PG A.M.: Speaker Burns puts legislative focus on the ‘politically possible’

A hypothetical question was top of mind for many Georgia leaders as the 2024 legislative session opened this week: How to sell an Arkansas-style “private option” to add more Georgians to the Medicaid rolls to Republican legislators who have long opposed any sort of expansion of the program?

We asked House Speaker Jon Burns about that challenge in an in-depth interview that airs on today’s “Politically Georgia” radio show and podcast.

Burns said he’s keeping his options open — and staying open-minded.

“We deal with the facts. My members deal with the facts. We’ll look at it, we’ll make some good choices. But we also must deal with what’s politically possible,” Burns said.

Credit: Ariel Hart/AJC

Credit: Ariel Hart/AJC

Burns’ insights on Medicaid expansion were among the many takeaways from the sit-down. He also shared views on:

1. Whether his plan to give the State Election Board more “autonomy” means more scrutiny of Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

“Do we intend to investigate the secretary of state for something? That’s not the intent. The legislative intent was for the State Election Board to have some independence when it came to their mission. I believe that’s where we’ll get to. We won’t overstep into the responsibilities of the secretary of state. I think we’ll be very respectful,” Burns said.

2. Whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis merits a state investigation.

“When we stand the prosecutorial oversight board back up, and everything is approved, they’ll make that decision. That’s not for me to approve … if they decide to make that decision, that’s fine with me,” Burns said.

3. Whether a renewed push to pass a school voucher bill will succeed after a Republican revolt last year.

“If families are in a school system and their children attend a failing school, it’s not fair. It’s not fair to the children and that family, it’s not fair to their future. That’s when I believe there should be some sort of option to help those children,” he said.

4. His message to Senate lawmakers on stalled legislation to combat antisemitism.

“Pass the bill. Simple as that. We’ve listened and they’ve done substantial work over there. But some things rise above politics. Pass the bill,” he said.

5. Whether he wants to push new abortion limits.

“We’re in a good place right now, and that’s where we will remain,” he said.

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Credit: Casey Sykes

UNDER THE GOLD DOME:

10 a.m.: The House gavels in.
10 a.m.: The Senate convenes.
11 a.m.: Gov. Brian Kemp delivers the annual State of the State address in the House chamber.

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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

SENATE GETS TO WORK. Georgia Senate Republicans plan to introduce legislation today that would slow property tax increases.

The measure, backed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, would limit year-to-year increases in home values for local property taxes to 3% regardless of assessed value. It’s designed to curb what critics call “surprise increases” and also overhauls the appeals process.

Also on the move: sports betting, which passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on Tuesday and could see floor action as early as this week.

Like the Braves’ teams of the 1980s, the buzz in the Capitol among lobbyists about the perennial issue is “this could be the year.”

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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

MOORE-WILLIS FALLOUT. State Sen. Colton Moore was ousted from the GOP Senate caucus this summer after attacking fellow Republicans over their refusal to call a special session to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from office. Moore wanted Willis out because of her prosecution of former President Donald Trump and his allies.

Moore renewed his anti-Willis crusade this week amid accusations alleging the DA engaged in an improper relationship with a top lawyer on the election interference case. Moore invited Republicans to sign his “Stop Political Persecutions Act,” which he said would act as a “de facto pardon for the 19 who were indicted by Fani Willis.”

The bill, he said, would exempt the defendants, including Trump, from the state’s existing racketeering statute they’re being prosecuted under.

“Hold Fani Willis accountable, become a co-sponsor,” Moore said.

We’ll keep you posted on whether the so-far ostracized Moore picks up any co-signers.

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Credit: Courtesy photo

LISTEN UP. Georgia legal experts Anthony Michael Kreis and Fred Smith Jr. joined the “Politically Georgia” radio show Wednesday to discuss the potential legal fallout of the new allegations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

Catch up on that episode at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. And listen to Wednesday’s show live at 10 a.m. on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.

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GREENE WANTS WILLIS INQUIRY. The explosive allegations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis lodged by a lawyer in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and his allies got the attention of U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Washington.

In a letter sent Wednesday, the Rome Republican asked Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr to “order the immediate and formal criminal investigation into the alleged criminal misconduct” by Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade. Potential criminal offenses include violation of public oath, bribery, improper influence of a government official, false statements and racketeering, the letter said.

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

“They were allegedly having sexual relations,” Greene said in a telephone interview about Willis and Wade, a private attorney Willis appointed as a special prosecutor in the Trump case and who has billed the county nearly $624,000 in legal fees.

