Brad Raffensperger | The Georgia Star News

Georgia’s Raffensperger: ‘Nationwide There Should Be a Law That Bans Ballot Harvesting’

January 11, 2022January 10, 2022 Georgia Star News Staff

Sign that says "protect election integrity"

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says he supports a national law that bans ballot harvesting, the third-party gathering and delivering of absentee ballots for voters.

“One thing that I do think we need is to make sure that nationwide there should be a law that bans ballot harvesting,” the Republican politician said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I don’t think that ballot harvesting is good. The only person that should touch your ballot is you and the election official. So I think that’s one solid election reform measure.”

Ballot harvesting is legal in some states but not in Georgia.

John Solomon: Whistleblower Admits He Was Paid $45k to Illegally Ballot Harvest in Georgia 2020 Presidential Election and 2021 Senate Runoffs

January 5, 2022January 5, 2022 Georgia Star News Staff

Just the News founder and Editor in Chief John Solomon appeared on The John Fredericks Show Wednesday morning to discuss his breaking story involving a massive ballot harvesting ring in Georgia exposed by the election integrity group True the Vote.

In all, the number of illegally cast ballots could number as high as 1,000,000, at a cost, one whistleblower says, of $10 per ballot.

DeKalb County GOP Chair Blasts Brad Raffensperger for Claiming Credit for Georgia’s High Ranking Election Security Scorecard

December 25, 2021December 24, 2021 Chris Butler

The Washington, D.C.-based Heritage Foundation this month ranked Georgia first on its election integrity scorecard, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger took credit. DeKalb County Republican Party Chair Marci McCarthy said this week, however, that Raffensperger was out of line to make such a statement. McCarthy wrote on the DeKalb County GOP’s website that Raffensperger “unilaterally weakened Voter ID protections and controls” and “did not strengthen them.”

Brad Raffensperger Appears on The John Fredericks Radio Show to Defend the 2020 Election and Pitch His 2022 Reelection Campaign to Voters

December 8, 2021December 7, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger appeared on Tuesday’s edition of The John Fredericks Show and told voters why he believed the state’s 2020 presidential election was legitimate and why he thinks he’s worthy of reelection. During his appearance, the secretary of state even pitched his candidacy to voters who supported former President Donald Trump. This, even though Trump and his supporters have long questioned Raffensperger’s competency.

Georgia’s Raffensperger Files Lawsuit Against Justice Department over Request for Documents

December 2, 2021December 1, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R-GA) filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) for information about the department’s lawsuit against Georgia’s election integrity law.

Raffensperger’s lawsuit seeks to enforce a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request sent by the secretary months prior to find the motivations behind the DOJ’s initial case.

Georgia Secretary of State Candidate Jody Hice Releases New TV Ad Featuring Donald Trump

November 28, 2021November 27, 2021 Chris Butler

U.S. Representative Jody Hice (R-GA-10) has released a new television ad — featuring former President Donald Trump — in his campaign to replace Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. In the ad, Trump endorsed Hice. Trump said Hice will “fight for free, fair, and secure elections in Georgia.” The former president also called Raffensperger one of the worst secretaries of state in America.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s New Book, ‘Integrity Counts,’ Scheduled for Release Next Week

October 29, 2021October 28, 2021 Chris Butler

Forefront Books is scheduled, on Tuesday, to release Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s new book, which villainizes former U.S. President Donald Trump and defends the state’s November 2020 election results as authentic. Raffensperger has titled his book “Integrity Counts.”

