Georgia | The Georgia Star News

Poll Shows Widespread Support for Education Tax Credits in Georgia

November 20, 2023November 19, 2023 The Center Square

An education choice advocacy group says personal education tax credits are popular with parents nationwide, and Georgia lawmakers could soon move on education reform.

With education tax credits, an alternative to Education Savings Accounts, parents or guardians receive a credit when they choose a non-public school for their dependent’s education. According to the group yes. every kid., states can use existing tax mechanisms for these policies, and parents or guardians receive a tax refund by indicating on a tax form or an application their dependent isn’t enrolled in public school.

Senator Ossoff Touts that Georgia Will See $1.8B from Feds in Fiscal 2024 for Infrastructure

November 20, 2023 The Center Square

The feds are sending Georgia more than $1.8 billion for fiscal 2024 for a slate of infrastructure projects, a federal lawmaker said.

The money is part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Stacey Abrams’ Brother-in-Law Arrested on Human Trafficking Charges

November 19, 2023November 18, 2023 Georgia Star News Staff

The brother-in-law of former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams was arrested on human trafficking charges, Florida authorities said.

Jimmie Gardner, 57, allegedly met a 16-year-old girl in a Tampa hotel and attempted to pay her for sex, according to a Friday release by the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit. He was charged with one felony count of human trafficking for commercial sexual activity (victim less than 18), according to a court document obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Gov. Kemp Points Out MLB Dropped ‘Misguided Understanding’ of Georgia Voting Law as All-Star Game Returns to Atlanta

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023 Tom Pappert

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) posted on social media to celebrate the return of the Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game to Atlanta in 2025, noting the professional athletic organization changed its mind regarding Georgia’s 2021 voting law.

Judge Signs Protective Order Written by Defense, Not DA Fani Willis, After Video Leaks in Georgia Trump Trial

November 17, 2023November 16, 2023 Tom Pappert

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee signed a protective order on Thursday to seal sensitive evidence in District Attorney Fani Willis’ racketeering case against former President Donald Trump following the leak of proffer videos earlier this week. However, McAfee adopted the protective order submitted by former Georgia Republican Party Chairman David Shafer, one of the co-defendants in the case, instead of the more restrictive order submitted by Willis on Tuesday.

He explained that Willis first requested a protective order on September 27, but Shafer and nine other defendants informed the court they were negotiating the details of a joint protective order with prosecutors. The negotiations apparently reached an impasse by October 5, but remained ongoing as of October 16, according to McAfee’s order.

Fulton County Election Issues: Ballot Counting, Voter Rolls, Challenges, Board Seats, Lawsuits

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023 Just the News

While Fulton County, Ga., initially missed a box of early voting ballots during tabulation of last Tuesday’s election results, the county has a history of election issues since at least 2020. Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and is the most populous Georgia county, has experienced issues with ballot counting, voter rolls, and lawsuits over elections.

On Tuesday, the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections (BRE) has acknowledged “some batches” of absentee in-person ballots were missed from the Nov. 7 elections, but later found during the recount.

Fani Willis Expects Georgia Trump Trial Will Be Live on Election Day, Maybe Continue into 2025

November 16, 2023November 15, 2023 Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis revealed during an appearance at the headquarters of The Washington Post on Tuesday that she expects the trial of her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump will be ongoing on Election Day in 2024, and may continue past the inauguration in January 2025.

Willis appeared at the Global Women’s Summit on Tuesday, which was sponsored by the Post and held at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. A transcript of Willis’ appearance at the event with Post reporter Amy Gardner reveals the prosecutor was to clarify when she expects her trial of Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election will conclude.

Fani Willis Asks for Emergency Evidence Seal After Leak of Jenna Ellis Video in Georgia Trump Trial

November 15, 2023November 14, 2023 Tom Pappert

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made an emergency request for Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to seal all evidence in the racketeering case against former President Donald Trump and those who helped him contest the 2020 election. Willis made the filing on Tuesday, less than one day after the leak of an interview her office held with attorney Jenna Ellis, who accepted a plea deal in October.

Willis argued the leak of Ellis’ interview was “clearly intended to intimidate witnesses” by “subjecting them to harassment and threats prior to trial,” and noted that its release would represent a violation of the defendants’ bail.

Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones Releases Attack Ad Against ‘Missing’ Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

November 14, 2023November 14, 2023 Tom Pappert

Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R) released a new advertisement on Monday which attacks Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) over his attendance record over his tenure in his elected position. The advertisement came just days after a federal judge ordered a January trial for a lawsuit against Raffensperger and his office, which are accused of failing to implement a secure electronic voting system.

Jones revealed the video in a post on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote that he is “tired of having a Secretary of State who has shown up to work 42 days this year and his behind his staff to do his job while showboating on liberal TV shows.”

Federal Judge Orders January Trial, Cites Report Stating Georgia’s 2020 Election Was Not Secure

November 13, 2023 Tom Pappert

Ninth District Court Judge Amy Totenberg on Friday ordered a January 7 trial for a lawsuit against Georgia state officials which claims their administration of the 2020 election was not secure due to the state’s adoption of new ballot imaging devices (BMDs), which it continues to use less than one year before the 2024 election.

Totenberg ordered the January 9 trial for Curling v. Raffensperger, a lawsuit that has been ongoing since 2017, and maintains Georgia’s electronic voting equipment is not secure. Though Georgia modified its election equipment ahead of the 2020 election, a report for the plaintiffs by University of Michigan computer science professor Alex Halderman asserted that the state’s voting equipment, as it is being used, is vulnerable to hacking and manipulation.

Georgia Man Charged with Allegedly Threatening to Kill GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene

November 12, 2023November 11, 2023 Just the News

A Georgia man has been charged for allegedly making violent threats against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Sean Patrick Cirillo, 34, of Macon, is charged with using communications devices to make threats, according to the New York Post.

Seeking More Sportsmen Hunting, Georgia Tax Holiday Proposed

November 11, 2023November 10, 2023 The Center Square

Seeking more sportsmen hunting, a tax holiday for shoppers looking to buy firearms and ammunition is being proposed in Georgia.

State Sen. Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, has proposed a “Second Amendment Tax Holiday Act.” It would eliminate sales tax on firearms, ammunition and related accessories for 11 days, starting on the Friday a week before whitetail deer season begins.

Atlanta Officials Approve $40 Million Outlay for Public Safety

November 10, 2023November 9, 2023 The Center Square

The Atlanta City Council approved a plan to spend more than $40 million on public safety equipment, including new apparatus for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.

A spokesman for Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed to The Center Square that the spending plan includes $19 million for the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and $21 million for the Atlanta Police Department.

Poll Shows Trump Leads Biden in Georgia as Less Independents Back Democrat in 2024

November 9, 2023November 8, 2023 Tom Pappert

According to a poll released Wednesday, former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in Georgia. Though the polling forecasts a close race, its results show Biden is receiving lower levels of support from the coalition that backed him in 2020.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll showed Trump has the support of 45.4 percent of Georgia voters, while Biden is behind him at 43.5 percent. With a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, the poll shows the men are statistically tied in Georgia.

Georgia Education Officials Outline 2024 Legislative Priorities

November 8, 2023 The Center Square

State education leaders released their 2024 legislative priorities, a list they say would increase funding for public schools in Georgia, help attract teachers and keep students safe.

However, the state’s association of teachers is raising some concerns about the list.

61 ‘Stop Cop City’ Activists Arraigned on RICO Charges

November 7, 2023 Kaitlin Housler

Sixty one individuals were arraigned on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges on Monday as part of a racketeering case tied to an alleged criminal conspiracy related to protests of Atlanta’s new Public Safety Training Center.

Georgia Lawmakers Consider Legislating AI

November 5, 2023November 4, 2023 The Center Square

Georgia lawmakers are weighing whether the state should act to legislate or regulate artificial intelligence, following similar actions in other states and at the federal level.

“Artificial Intelligence is a pretty hot buzzword these days, and being a technology person by background, sometimes we put these big words out there, and people don’t really understand what they mean,” state Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, said during a joint meeting of the Senate Committees on Public Safety and Science and Technology.

Trump Co-Defendant Claims He Can Prove 2020 Election Fraud in Georgia at Trial Using Secretary of State Data

November 4, 2023November 3, 2023 Tom Pappert

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday the Georgia Secretary of State’s office must submit a new motion to quash a request from Harrison Floyd, who subpoenaed the government agency for information related to the 2020 election. Floyd’s attorney claims Georgia’s state agencies have information that will prove the 2020 elections in Fulton County and Georgia were fraudulent, which in turn will confirm his client’s innocence at trial.

