A haunting pattern is emerging in Georgia with Donald Trump-fueled misinformation.
Back in 2020, Trump and his allies pressed Georgia lawmakers to overturn the state’s election. He then vilified Gov. Brian Kemp and legislative leaders when they refused to break state laws to invalidate the result of Georgia votes.
Now, Trump and his allies are pressing Georgia lawmakers again to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis after she brought indictments against him — and vilifying Republican leaders for refusing to try.
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
This time, pro-Trump hardliners are rallying around a non-starter from freshman state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, who is trying to convene a special legislative session to oust Willis from office, even as top Republicans say it’s legally and politically impossible.
Not only do Republicans not have the three-fifths majority to vote for a special session, House Speaker Jon Burns said Wednesday the idea is likely unconstitutional. And he warned that the bellicose language from Moore and his allies could turn dangerous.
“Targeting one specific DA in this manner certainly flaunts the idea of separation of powers, if not outright violates it,” Burns wrote in a letter to Republican House members.
The Speaker also said the idea of defunding the DA’s office would have the dangerous consequence of also stopping Willis’ prosecutions of serious violent crimes in Fulton County like murder, rape and robbery.
Burns is in good company calling out Moore’s “misleading and false claims.” Other opponents of Moore’s idea include Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch and dozens of rank-and-file members.
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Gov. Brian Kemp has also rejected the idea, just as he’s dismissed the notion of overhauling the Constitution to make it easier to pardon Trump. Like a special session, impeachment would also require a three-fifths vote of the Legislature, which would require significant Democratic support that won’t come.
Instead, Republican leaders have focused on other ways to punish Willis that have Democrats on guard. They plan to encourage complaints against Willis under a new commission empowered to sanction wayward prosecutors. And they expect to hold hearings to probe her use of public funds.
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to fan the flames. He posted a video praising Moore as a patriotic hero, and his loyalists have harassed Georgia Republicans at Moore’s urging. Among them is state Sen. Shelly Echols, a Republican from Alto who said she’s learned a valuable lesson that hearkens back to 2020.
“I think I’ve figured it out,” said Echols. “People just make up things and post online to create outrage while they sit back and laugh.”
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Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
VINE CITY? Speaking of spurious claims, the Trump campaign posted a video to social media Wednesday of former President Donald Trump thanking the people of deeply-Democratic Atlanta for “showering us with support.” Then he highlighted three majority-Black neighborhoods: Washington Park, Vine City and Bankhead.
Recall that Trump has repeatedly called the city “horrible” and “crime infested.” And our AJC colleague Isaac Sabetai crunched the numbers and found that President Joe Biden won the precincts around those neighborhoods with roughly 90% of the vote in 2020.
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HOUSE BID. Harrison Floyd, the only defendant who spent time behind bars after being indicted along with former President Donald Trump and his allies in Fulton County, floated a possible U.S. House bid after he was released from jail Wednesday.
Floyd was released after his attorney negotiated a $100,000 bond with District Attorney Fani Willis’ office. He promptly told reporters he’s “exploring running for a congressional seat in Georgia” — though he didn’t detail which one.
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Floyd is charged with harassing Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County elections staffer falsely accused by Trump of election fraud.
He briefly ran for the Gwinnett-based 7th Congressional District in 2019 before abruptly dropping out and encouraging state Rep. Todd Jones to join the race. Jones ignored his entreaties and Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux ultimately captured the seat.
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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
CLYDE’S CONFLICT. U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, who owns gun stores in Athens and Warner Robins, has made championing rights for gun owners a main focus of his time in office. He has also repeatedly called for the federal government to relax restrictions on gun ownership and possession and introduced legislation to reverse federal rules that he believes are too restrictive.
On Wednesday, one government watchdog group accused Clyde of crossing a line. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said the Athens Republican may have violated ethics rules that prohibit members from backing legislation that could benefit them financially.
One example is Clyde’s bill intended to reverse new federal restrictions on pistol braces, which Clyde Armory sells.
The New York Times also recently reported that Clyde spoke out in an April hearing criticizing a federal program that monitors gun dealers found selling large numbers of weapons later used in crimes. Clyde did not disclose at that hearing the Clyde Armory had been placed in the program for two years.
CREW has filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics requesting an investigation of Clyde’s actions since he took office in January 2021. Clyde’s office did not provide any response to the complaint.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
DEFAMATION CASE. A federal judge has ruled in favor of former Fulton County elections workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in their defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani.
In December of 2020, Giuliani played a video during a legislative hearing that showed Freeman and Moss passing candy to each other as they worked at State Farm Arena on Election Night. Giuliani falsely claimed the candy was a USB port meant to alter votes.
The AJC’s David Wickert writes that U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a default judgment against the former New York City mayor in the case on Wednesday. All that remains after the decision, which the Washington Post called “blistering,” is for a jury to decide whether Giuliani should pay damages to the two women.
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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden has no public events scheduled.
- The U.S. Senate is scheduled to return from recess on Tuesday.
- Members of the House aren’t back until Sept. 12.
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Credit: TNS
Credit: TNS
NASA DEPUTY. Pam Melroy, the deputy administrator of NASA, is in Atlanta today where she will participate in two public events.
First, she will join Congresswoman Nikema Williams and several Spelman College administrators and faculty members for an event focused on increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
She will then head to Georgia Tech where she will tour the school’s space research and technology programs with U.S. Reps. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, and Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee.
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Credit: City of Valdosta
Credit: City of Valdosta
JUST PASSING THROUGH. Hurricane Idalia swept through south Georgia on Wednesday, dumping rain and dropping trees and debris across a broad swath of the region. The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands.
Idalia’s damage was limited, though, as it weakened from a hurricane packing 100-plus mph winds to a tropical storm with winds below 75 mph. Idalia also largely missed the larger population centers of the region, such as Savannah, Macon and Augusta.
Intrepid Jolt contributor Adam Van Brimmer, who is based in Savannah, was part of the AJC’s crack hurricane coverage team providing live updates from the coast and a recap of Idalia’s march past the sea.
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Credit: Savannah Morning News
Credit: Savannah Morning News
MORE AT METAPLANT? Look for additional investment, including more jobs, at the Hyundai site near Savannah to be announced today.
The joint development authority coordinating the massive project on I-16 in Ellabell has an announcement planned for this afternoon, despite the weather. We’ll keep you posted on what they say.
The Hyundai Metaplant is scheduled to begin operations on its 3,000 acre campus in early 2025. Hyundai has committed to employ 8,100 workers on the site between the EV plant and the battery factory so far.
Bringing the plant to Georgia has been a bragging point for both Gov. Brian Kemp and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who both point to policies from their administrations that make manufacturing at the Savannah-area site a win for Hyundai.
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GOD’S COUNTRY. Despite the steady stream of new job announcements from the governor’s office, friend-of-the-Jolt Charlie Hayslett has a new post up at Trouble in God’s Country detailing the dire financial straits that Georgia’s most rural counties are still stuck in.
From per capita income to poverty rates and negative growth, the gap between Atlanta and Not-lanta counties is real.
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Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. If you need a little Joy in your life today, have we got the dog for you.
Meet Joy Trout, the beloved rescue pup of Tammy Trout and Paul Kaib. A reliable source tells us “Joy” was an easy name to land on for this sweet dog, who brings joy to her people every day.
Joy gets a special prize for each birthday, including this “barkuterie” board for her 14th. And we’re wishing her many more.
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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