‘Conspiracy Theories:’ Georgia Elections Chief Levels Withering Attack on Voter Activist Abrams

October 22, 2021October 21, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia’s top election official on Thursday leveled a blistering attack on his longtime nemesis, arguing liberal voter activist Stacey Abrams has no business interjecting bogus “stolen election” claims into Virginia’s closely contested gubernatorial race to try to help Democrats win.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s Claim About No Counterfeit Election Ballots is Not Credible, Garland Favorito Says

October 14, 2021October 13, 2021 Chris Butler

Henry County Superior Court Chief Judge Brian Amero has reportedly done away with a lawsuit that alleged election fraud in Fulton County, Georgia during last year’s presidential election. Members of the nonprofit VoterGA wanted to inspect Fulton County’s mail-in ballots. This, after four senior poll managers signed sworn affidavits indicating they handled counterfeit ballots during the Fulton County hand count audit.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Wants Feds to Investigate New Allegations Against Fulton County

October 12, 2021October 12, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Monday called upon members of the U.S. Justice Department to investigate Fulton County elections. This, following recent allegations that Fulton County shredded 300 municipal election-related applications in violation of state law. The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has already launched an investigation into the allegations, according to a press release.

11 Months After 2020 Election Georgia Secretary of State Missing Chain of Custody Documents for 6,995 Absentee Ballots Deposited in Fulton County Drop Boxes

October 4, 2021October 3, 2021 Laura Baigert

A review of transfer forms provided to The Georgia Star News in response to an open records request reveals that the Secretary of State’s office in Georgia is missing chain of custody documents for 6,995 absentee ballots deposited in drop boxes in Fulton County during the November 2020 election.

The number of absentee ballots for which the office has no evidence of the origination of the ballots represents 9 percent of the 79,460 total that Fulton County has recorded as being deposited into drop boxes during the more than month-long early voting and election day period.

Georgia Opens Probe into Drop Box Ballots, Chain of Custody in DeKalb County

September 28, 2021September 27, 2021 Admin

The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has opened an investigation into the handling of drop box ballots last November in one of the state’s Democratic strongholds following a media report that there were problems with chain of custody documentation in DeKalb County.

The probe, confirmed in a statement to Just the News, comes at a tumultuous time for DeKalb County, whose elections director was placed on an extended leave of absence two weeks ago. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office said the probe is ongoing and the county is cooperating.

Stacey Abrams Tried to Get Georgia Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger Disinvited from California Event

September 27, 2021September 26, 2021 Chris Butler

Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight reportedly asked the chancellor of the University of California, Irvine to disinvite Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger from an event at the school late last week. But university officials did not comply with Abrams’ wishes. Organizers titled the event “Election Subversion.”

Georgia’s Largest County Considers Stacey Abrams Lobbyist for Top Election Job, Angering State

September 20, 2021September 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia’s largest county is prepared to name a paid lobbyist for liberal voting law activist Stacey Abrams’ group to be the next chairwoman of its election board, drawing immediate condemnation from the state’s top election official.

Fulton County’s Board of Commissioners confirmed Tuesday it is considering hiring Cathy Woolard, a former Atlanta city council president and mayoral candidate, as the next chair of the county’s election board. A vote is expected as early as Wednesday, according to the commission’s meeting docket.

Former President Trump Sends Letter to Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger Asking to Investigate Report of DeKalb County Chain of Custody Violations; ‘If True Start the Process of Decertifying’

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021 Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump sent a letter on Friday to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, asking the top election official to investigate potential threats to the state’s election integrity.

In the letter to Raffensperger, Trump cited a report from The Georgia Star News, which detailed that 43,000 absentee ballot votes counted in DeKalb County, Georgia 2020 election potentially violated chain of custody rule.

Georgia Elections Chief Expects to Be Subpoenaed by January 6 Commission, Vows Not to Comply

September 17, 2021September 16, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger expects to be subpoenaed as early as Friday by the congressional commission investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and is vowing not to comply.

“I’m focused on secure and accessible elections — not re-litigating the past, whether January 6th, the 2018 election, or the 2020 election,” Raffensperger said in a statement provided to Just the News on Thursday evening.