“This screams corruption and it also screams the possibility of many laws being broken,” Greene told our AJC colleagues. “… It needs serious attention from the governor’s office and the attorney general. It cannot be ignored.”

Greene questioned Wade’s qualifications and billings and noted he once billed for 24 hours of legal work in a day. “Are we supposed to believe he stayed awake for the entire day?” she asked. “No.”

In her letter to Kemp and Carr, Greene wrote, “This is part of Fani Willis’ unlawful partisan pattern, through her words and deeds, to illegally politicize and weaponize her public office to wage lawfare against President Trump for the purpose of interfering in the 2024 presidential election. And now we are learning she has allegedly enriched her secret boyfriend and herself during this process.”

The court motion, filed on behalf of defendant Michael Roman, did not offer conclusive proof that Willis and Wade were involved in a personal relationship and lacked documentation of the alleged lavish trips they took together. A Fulton DA’s office spokeswoman has said Willis will respond to the allegations in court filings.

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GREENE VS. HUNTER BIDEN. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was among the Republican lawmakers who attempted to confront Hunter Biden on Wednesday when he made a surprise appearance at a House committee hearing regarding a measure to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, didn’t stick around the meeting for long. In fact, he exited the room right as Greene, R-Rome, was recognized to speak.

“Excuse me, Hunter,” Greene said, “apparently you are afraid of my words.”

“I think it’s clear and obvious for everyone watching this hearing today that Hunter Biden is terrified of strong, conservative Republican women because he can’t even face my words as I was about to speak to him,” she continued. “What a coward.”

The House Judiciary and Oversight committees ultimately voted to advance the contempt resolution to the House floor.

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JOHNSON’S HEADACHE. Conservative members of the U.S. House halted action in the chamber Wednesday, siding with Democrats in a series of procedural votes in order to express their displeasure with Speaker Mike Johnson over his agreement with Senate Leader Chuck Schumer on federal spending.

Thirteen House Republicans, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, voted with Democrats against advancing three unrelated bills. The stand prompted the cancellation of other scheduled votes.

Until recently, procedural votes were considered routine and would usually pass along party lines. But hardline Republicans have used such opportunities in recent months to show dissatisfaction with their leaders, such as former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and now Johnson, and shut down action on the floor.

Greene did not comment on her votes against advancing the GOP legislation. But she has made it clear that she disagrees with the deal Johnson and Schumer struck because the agreement does not contain border security language or remove funding for prosecutions of former President Donald Trump.

The House schedule for today indicates Johnson may try again to move forward on the three bills plus other legislation left unaddressed on Wednesday.

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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times

TODAY IN WASHINGTON:

President Joe Biden has no public events scheduled.
The House has votes scheduled regarding policy toward China and Taiwan.
The Senate votes on the nomination of Erika McEntarfer to serve as commissioner of Labor Statistics.
The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee holds a hearing about the opioid fentanyl.
The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee discusses the Biden administration’s policy toward Afghanistan after the August 2021 military withdrawal.

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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

EMILY’S LIST BACKS MCBATH. Emily’s List, a well-funded political organization that works to get more women elected who support access to abortion, is out with its first Georgia endorsement ahead of the 2024 election.

The group is backing U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, who recently announced she will run in the newly drawn 6th Congressional District representing parts of west metro Atlanta.

“Rep. Lucy McBath has been a consistent champion and advocate for Georgians even as the state’s extremist Republicans work overtime to undermine the will of voters, eliminate reproductive freedom, and make our communities less safe,” Emily’s List Interim President Jessica Mackler said in a news release. “Her experience in and out of Congress has made her a powerful and effective representative, and the legislation she has worked to pass has changed countless lives.”

The endorsement isn’t a huge surprise. McBath, D-Marietta, has been backed by Emily’s List since her first campaign in 2018. But the support still sends a message to other would-be challengers that McBath will be hard to beat with her status as an incumbent with name recognition and powerful groups behind her.

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Credit: Courtesy photo

DOG OF THE DAY. The state Capitol isn’t the only place to find strong-willed leaders. For example, meet Freddy Reynolds, the rescue pup from Woodstock so opinionated he’s known at home as the “Speaker of the House.”

Like other speakers in history, a reliable source tells us Freddy is occasionally strident, extremely personable, and has the unruly eyebrows of a Founding Father. Freddy calls Marty Reynolds his person.

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.

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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.

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