide a state-by-state breakdown of the latest round of loan forgiveness. But the overall number represents only a fraction of the 7.5 million borrowers enrolled in the SAVE Plan.
***
Credit: Evan Vucci/AP
Credit: Evan Vucci/AP
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden finishes a three-day trip campaign swing in California.
- The House and Senate are in recess all week.
***
Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
GIULIANI APPEAL. Rudy Giuliani is headed back to court to challenge the verdict that awarded $148 million in damages to two Fulton County election workers. On Tuesday, Giuliani formally appealed his defamation lawsuit loss to Atlanta residents Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
Giuliani accused the two women, who are mother and daughter, of fraud during his efforts to invalidate the 2020 presidential election on behalf of then-President Donald Trump.
The AJC’s David Wickert reports lawyers for Freeman and Moss are confident the verdict will not be overturned.
***
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. Ahhh siblings, you can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without them, even if you’re a dog.
That’s been the lesson for Rooney Key, one of our previously featured pups, and his new sister Ebony. Unlike Rooney, whose sourpuss face led his person, Charlie Key‚ to name him after professional grump Andy Rooney, little Ebony is a ball of happy energy. In fact, a reliable source reports that Ebony is such a people pleaser she’s started reading the Politically Georgia newsletter, just to get on our good sides.
Ebony, it worked! You’re our Dog of the Day. (Just don’t tell Rooney.)
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC.
***
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.
About the Authors