Special Election Set for Georgia’s House District 165

September 11, 2021September 10, 2021 Chris Butler

This week Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the date of a special election to fill a vacancy due to the death of State Representative Edward Mickey Stephens (D-Savannah). Stephens represented Georgia House District 165.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Wants U.S. Justice Department to Release Contacts with Stacey Abrams and Other Left-Wing Activists

September 2, 2021September 1, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced Wednesday he has filed a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) with the U.S. Department of Justice to release any records of contact with Stacey Abrams. Raffensperger said in a press release that he also wants records of contact with Abrams’ Fair Fight Action and 60 other liberal activist organizations.

Analysis of DeKalb County 2020 Election Absentee Ballot Transfer Forms Identifies Several Problems

August 30, 2021August 29, 2021 Laura Baigert

An analysis by The Georgia Star News of DeKalb County’s absentee ballot drop box transfer forms from the November 2020 election identified a number of problems that puts the documents out of compliance with the Georgia Board of Election Emergency Rule 183-1-14-1.8-.14.

The Star News reviewed 725 absentee ballot drop box transfer forms, obtained from the DeKalb County law department in response to an open records request, that were used by DeKalb County during the November 2020 election to document the chain of custody of the 61,731 absentee ballots deposited in drop boxes .

Brad Raffensperger Wants Georgia Constitution to Make Plain That Only American Citizens Can Vote

August 12, 2021August 11, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger wants members of the Georgia General Assembly to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to clarify that the state constitution permits only American citizens to vote. Raffensperger, at a press conference Wednesday, said seeing this through was one of his top priorities when he ran for his seat in 2018.

Brad Raffensperger Says He Will ‘Clean Voter Rolls and Improve Election Integrity’ in Georgia

August 6, 2021August 5, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger said Thursday he’s taking another step to update voter lists to safeguard election integrity. Georgia election officials will this week send nearly 200,000 notifications to voter files that have registered no contact with Georgia’s election system for at least five calendar years.

Raffensperger’s Office Seeks Over $100,000 to Complete Open Records Request Submitted by Georgia Secretary of State Candidate David Belle Isle

July 31, 2021July 30, 2021 Cooper Moran

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office will charge David Belle Isle, who is challenging Raffensperger in the GOP primary for the top elections post, more than $100,000 to complete an open records request.

Further, Raffensperger’s office claimed producing the documents would take approximately 230 business days to complete — a timeline that conveniently places the results after the GOP primary election for secretary of state.

Georgia Department of Community Health Says COVID-19 Justified No-Bid Contract

July 29, 2021July 28, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia officials rewarded an Alpharetta-based medical company with a generous no-bid contract and cited a provision in state law that allowed them to do so during emergencies — in this case, COVID-19. Jackson Healthcare provides medical staff to several of Georgia’s hospitals and nursing homes through its subsidiary Healthcare Workforce Logistics (HWL). Company CEO Rick Jackson donated generously to Georgia’s top politicians, including Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Jackson’s company subsequently received a $434 million no-bid contract. Company officials said politics “had absolutely nothing to do with it.”

Corporate Donor to Brian Kemp, Geoff Duncan, and Brad Raffensperger Got Exclusive No-Bid Contract for COVID-19 Services

July 27, 2021July 26, 2021 Chris Butler

Outside shot of Jackson Healthcare in Alpharetta, GA.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger accepted generous campaign donations from a medical company that got a $434 million no-bid contract with the state to help fight COVID-19. This, according to a new article in The Georgia Health News.

Georgia County GOP Clashes with Raffensperger After Office Brushes Off Voter Fraud

July 24, 2021July 24, 2021 Peter D'Abrosca

Just days after Secretary of State’s office chief operation officer Gabriel Sterling brushed off concrete proof of illegal voting in the 2020 election, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) was met with protests in Bibb County.

GOP protestors in Bibb County held up signs and demanded a full forensic audit of the vote tallies in the Peach State as Raffensperger spoke to the Bibb County GOP, according to WMAZ.

