New Jersey Governor Wants to Steal Georgia’s Film and TV Productions

 

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy reportedly wants Hollywood to leave Georgia and set up shop in his state.

Murphy cited Georgia’s new voter integrity law, SB 202, as the reason.

This, according to various New Jersey-based media outlets.

None of Murphy’s staff members returned The Georgia Star News’ request for comment Monday. Staff for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also did not return a request for comment.

NorthJersey.com reported that Murphy, a Democrat, contacted The Walt Disney Company, Warner Brothers, and Netflix and offered up to 40 percent in subsidies. According to the website, “Murphy presented New Jersey as a progressive contrast to Georgia.

“One thing is clear: when it comes to social policies, corporate responsibility, and — not to be overlooked — economic opportunity, New Jersey is now a top contender for your business,” Murphy reportedly said in the letter.

“If you are looking to expand, relocate, or consolidate, we respectfully invite you to come experience all that the Garden State has to offer, including our shared values of protecting the constitutionally granted rights of our citizens.”

Murphy also said Georgia’s SB 202 is “an attack on people of color by a governor and legislature willing to do anything to stay in power,” Business Insider India reported.

Officials at Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and Major League Baseball have also condemned the new law. MLB officials moved this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft out of Atlanta and cited SB 202 as the reason.

As The Star News reported Sunday,  Kemp on Saturday told MLB officials and executives at Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines that he will not buckle under their pressure.

Kemp, flanked by several supporters at the Georgia State Capitol, said he will not do away with the state’s new voter integrity law. The governor also told state residents that Democrat and former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is lying about the new law and fundraising off of her lies. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA03) also spoke — and they spoke bluntly to anyone who wants to pass off SB 202 as racist.

Kemp said MLB officials put Abrams’ wishes ahead of hard-working Georgians — during a pandemic — when, as reported, they announced they will move this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft out of Atlanta.

“Georgians and all Americans should know what this decision means. It means cancel culture and partisan activists are coming for your business,” Kemp said.

“They are coming for your game or event in your hometown, and they are coming to cancel everything from sports to how you make a living. They will stop at nothing to silence all of us.”

And if MLB officials truly cared about access to the ballot box then, Kemp went on to say, they would have announced they were moving their headquarters out of New York — where he said voters have fewer days to early vote.

Kemp said that SB 202 expands access to voting, protects no-excuse absentee voting, levels the playing field on voter ID requirements, and streamlines election procedures.

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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “NJ Gov. Phil Murphy” by Gov. Phil Murphy.