Floyd is the former director of Black Voices for Trump, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis included him in her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump. She claims he tried to coerce a false confession from a Georgia election worker who former Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani accused of counting fraudulent ballots.

Fulton County Sheriff Admits Inmate Welfare Fund Spent on Gift Cards, Giveaways amid ‘Slush Fund’ Accusation

November 3, 2023November 2, 2023 Tom Pappert

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat admitted in a Wednesday meeting of the Fulton County Commission that his office incorrectly spent money from Fulton County Jail’s Inmate Welfare Fund on items that have nothing to do with detainees, including on turkey giveaways, gift cards, party materials, and new vehicles.

Labat confirmed the report by WSB-TV that revealed his office spent more than $1 million earmarked for Fulton County Jail inmates on seemingly frivolous items, including bounce houses, disc jockeys, jugglers, florists, gift cards, and a $500 Thanksgiving giveaway. Labat said he fired two employees and launched an internal audit over the expenditures.

Attorney for Jenna Ellis Warns Rudy Giuliani ‘Should Be’ Worried About Her Testimony

November 2, 2023November 1, 2023 Tom Pappert

The attorney who secured a plea deal with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for Jenna Ellis said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani “should be” worried about his client’s testimony at trial during an interview published Wednesday.

Ellis, who was a member of Trump’s legal team during the 2020 election contest, accepted her plea deal because it seemed as though “timing was of the essence” following the deals secured by attorneys Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Gov. Kemp Asks Georgia’s Congressional Delegation to Back Savannah Port Expansion

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023 Tom Pappert

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) asked the state’s congressional delegation to back his plans for another expansion to the Port of Savannah in letters he sent Monday.

Kemp’s letter to Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA-01) was posted to X, formerly Twitter. In the letter, Kemp revealed he is pushing for a bipartisan movement to deepen and widen the Port of Savannah for the second time, and indicated he sent matching letters to the state’s other congressional representatives.

Jeff Clark Asks Georgia Judge to Toss Case, End Fani Willis’ ‘Grotesque Abuse’ of Power

November 1, 2023 Tom Pappert

Attorneys for Jeffrey Clark are asking Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to dismiss the charges against their client in a filing on Wednesday. District Attorney Fani Willis charged Clark in her sweeping racketeering case against former President Donald Trump.

Georgia Judge Denies Sheriff’s Bid to Move Fulton County Jail Inmates to Mississippi

November 1, 2023October 31, 2023 Tom Pappert

A Fulton County Judge ruled on Monday that Sheriff Pat Labat (D) cannot transfer jail detainees from Atlanta to a private prison in Mississippi. Labat previously indicated he would move up to 1,000 inmates to facilities in south Georgia and Mississippi to ease overcrowding.

In a mixed ruling, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee determined Labat does not have the legal authority to transfer inmates to other states, but also dismissed allegations that he was violating his official duties by considering the transfer.

‘Block Cop City’ Activists Plan Three Day Protest in Atlanta

October 31, 2023October 30, 2023 Tom Pappert

Activists have announced a three-day protest against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center will occur in November in what the organizers claim is a final bid to stop its construction.

The activists claim protest will occur from November 10-14, and are organizing it because their petition calling for a public referendum on the future of a facility that will train law enforcement and firefighters remains stalled with the City of Atlanta even though the public safety training center is nearly halfway complete.

Georgia Power Needs More Fossil Fuels as Electric Vehicle Plants Generate ‘Extraordinary Economic Growth’

October 31, 2023 Tom Pappert

Georgia Power is asking the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for permission to generate more electricity from fossil fuels on Friday, citing demand for energy that is 17 times higher than they expected in 2022.

The company cited Georgia’s “extraordinary economic growth” as “one of the fastest growing states in the country” in an update to its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which explained the company will need extra funding due to the “significantly increased” energy needs of businesses “bringing electrical loads at a scale” that demands additional capacity.

Lt. Gov. Jones: Arming Georgia School Teachers will be Considered in Upcoming Legislative Session

October 30, 2023October 29, 2023 The Center Square

Options for school teachers to be armed, and school systems to allow it, will be considered by Georgia lawmakers.

Republicans proposed a state-funded certified firearms training program for teachers as part of a proposed School Safety Initiative. Lawmakers plan to introduce the proposal during next year’s legislative session, saying it builds on previous reforms educators have passed.