Speaker of Georgia House Demands Investigation into Fulton County Election Irregularities

July 20, 2021July 19, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Speaker David Ralston presides over the Georgia House chamber

Georgia’s Speaker of the House David Ralston is demanding an investigation to “determine if any irregularities or willful fraud occurred” in the state’s largest metropolis last November, saying recent revelations about problems with vote counting in Fulton County merit an independent probe.

Ralston sent a letter late last week to Fulton County election officials requesting that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation be allowed to conduct the investigation.

The request comes after Just the News reported last month that an independent observer for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger noted two dozen pages of irregularities in the Atlanta vote counting center last Nov. 3, including double scanning of ballots, insecure transportation of ballots and possible voter privacy violations.

Georgia U.S. House of Representatives Candidate Matt Richards Says His Neighbors Worry Most About Labor

July 13, 2021July 12, 2021 Chris Butler

Matt Richards, running to replace current U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA-10) in the U.S. House of Representatives, said Monday that people in his district worry most right now about a labor shortage. “I hear it every day from business owners,” Richards told The Georgia Star News this week.

Federal Judge Denies Injunction Request to Stop Georgia’s Voter Integrity Law

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 Chris Butler

A U.S. District Judge on Wednesday denied one group’s request that he issue a preliminary injunction against certain sections of Georgia’s new voter integrity law, Senate Bill 202. The Coalition for Good Governance requested the injunction for the July 13 runoff election for Georgia State House District 34.

Georgia Secretary of State Raffensperger Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Voting Laws

July 2, 2021July 1, 2021 Cooper Moran

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger released a statement on Thursday praising the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold two key voting laws in the state of Arizona.

The two provisions would prevent the use of third-party ballot harvesting and require election officials to throw out any ballots that were cast in the wrong precinct.

Georgia Public Broadcasting Reveals Secretary of State Raffensperger Delivered Some Fulton County Absentee Ballot Chain of Custody Documents to Them in April

July 1, 2021June 30, 2021 Laura Baigert

An interview between The Georgia Star News and Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) News revealed that they had received Fulton County’s drop box absentee ballot transfer forms from the Secretary of State’s office in April. GPB News, however, did not report on their findings until after The Star News report in June.

Stephen Fowler of Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) News requested an interview with John Fredericks, which also included Laura Baigert, of The Georgia Star News, as part of his fact-check for a story and to get comments from everyone involved.

Georgia Secretary of State Says He Wants Fulton County Elections Taken Over by State

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told Just the News on Wednesday that he wants Fulton County elections taken over by the state under a new law that addresses localities with habitual problems counting ballots, dramatically escalating his battle with the state’s largest urban center in the aftermath of the 2020 election.

“I think people are saying, enough is enough,” Raffensperger said in a podcast interview in which he discussed using the new election integrity law known as Senate Bill 202 to have the State Elections Board take over the Atlanta-area election counting in time for the 2022 elections.

Vernon Jones Asks Why Joe Biden’s DOJ Isn’t Suing Other States for Their Voting Laws

June 28, 2021June 27, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Vernon Jones said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland is suing Georgia unfairly for its new voting law when officials in other states impose the same standards upon their voters. U.S. Justice Department officials announced last week they will sue the Peach State over its new voting law Senate Bill 202.

Brad Raffensperger Says Rudy Giuliani’s ‘Untrue Statements’ About Georgia Got Former Mayor Punished

June 26, 2021June 26, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger this week said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told “untrue statements about Georgia’s election” and suggested New York state officials were correct to suspend Giuliani’s ability to practice law. Raffensperger said this in an emailed press release.

Georgia SOS Brad Raffensperger Issues Challenge to Stacey Abrams and Joe Biden After DOJ Lawsuit Announced

June 26, 2021June 25, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger reacted harshly Friday to news that U.S. Justice Department officials, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, will sue the Peach State over its new voting law Senate Bill 202. “The Biden Administration continues to do the bidding of Stacey Abrams and spreads more lies about Georgia’s election law,” Raffensperger said on Facebook Friday.

