The newly released details of a $4.3 billion electric vehicle project has reignited a fresh debate over the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s federal tax and climate change package that passed last year. The new plant will be part of Hyundai’s massive “Metaplant” complex in southeast Georgia
Hyundai and LG Energy Solutions announced late Thursday they would build the EV battery manufacturing facility in Bryan County as part of the largest economic development project in state history.
Gov. Brian Kemp and state economic development officials were quick to say that the plant is part of a broader $5.5 billion project that was announced in May 2022, before the Democratic-backed Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law.
Pat Wilson, the state’s top economic development official, told us from a trade mission in Israel that the new details are a result of the South Korean firms “sharpening their pencils on jobs, investment and long term projections based on actual real, on the ground numbers and more accurate market projections.”
And Kemp, who along with other Republicans opposed the Democratic package as federal overspending, called the battery plant announcement a “milestone in Georgia’s path to becoming the EV capital of the nation.”
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
But Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff sees it as an inevitable ramp-up in EV investments in Georgia spurred by the federal package, which devotes billions of dollars to promote green domestic manufacturing of vehicles, solar components, batteries and other clean energy. It passed Congress with no GOP support.
“The IRA’s manufacturing incentives continue to bring jobs and investment to Georgia,” Ossoff said. “My goal remains to make Georgia the world leader in advanced energy production.”
Don’t expect the clash over the incentives to go away, particularly as Kemp considers whether to challenge Ossoff in 2026, when the Democrat is up for reelection. Both camps know Georgia’s green energy boom is poised to be a major part of the debate.
Ossoff scheduled an 8 a.m. news conference today to discuss the deal further.
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Credit: Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times
Credit: Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times
LISTEN UP. The 2024 race for president heated up among Republicans in a big way this week with announcements from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott Monday and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. We unpack the high, the lows, and the technical difficulties in our Friday edition of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Plus, the only explanation of the debt limit you’ll ever need, and our “who’s up” and “who’s down” for the week that was.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.
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DEBT LIMIT DANCE. Speaking of the debt limit, Democrats in the U.S. House have privately lamented that Republicans are eating their lunch when it comes to shaping public perception of the negotiations to lift the debt ceiling.
President Joe Biden has limited his public remarks as his negotiations continue, while Speaker Kevin McCarthy has spoken to the media almost daily, repeatedly blaming Biden and Democrats for refusing to accept steep cuts in federal spending as part of any deal.
House Republicans passed legislation last month to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, but only with an agreement to slash federal outlays by 14% over the next decade. The bill was sent to the Democratic Senate, which has ignored it.
Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
Credit: Bob Andres/AJC
House Democrats attempted to level the messaging playing field Tuesday, with one after another delivering short floor speeches to highlight what they say would be the impact on veterans, the elderly and needy families if Republicans get their way.
Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta criticized Republican leaders for adjourning the House for a planned Memorial Day recess with a possible debt default hanging in the balance. And she used as an example two Clayton County mothers who found the lack of access to affordable child care a major barrier to securing steady work.
“I’m ready to fight for a solution on behalf of our children and I’m waiting for my Republican colleagues who are brave enough to fight alongside me for the children,” Williams said. “Putting people over politics.”
All 213 House Democrats signed a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on a “clean” debt limit increase bill, which would lift the limit without spending cuts. But they need five Republicans to sign on for the measure to move forward.
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Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
Credit: Greg Bluestein/AJC
KEMP STILL TRIPPING. Gov. Brian Kemp’s delegation to Israel traveled to Nazareth on Thursday to visit Alpha Omega, a high-tech company with a significant footprint in metro Atlanta.
Alpha Omega was founded by Imad and Reem Younis, an Arab husband-and-wife couple frustrated by being rejected by Israeli firms. In 1993, the couple used proceeds from used cars and jewelry they sold to launch a startup.
The company specializes in developing software and systems for neurosurgery, including the deep brain stimulation procedures commonly used for patients suffering from Parkinson’s and other diseases.
