How did key Republicans react to the news that the University of Georgia football team rejected an invitation from President Joe Biden to celebrate the Bulldogs’ national championship at the White House? By spiking the football.
“I don’t blame them. Go Dawgs,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Mike Collins who represents Athens.
“Go Dawgs!” was the response from former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler.
“Dragging their feet on inviting to the White House the champions in the state Biden only won by 11,000 votes is another dumb move,” wrote conservative commentator Erick Erickson.
The team was among the champions from the 2022-2023 invited to visit the White House on June 12 for a “College Athlete Day.” But the UGA athletic association said in a statement that the date “is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year.”
The Bulldogs’ decision comes after months of uncertainty and some criticism of the White House from Georgia fans and Republican leaders who faulted the Biden administration for not acting sooner.
The White House offered several dates earlier this year, said an official briefed on the scheduling back-and-forth, but they weren’t able to reach an agreement.
Greg Trevor, a UGA spokesman, said that account wasn’t accurate. He said no formal date was provided to the university until the White House extended its offer on May 3 for a June 12 event. By then, many of the title-winning team’s players had graduated, transferred or were drafted to play in the NFL.
“There have been some members of Congress trying to get a visit set up, but the university had not been offered any date until last week,” Trevor said. “Unfortunately, by mid-June, many of our players from the championship team are already gone and our coaches will be hosting major recruiting camps.”
***
LISTEN UP. In this week’s edition of the Politically Georgia podcast, we’re looking at the gun control debate in Georgia and why the measures Democrats have called for are unlikely to happen. We also discuss the Georgia Republican Assembly and why a proposed change to GOP nominating rules could have a big impact statewide.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.
***
DA DENIED. The trial will go on for Athens-Clarke County District Attorney Deborah Gonzales, the Oconee Enterprise reports.
A local Athens businessman had filed a writ of mandamus against the Western Circuit prosecutor, alleging that Gonzalez is failing to perform even the basic functions of her job. When her attorneys filed a motion to have the case dismissed Tuesday, Superior Court Judge David Emerson denied the motion with this:
“For the purpose of ruling on the defendant’s motion to dismiss, this court has to accept that allegation as true. This court finds if the defendant has adopted such a policy, she has grossly abused her discretion.”
***
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
Credit: Jason Getz/AJC
GUN CONTROL. At a news conference set for this morning, state House Democrats plan to urge Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special legislative session to adopt firearms limits they hope will garner bipartisan support.
The proposals include a mandate for universal background checks for firearms purchases, a measure that makes it a crime to allow unsupervised children access to loaded guns, and a “red flag” bill that would let authorities temporarily take guns from people deemed by a court to be dangerous to themselves or others.
“The urgency of Georgia’s gun violence epidemic warrants an equally urgent response,” read a letter signed by more than 70 state House members. “Lives will be lost every day that Georgia’s leaders fail to take action.”
***
BUDGET BUMP. State tax collections dipped in April, but Georgia is still on pace to end the fiscal year with a surplus, the AJC’s James Salzer reported.
That’s because state economists projected a $3 billion drop in revenue from capital gains taxes, and built in some wiggle room in the budget.
Gov. Brian Kemp made other budget moves last week in a 33-page signing statement, including 134 “disregard” directions issued to state agencies that could influence how policy is shaped in Georgia.
Those statements effectively instruct agency heads to spend the money in line with current law and procedure rather than legislative direction, one senior analyst told us.
That means agency heads could ignore specific directions to increase salaries of certain employees, fund new technology projects or distribute key grants, the analyst said.
It sets up a host of questions for legislators and agency heads going forward. Said the analyst, who asked not to be named: “It is really hard to see how the ball bounces from here.”
***
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
Credit: Steve Schaefer/AJC
RED INK. A few days ago, we spotlighted one of Gov. Brian Kemp’s most consequential vetoes — striking a measure that would have provided more needs-based financial aid to Georgia college students, which Kemp said he rejected because lawmakers didn’t “fully fund these educational incentives.”
That was one of 14 measures that Kemp nixed this year. Here’s a closer look at several others:
House Bill 319 would have required lawmaker approval before state universities could raise tuition or fees by more than 3%. Kemp viewed that as a violation of the state Constitution, which gives those decisions to the Board of Regents.
House Bill 541 tried to expand Georgia’s “move over” law to apply to any stationary vehicle displaying flashing hazard lights. Kemp said it would “create additional safety and enforcement issues.”
