If there’s a face to the new state law that created a commission with the power to sanction prosecutors, it might be Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. She is the first to draw a formal complaint to the Prosecuting Attorneys Oversight Commission, filed Monday by top Senate Republicans upset with her handling of the office.
But Gov. Brian Kemp and his allies repeatedly said during the legislative debate over Senate Bill 92 earlier this year that the real impetus is Deborah Gonzalez, the top prosecutor in Athens-Clarke County accused of flouting her duties.
Now Gonzalez faces an election challenge from a former prosecutor in what could be one of the most closely watched 2024 down-ticket races in Georgia.
Kalki Yalamanchili announced his campaign on the steps of the local courthouse last week. In an interview, he said he would recruit seasoned prosecutors and restore confidence in the office.
“I’ve spent over a decade working in criminal justice. I’ve seen the crumbling of the system in Athens, and I don’t want to live in a circuit where the DA’s office is failing its citizens,” he said. “I have to do something about it.”
Gonzalez won office in 2020 on a platform of prioritizing violent crimes over minor drug offenses, but she’s been plagued by an exodus of staffers and questions about her handling of major cases.
Yalamanchili said he plans to run as a nonpartisan candidate against Gonzalez, a Democrat, in the left-leaning county. He acknowledged that he’s voted for candidates in both parties in recent elections.
“That’s coming from a place of honesty, because the issues that the DA’s office address aren’t partisan ones,” he said. “This is an office that should be about public service, not launching a political career.”
Gonzalez, for her part, has said she was elected “to bring change to an oppressive system” and that her approach to the office reflects the desires of her community.
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THE RACE IS ON. The two declared candidates for U.S. House speaker, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, will participate in a private forum with only their GOP colleagues this evening in hopes of building support to win the job.
Scalise, No. 2 in the House GOP hierarchy, appears to have an advantage in experience and fundraising strength. Georgia Reps. Buddy Carter of Pooler, Austin Scott of Tifton and Drew Ferguson of The Rock have already backed his bid to lead the chamber.
Rep. Andrew Clyde of Athens is the first Georgia member to endorse Jordan, the co-founder and inaugural chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. Clyde explained his thinking Monday in a letter to constituents.
“Our next Speaker must be an effective, tenacious, and principled conservative who can unite the House Republican Conference and get our country back on track. Folks, that person is Jim Jordan,” Clyde wrote. “I wholeheartedly endorse my friend Jim for Speaker of the House, and I look forward to quickly getting back to work for the American people under his leadership.”
Five Republican members of the Georgia delegation have yet to back either Scalise or Jordan: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Rome, Rick Allen of Augusta, Mike Collins of Jackson, Rick McCormick of Suwanee and Barry Loudermilk of Cassville.
Although Greene initially endorsed former President Donald Trump to run for speaker, she has adopted a “wait and see” approach since Trump announced his support for Jordan last week.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
WHAT A GAS. When Gov. Brian Kemp reinstituted a gasoline tax suspension last month, he vowed the 31-cents-a-gallon break would be more than a one-month respite and could extend through January and the start of the 2024 Georgia legislative session.
Kemp stretched the suspension a month closer to that target Friday by renewing the suspension until Nov. 11. Kemp can only discontinue the tax one month at a time through his state of emergency executive order.
Abolishing the gas tax and seasonal drops in oil prices reduced Georgia’s average pump price by 40 cents over the last month to $3.16 a gallon as of Oct. 6. According to AAA, which tracks gas prices, Georgia motorists pay 56 cents a gallon less than the national average for regular gasoline.
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SIGN ANGST. You can’t miss the fact the Savannah mayor and city council elections are fast approaching. Candidate signs of all sizes and colors spring from yards and grassy roadsides like weeds, turning the local landscape into a long, continuous billboard mashup.
Residents and the city’s Code Compliance Department are fighting the blight. Savannah TV station WTOC reports code enforcement officials have confiscated more than 200 signs illegally placed in public right of ways, such as medians, street corners and between sidewalks and roadways.
Savannah will elect new leadership on Nov. 7. Of the nine council posts, seven are contested, including the mayoral seat. Incumbent Van Johnson faces Alderwoman At-Large Kesha Gibson-Carter for the top spot. The two will debate tonight in the first mayoral candidate forum this election season.
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TATTOO CROWDING. A proliferation of tattoo parlors in the Augusta suburbs prompted the adoption of a new law last week.
The Columbia County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance mandating new body art businesses be located at least a mile away from any existing tattoo studios.
A quick web search shows Grovetown, Evans and other Columbia County locales are home to nine tattoo parlors. Many of those are located in small clusters.
But as the Augusta Chronicle reports, the close proximity doesn’t bother all the business owners — a Grovetown tattoo studio owner said his studio is thriving despite being located approximately 1,000 feet from a competitor.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden will deliver remarks from the White House on Israel and Saturday’s attack from Hamas. He’ll also give a virtual address to attendees of the U.S. Fire Administrator’s Summit on Fire Prevention & Control.
- U.S. House Republicans meet in a closed-door meeting to consider speaker candidates.
- The U.S. Senate is adjourned this week and returns to legislative work Oct. 16.
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
AT YOUR SERVICE. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff kicks off a statewide constituent services campaign today in Macon and Athens. The Democrat’s staff members will be available to help residents obtain services like Medicaid or Social Security or connect with federal agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Today’s events are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Macon-Bibb County Government Center and Athens City Hall.
Ossoff’s team will be in Statesboro on Thursday, Oct. 19 in Tifton, Oct. 24 in Gainesville and Oct. 26 in Tifton.
Along with the mobile office hours, Ossoff has state offices in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus and Savannah.
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Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
REED’S RETURN. Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has a new gig. He’s joining the international law firm McDermott Will & Emery as an Atlanta-based litigation partner.
Reed returned to private practice after losing a mayoral comeback bid in 2021. He previously served two terms as mayor from 2009 to 2017. The firm says Reed plans to leverage “his public policy experience for the strategic benefit of Atlanta-based corporations.”
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. Georgia is enjoying its share of beautiful fall weather, which isn’t lost on Molly Moscato, a six-year-old Pekingese mix from Atlanta.
Molly was rescued by her person, Jolt subscriber Debbie Moscato. They now live in Peachtree Hills East, where Molly often relaxes on park benches after Debbie has read The Jolt. Today’s weather looks perfect for both.
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, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
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