Its first major break came in 2000 when it sold its first system to Emory University in Atlanta. With operations in more than 50 countries, the firm is now exploring expanding its offerings in Georgia, including a potential neuro innovation center.
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WALKER STAFFER FALLOUT. The treasurer of the American Conservative Union, Bob Beauprez, has resigned from his job with a scathing letter, the Washington Post reports.
In his letter, Beauprez wrote that, “A cancer has been metastasizing within the organization for years.” He also ripped the organization’s leader, Matt Schlapp, for allegedly keeping the board of the conservative group in the dark about sexual harassment allegations against him from a former staffer to then-Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker.
From the Post:
In his letter, Beauprez said he accepted Schlapp's denial of any inappropriate conduct involving the aide, but he also argued that the board has a duty to protect the organization from potentially significant damages and has never been “fully briefed" on the lawsuit. He said the board agreed to advance $50,000 for Schlapp's attorney, Ben Chew, who previously represented actor Johnny Depp, but Beauprez said he was concerned that the fees had spiraled to more than $270,000. That amount has been raised from private donors, he said.
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Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
MAINOR CONDEMNATION. More than 25 organizations are criticizing state Rep. Mesha Mainor’s comments on Fox Business that characterized support for immigrants as a loss for Black school children.
Mainor, a Democrat who voted with Republicans to approve school vouchers earlier this year, told the Fox show “Varney & Co.” on Tuesday: “We have illegal immigrants coming in — billions of dollars are going to support them while nothing is going to the Black community.”
The organizations criticizing Mainor’s comments include GALEO, Care in Action, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Fair Fight Action, Latino Community Fund Georgia and New Georgia Project.
“The divisive nature of her comments, trying to pit one group against another by echoing the dangerous and violent white nationalist rhetoric around immigration, is not helpful,” said Jerry Gonzalez, chief executive officer for the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
“We’ve seen people in our communities get killed for that type of dangerous rhetoric,” referring to a racist mass shooting that killed 23 people at an El Paso Walmart, he said.
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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will welcome the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team to the White House to celebrate their NCAA Championship season.
- The U.S. House is out through June 5, unless a debt ceiling compromise calls them back earlier.
- The U.S. Senate returns Tuesday.
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Credit: David Barnes for the AJC
Credit: David Barnes for the AJC
EPA REBUKE. Georgia officials were among those applauding Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling weakening a landmark water pollution law.
The 5-4 ruling by the court’s conservative majority will limit the reach of the EPA’s wetlands regulations under the Clean Water Act. In this case, Sackett v. EPA, an Idaho couple filed suit after being told they could not construct a new home on their property without first receiving permits from the federal government because of their proximity to Lake Priest.
The state of Georgia filed a brief taking the Sacketts’ side. Georgia also filed a challenge to the latest iteration of the EPA rules under President Joe Biden, which is pending.
Thursday’s decision could make it easier for private landowners to develop or build on property near wetlands, which Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper called “an important victory for Georgia farmers, producers, and consumers and against unconstitutional overreach by the federal government.”
It also bodes well for pending the multistate challenge of the same federal law, which Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is helping to lead.
“Today’s ruling is a win not only for farmers and small businesses but for common sense as well,” Carr said in a statement. “We are proud to have supported this effort to protect hardworking Georgians from this federal land grab.”
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. As the three-day weekend approaches, we hope you can spend it with a friend like Joey Turner, the 1 ½ year-old Bernese mountain dog who calls former state Rep. Scot Turner his person.
Joey enjoys squeaky toys and hanging out with his “best friend.” But according to Turner, that best friend doesn’t have to be him. Among Joey’s best pals are family, visitors, or “whoever is near him at the moment — cat, dog, or some random guy at the park.”
We’re happy to make this affectionate friend to all our Dog of the Day.
Send us your animals of any political persuasion — dogs, cats, geese, etc., to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC.
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PROGRAMMING NOTE. The Jolt will be off on Monday for Memorial Day.
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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.
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