Senate Bill 199 would have required the state to offer health savings accounts to employees on a pre-tax basis, a change Kemp said was made “without a full understanding of the fiscal impact … to the state.”
Senate Bill 303 would make it easier for senior citizens in Fulton County making less than 200% of the federal poverty level to reapply for a homestead exemption. It was vetoed because it didn’t require a new referendum for voters to approve the changes.
Senate Bill 23 sought to streamline the way agencies share information about patients, a remnant of a broader mental health overhaul that failed to pass. Kemp said the appeals process raised separation of powers concerns, and that he would issue an executive order instead.
House Bill 193 would have hiked the value of local government public works contracts subject to competitive bidding requirements from $100,000 to $250,000. Kemp’s veto noted that the state is required to competitively bid any construction or public works contracts more than $100,000 and that requirements for local contracts should not be “more lenient.”
House Bill 52 would have made a range of changes to the state’s transportation department, including new limits for what driver data can be obtained through public records requests. It was vetoed due to a late amendment that made it easier for ports projects to circumvent “alternative” contracting rules.
***
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden will travel to Valhalla, New York, to talk about the dangers of a U.S. default on its debt.
- The U.S. House will begin debate on Republicans’ immigration and border security package.
- The Senate has more confirmation votes on tap.
- The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on insulin costs with pharmaceutical company executives.
***
TRUMP TV. The planned CNN town hall with former President Donald Trump will go on at 8 p.m. tonight as planned, despite a jury finding Trump liable Tuesday for battery and defamation against journalist E. Jean Carrol.
Trump called the civil trial “very unfair.” But even before the verdict, he predicted Tuesday that tonight’s town hall “could turn into a disaster for all, including me,” but claimed in a post on his Truth Social media platform, “They made me a deal I couldn’t refuse!!!”
***
KIDS TODAY. Georgian CJ Pearson will serve as one of the national co-chairs of a new initiative in the Republican Party to appeal to young voters, who historically have been more likely to support Democrats.
Pearson will serve as one of two “Gen Z” co-chairs of the new Youth Advisory Council, working alongside two additional co-chairs representing Millennials. The new council will have a heavy focus on using social media to help recruit young people to the GOP.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to work alongside Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and the Republican National Committee on ways to effectively engage America’s next generation as we march towards victory in 2024,” Pearson said in a note on his LinkedIn page.
Pearson is no stranger to headlines. He told Fox & Friends last year that he dropped out of the University of Alabama with three semesters left because he was “being force-fed indoctrination” of “the woke agenda”
He is now a spokesman for Prager University, which is a conservative media platform, not a university.
***
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
TRUTH BOMB. One Republican who will be happy to see a focus on young voters is Ginger Howard, the national GOP committeewoman and a high-profile booster for Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign.
According to the Brunswick News, Howard told the Golden Isles Republican Women’s Club that consultants, a bad message, and too few young Republicans are to blame for the party’s 2022 woes.
“We saw the data,” she said. “We can’t spin it. They beat us badly.”
The News said Howard noted that consultants “don’t care who wins or loses — they get paid regardless of the outcome.”
She also suggested a GOP message with less “anger” and having more “influencers” to reach young voters on social media.
While Republicans fell below expectations nationally, all except Walker swept Georgia’s statewide races, with Gov. Brian Kemp and others cruising to large wins.
***
CONDOLENCES. Friends and family will gather in Rome today to remember Bill Byington, a well-known local attorney and the husband of Janet Byington, who served as district director for former U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey for more than a decade.
Along with being a Double Dawg, magistrate judge, and 40-year Rotarian, baseball-nut Byington was also a key booster to convince the Braves to locate their High-A Minor League team in Rome. To remember him, his family and friends suggest donations to his favorite charities “or grab a friend and take yourself out to a baseball game soon.”
***
Credit: Courtesy photo
Credit: Courtesy photo
DOG OF THE DAY. One of the great joys of parenthood is seeing your children grown and flown, and then getting custody of their dogs when those children are busy with life’s adventures.
Former GOP state House Majority Whip Edward Lindsey knows all about that, since he counts Dakota Lindsey, a Westie, and Belue Lindsey, a Brittany spaniel, as occasional housemates when his adult sons are otherwise engaged.
Like any grandparent, Lindsey lets these two break all the rules, including sleeping on the furniture. But that, along with walks, food and water, is what grandparents are for.
Send us your pups 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
