Country superstar Jason Aldean is facing backlash for a music video filmed at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, the site of a mob lynching of a Black teenager in 1927.
Aldean’s video projects footage from Black Lives Matter protests onto the courthouse, while he sings, “Try that in a small town.”
Now one of Georgia’s top politicians wants you to know he supports Aldean, who grew up in Macon.
“I’m proud to have grown up in a small town and to stand with my good friend Jason Aldean,” Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said in a tweet. “He’s fighting back against the liberal cancel culture—and winning!”
The video was swiftly pulled by Country Music Television this week after accusations that it promotes racism and vigilantism. Aldean defended the video, saying the lyrics don’t reference race and the backlash “goes too far.”
Aldean is an avowed Donald Trump supporter, who also endorsed Jones. The singer has drawn support from prominent Republican officials in this latest front of the culture wars. But few have the long history with Aldean that Jones does.
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Aldean performed at a fundraiser for Jones’ lieutenant governor’s campaign in February 2022 at the Warehouse in Athens.
Aldean then joked that he doesn’t often play college bars anymore. He said he made an exception for Jones because the “country is in a lot of trouble now” and that Jones could “dig us out of this mess.”
***
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
ABORTION LAW ANNIVERSARY. It’s been one year since Georgia’s six-week abortion ban went into effect.
Our colleague Maya T. Prabhu has been documenting the effect it has had in the state on patients, politics, doctors, medical students and families in Georgia, including:
- A year later: Med students say strict abortion laws are deterrent for training
- It’s unclear how much ‘unborn dependent’ tax benefit affects Georgia revenue
- Under Ga. abortion law, ultrasound techs play key role
- Few abortions performed under Georgia’s legal exceptions
- What is and isn’t allowed under Georgia’s abortion law?
- A year later: Dobbs decision paved way to limit abortion access in Georgia
***
THANKS, MTG! Democrats often voice frustration that they think President Joe Biden isn’t getting the credit he deserves for passing billions of dollars of funding for Democratic priorities like infrastructure and climate programs.
Biden’s campaign tells CNN’s Oliver Darcy all that’s over thanks to Georgia’s U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has become “an unexpected but effective spokeswoman for President Biden’s record.” From the piece:
The Biden campaign's trolling of Marjorie Taylor Greene in a campaign video has proven to be a viral hit. The campaign told me on Wednesday evening that with more than 49 million views across its social platforms, the spot is the second most engaged with video the campaign has posted since Inauguration Day.
***
R-RATED HEARING. On the other side of the Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spectrum, she made headlines Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing when she displayed posters of nude photographs of the president’s son, Hunter Biden, as a part of an IRS whistleblower hearing.
Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
“Parental discretion is advised,” she said, as the footage was aired live on C-SPAN.
The committee then spliced the footage of Greene’s remarks and posted them to Twitter.
Democrats on the committee wondered aloud why Greene would use staff to make explicit posters for display. They said Greene had reached a “new low.”
***
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
LONE STAR DATE. Georgia’s Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger will both be speakers at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin this September.
The festival is billed as “Texas’ three-day celebration of news, politics and civic engagement,” and draws politicos, journalists, and celebrities from across the country to talk shop.
Other politicians on the program include former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is also a GOP candidate for president; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
***
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
WARNOCK FOLLOW-UP. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock was credited last year with helping to pass the bill that capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month for diabetes patients on Medicare.
Now he’s telling Capitol B’s Kenya Hunter he’s following that win up with an effort to expand the $35 price cap to all Americans. Asked if he can get Republican support, here’s what he said:
Well, I had seven Republican senators vote with me the last time, which is a big deal these days in the Senate.
And this time my partner in this is Republican Sen. John Kennedy. In addition to that, we've seen several states, many of them red states, already capped the cost of insulin. Red states like Utah and Alabama and Oklahoma.
This is not a partisan issue, and there's really no reason why we can't get this done. I remain hopeful that we'll get it done sooner than later.
***
VOTER PURGE. About 191,000 people on the Georgia voter rolls are at risk of having their voter registrations canceled unless they show election officials proof they still live in Georgia.
Credit: Katelyn Myrick/AJC
Credit: Katelyn Myrick/AJC
The AJC’s Mark Niesse reports that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger plans to cancel inactive voter accounts as soon as next month.
Raffensperger said county officials will mail notices to the addresses in question. The registrations will be canceled unless voters respond within 30 days of receipt.
***
Credit: Tom Brenner/The New York Times
Credit: Tom Brenner/The New York Times
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- The U.S. House will vote on legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration for five years.
- The Senate is voting on amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider legislation creating ethics guidelines for the Supreme Court.
- President Joe Biden will tour a shipyard in Philadelphia and deliver remarks on his economic agenda.
***
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. With the Atlanta Braves making headlines and history this summer, it’s time to meet Maddux Sturniolo — named, of course, for the famous Braves’ pitcher Greg Maddux.
We’re told this Maddux is both a golden retriever and newshound. Here he’s seen on the lookout for news stories on the street, including sirens, car mishaps, and other dogs.
Maddux calls AJC subscriber Joe Sturniolo his person. Sturniolo is a retired researcher, current Atlanta high school football coach and lifelong Greg Maddux fan.
Send us your dogs of any political persuasion and cats on a cat-by-cat basis to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us on Twitter @MurphyAJC.
***
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.
About the Authors