Court Strikes Down Georgia Legislative Maps

October 29, 2023October 28, 2023 The Center Square

A federal court has ruled that Georgia’s congressional and state legislative maps violate a section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones ruled that Georgia lawmakers must redraw the districts by Dec. 8.

Georgia DA Backed by Soros Group Sanctioned in Federal Sexual Discrimination Lawsuit

October 29, 2023October 28, 2023 Tom Pappert

Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones (D) was sanctioned by a federal judge on Thursday after she dodged a deposition in a sexual discrimination lawsuit launched by a former assistant district attorney.

During her successful 2020 campaign against Republican incumbent Meg Heap, a PAC connected to billionaire financier George Soros “invested nearly $80,000 into advertising materials” supporting Cook Jones, though Savannah Morning News reported she claimed to have no communication with the group.

Former Election Auditor Bob Cheeley Refused Plea Deal in Georgia Trump Case, Lawyer Confirms

October 28, 2023October 27, 2023 Tom Pappert

Atlanta-based attorney Bob Cheeley refused a plea deal offered by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump, his lawyer confirmed in a Thursday statement to CNN.

“To say that we are currently in discussions with the DA’s office would be an inaccurate representation of what is going on,” Cheeley’s attorney, Richard Rice, told the outlet. “They made us an offer some time ago and we declined it.”

Georgia Election Case Goes to Trial over Mass Voter Challenge as Cases Mount

October 28, 2023 Just the News

The trial over a 2020 Georgia election case has begun, including mass challenges of voter eligibility and allegations of voter intimidation. Similar legal challenges continue in the state.

On Thursday, the trial of Fair Fight v. True the Vote began, with the plaintiff arguing that the defendants’ challenging the eligibility of more than 364,000 voters in the 2020 presidential election amounts to “voter intimidation.”

D.C. Bar Refuses to Allow Former Trump DOJ Attorney to Postpone Disbarment Proceedings

October 27, 2023October 28, 2023 Rachel Alexander

Jeffrey Clark, an attorney who served at high levels of the Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump, is being stonewalled in his request to delay a disbarment trial while criminal proceedings in Georgia go forward.

Georgia Law Means Fani Willis’ Plea Deal Recipient ‘Completely Exonerated’ After Probation

October 27, 2023October 26, 2023 Tom Pappert

A Georgia law means defendants who reached plea deals with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in the Georgia election case against former President Donald Trump will likely be “completely exonerated” after the terms of their sentencing are complete.

Georgia’s First Offender Act allows some guilty defendants, who were not previously convicted of a felony, to have the criminal charge against them removed from their criminal record after serving the terms of the sentence issued against them. At least two of the lawyers who entered into a plea agreement with Willis appear likely to receive first-offender status.

Fulton County Judge Schedules First Hearing for Georgia Trump Trial

October 27, 2023October 26, 2023 Tom Pappert

A Fulton County Judge set the first hearing date for the Georgia election trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday. The former president’s counsel, Steve Sadow, will make his first appearance representing Trump at a Fulton County court on December 1.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee will hear arguments from Trump’s attorney and District Attorney Fani Willis on eight motions, each written submitted by another defendant and adopted by Trump.

Coca Cola, Operator of $20 Million Bottling Plant in Gaza, Silent on Israel Attacks Despite History of Support for Social Justice

October 26, 2023 Admin

The Coca-Cola Company, headquartered in Atlanta, has been no stranger in recent years to taking up the mantle of social justice causes, as the company has issued a multitude of statements and has donated millions to social causes.

Atlanta Firefighters Union Warns City Has Worst Department Fleet in America with 17 Vehicles Down

October 26, 2023October 26, 2023 Tom Pappert

The Atlanta Professional Firefighters addressed city leaders in a strongly worded letter on Tuesday, warning the city’s fleet of emergency response vehicles is in dire condition. Its letter came after Atlanta Fire and Rescue informed the city of its decision to formally close three fire stations due to vehicle and staffing issues.

In a letter obtained by Atlanta First News, firefighters claimed that many of Atlanta’s fire stations lack an actual fire engine with water capable of extinguishing a fire. They stated that this implies the actual number of non-operational fire stations is higher than the three identified by the city on Monday.

VoterGA’s Garland Favorito Warns ‘Blatant Lies’ in Federal Trump Case Will ‘Influence, Manipulate’ 2024 Election Results

October 26, 2023October 25, 2023 Tom Pappert

Garland Favorito of the Georgia election integrity group VoterGA warned in a press conference on Tuesday that special prosecutor Jack Smith’s case against former President Donald Trump is an attempt to smear Republicans with “blatant lies” before voters head to the polls in 2024.

Favorito highlighted Smith’s claims that Trump “spread lies that there had been outcome determinative fraud in the election,” ordered a false set of Electoral College certifications that purported to be from legitimate electors, and urged former Vice President Mike Pence to fraudulently alter the Electoral College votes on January 6 as easily disprovable lies designed to taint Republicans in to potential voters, then offered counterarguments to Smith’s accusations.

In Disbarment Trial of Trump’s Former Attorney John Eastman, He Reveals How He Believes Votes Were Switched in Georgia’s 2020 Election

October 26, 2023 Rachel Alexander

The disbarment trial of Donald Trump’s former attorney and constitutional legal scholar, John Eastman, finished a partial ninth week on Tuesday, as the renowned former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas explained how he thought fraud occurred in the 2020 election. The State Bar of California is attempting to disbar him over advice he gave Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence regarding accepting electoral slates from states suspected of election fraud.

Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Six-Week Abortion Ban

October 25, 2023October 24, 2023 Georgia Star News Staff

The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state’s six-week abortion ban should remain in place, refuting a lower court’s argument that the law was unconstitutional, according to court documents.

A group of pro-abortion organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, filed a lawsuit in July 2022 and a trial court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, saying that the 2019 law was signed prior to the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center and was, ultimately, unconstitutional, according to NPR. The state’s Supreme Court, however, dismissed the lower court’s decision and said that the previous ruling “rests on a faulty premise” that the Dobbs decision changed the meaning of the Constitution, itself, according to WABE, a local media outlet.

Former Trump Lawyer Jenna Ellis Accepts Plea Deal in Georgia Election Case

October 24, 2023 Tom Pappert

Jenna Ellis became the fourth defendant indicted in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump to accept a plea deal on Tuesday.

Former Trump DOJ Attorney Urges D.C. Bar to Delay His Disbarment Trial Pending Georgia RICO Prosecution with Trump

October 24, 2023October 24, 2023 Rachel Alexander

Jeffrey Clark, an attorney who served at high levels of the Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump, including briefly as acting attorney general, has been indicted by Fulton County District Attorney Fanni Willis along with Trump in the racketeering case over the 2020 election challenges, and charged with dishonesty and attempting to interfere with the administration of justice by the District of Columbia Bar.

Georgia Politician Loses Title in Official Sanction After She Allegedly Fabricated Date Rape Drug Story

October 24, 2023 Tom Pappert

A member of the Clayton County Commission was stripped of her title on Monday as part of an official sanction after her claims of being slipped the date rape drug at a Morrow bar were contradicted by a police investigation and video that appeared to show her consume at least five alcoholic drinks before losing consciousness.

The Clayton County Commission unanimously voted to sanction Commissioner Felicia Franklin and strip her from the vice chairman position, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Franklin did not attend the meeting or participate in the vote.

Atlanta Public Safety Training Center Nearly Halfway Complete, Mayor Claims

October 23, 2023 Tom Pappert

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said on Thursday that the city’s new Public Safety Training Center is about 40 percent complete, and he expects construction on the site’s buildings will begin in January.

Dickens told the Buckhead Young Republicans that the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center is nearly halfway complete, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The training center is located in Buckhead, the uptown commercial and residential district of Atlanta that has sought to become its own city, and the outlet noted that 61 percent of residents supported its construction in a March poll.

Attorney Ben Crump Claims Leonard Cure Was ‘Triggered’ by Georgia Deputy Before Fatal Shooting

October 22, 2023October 21, 2023 Tom Pappert

The attorney representing the family of Leonard Cure, who a Georgia deputy fatally shot during a traffic stop, claimed on Friday that Cure was “triggered” by law enforcement before the struggle that preceded his death on October 16.

Cure was fatally shot by a Camden County Sheriff’s deputy last week when he refused to cooperate with the deputy after being pulled over for allegedly driving more than 100 miles per hour. Video released by the Camden County Sheriff’s office reveals that, after being tased, a struggle ensued between the deputy and Cure. It continued despite the deputy deploying his baton and striking Cure, and only ended when the deputy removed his pistol and appeared to fire once into Cure’s abdomen.

In His Disbarment Trial, Trump’s Attorney John Eastman Discusses Alarming Findings of Wrongdoing from Official Reports About the 2020 Election

October 22, 2023 Rachel Alexander

The eighth week of the disbarment trial of Donald Trump’s attorney and constitutional legal scholar John Eastman wrapped up on Friday, featuring more testimony by Eastman as well as three of his character witnesses. Eastman discussed the evidence he relied upon when he gave Trump advice regarding what to do about the possibility there was cheating in the 2020 election, including official reports from the Georgia General Assembly, the Georgia State Election Board, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office.

Eastman’s attorney Randy Miller asked him about a Nov. 13, 2020 report that the Georgia State Election Board had Seven Hills Strategies prepare about problems in the 2020 election, which Eastman said he’d relied on. It discussed chain of custody issues surrounding ballots and the integrity of their transportation, lack of transparency, lack of access for Republican Party monitors, and incompetency by election officials. California Disciplinary Judge Yvette Roland, who contributed to Democrats while serving on the bench, refused to let him discuss it.

Ken Chesebro Becomes Third Defendant to Accept Plea Deal in Georgia Election Case

October 21, 2023October 20, 2023 Tom Pappert

Attorney Kenneth Chesebro entered a plea agreement with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on Friday. Chesebro is the third defendant to accept a plea deal, following attorney Sidney Powell and bail bondsman Scott Hall.

Chesebro pleaded to just one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported that Willis dropped the other six felony counts against him in exchange for a guilty plea and the promise to truthfully testify in upcoming trials.

Sidney Powell’s Georgia Plea Deal Will Help President Trump, His Lawyer Claims

October 20, 2023October 19, 2023 Tom Pappert

Former President Donald Trump will benefit from the plea deal Sidney Powell accepted from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, according to Georgia lawyer Steve Sadow, who said Powell’s requirement to truthfully testify in upcoming trials related to the 2020 election in Georgia will help Trump.

Sadow said in a statement to The Messenger that Powell’s testimony, which is required as part of her plea deal, “will be favorable” to his defense strategy, “[a]ssuming truthful testimony in the Fulton County case.”

Video Shows Wrongfully Convicted Man Struggled with Deputy Before Fatal Shooting, Family Blames ‘Psychological Trauma’

October 19, 2023 Tom Pappert

The family of Leonard Cure, a man fatally shot by Georgia law enforcement, seemed to blame mental illness after Camden County Sheriff Jim Proctor released videos showing the moments that preceded the fatal police shooting on October 16. Cure was once wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for over 16 years before he was released in 2020.

Georgia Politician Refuses Calls to Resign After Video, Police Contradict Her Date Rape Drug Story

October 19, 2023October 19, 2023 Tom Pappert

The Clayton County Commissioner who claimed she was slipped the date rape drug while at a live music event refused calls for her to resign on Tuesday, even after local police, a urinalysis test, and video recorded by the venue all seemed to contradict her story.

Clayton County Commissioner Felicia Franklin, who is running to become the board’s chairman, said during a commission meeting on Tuesday that she would only “resign as the District 3 commissioner” when she is “elected as Chairwoman of the Board of Commission,” according to WSB-TV.

Mark Meadows’ Effort to Remove Georgia Election Case from Fulton County Granted 11th Circuit Court Date

October 19, 2023October 18, 2023 Tom Pappert

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered oral arguments on Monday for White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows’ bid to remove the racketeering case against him from Fulton County to a federal court. On Tuesday, the court requested additional arguments from District Attorney Fani Willis and Meadows’ lawyers, to be submitted early next month.

Meadows argues that he should not be tried in Fulton County because he a federal official working for former President Donald Trump at the time Willis alleges he engaged in criminal activities. A lower court agreed with Willis, who argued that Meadows’ efforts to contest the 2020 election results in Georgia went outside his job duties as Trump’s Chief of Staff.

Group Disputes Truck Driver Shortage Claim in Georgia

October 18, 2023October 17, 2023 The Center Square

While Georgia state lawmakers are looking for solutions to what they say is a commercial truck driver shortage, an industry trade group says the concern is with turnover, not shortages.

The head of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association tells The Center Square that “the biggest problem that occurs in trucking is driver turnover,” saying 400,000 new commercial driver’s licenses are issued annually.