Georgia Voters’ Rights on the Docket as Judge Grapples with Fulton County Election Controversy: No Decision Yet

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 Chris Butler

McDONOUGH, GEORGIA — The lawsuit alleging voting shenanigans in Fulton County during last year’s presidential election continued Monday as Chief Judge Brian Amero heard opposing attorneys spar over voters’ rights and who to hold accountable for violating those rights. Amero presides over the case out of Henry County.

Investigation into Fulton County Absentee Ballot Forms Started Before Raffensperger Announcement

June 19, 2021June 18, 2021 Cooper Moran

The investigation started by the Georgia Secretary of State — into the missing ballot drop box forms in Fulton County — was initiated a week before the public announcement was made.

However, the announcement of the timeline of the investigation is inconsistent with other statements made by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Bombshell Investigative Piece About Fulton County Documents ‘Massive Election Integrity Problems’ Last November

June 19, 2021June 18, 2021 Chris Butler

Fulton County, Georgia had more election integrity problems during last year’s U.S. presidential elections than were previously known, according to a new investigative report that Just the News published late Thursday night. Reporters John Solomon and Daniel Payne cited a 29-page memo they obtained that documented double counting of votes, insecure storage, threats, and massive chain of custody irregularities.

Georgia Secretary of State Candidate David Belle Isle Files Open Record Requests for Election Documents

June 19, 2021June 18, 2021 Cooper Moran

David Belle Isle, former mayor of Alpharetta and candidate for Secretary of State in Georgia, filed multiple open records requests to examine documents related to the November 2020 election.

According to his interview with Breitbart News, the requests cover a wide variety of concerns about the security of the election — including items such as signature complaints, chain of custody documents for drop boxes, and surveillance videos for drop boxes. Belle Isle is utilizing Georgia’s Open Records Act to bring more transparency to the election process.

Georgia Investigator’s Notes Reveal ‘Massive’ Election Integrity Problems in Atlanta

June 18, 2021June 17, 2021 Georgia Star News Staff

In a nationally televised interview in January, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger rattled off an impressive list of measures his state used to ensure the November election count was accurate. “We had safe, secure, honest elections,” he declared to “60 Minutes.”

Chain-of-Custody Documents: View All the Ballot Transfer Forms from the November 2020 Election Provided by Fulton County to The Georgia Star News

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 Laura Baigert

On May 3, 2021, six months after the November 3, 2020 presidential election, Fulton County election officials provided The Georgia Star News with a thumb drive containing 30 files those officials said complied with an Open Records Request made by The Star News. The request made to Fulton County was one in a series of Open Records Requests made to all 159 counties in Georgia to produce all chain of custody documents, known as absentee ballot drop box transfer forms, from that election.

Mike Collins Launches Campaign to Replace Jody Hice

June 9, 2021June 8, 2021 Cooper Moran

Mike Collins, former candidate for Congress and trucking executive, officially launched his campaign on Tuesday to represent Georgia’s 10 Congressional District.

The seat which Collins is aiming for is being vacated by Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA-10). Hice, instead of running for reelection to Congress, has decided to begin a primary challenge attempt against embattled Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Barack Obama Applauds Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

June 9, 2021June 8, 2021 Chris Butler

Former U.S. President Barack Obama this week publicly praised Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Obama, during a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper, pondered the ramifications of the 2020 election and the election integrity concerns.

Georgia GOP Censures Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger

June 8, 2021June 7, 2021 Cooper Moran

The Georgia Republican Party passed a motion on Saturday at their state convention to formally censure current Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

“A censure is about as strong as it gets out of here, other than our votes at the ballot box which is the most important censure of all,” added Mike Crane, District 3 Chairman of the state party, before reading the language of the censure.

Georgia Revenue Commissioner Launches Congressional Campaign

June 2, 2021June 1, 2021 Cooper Moran

David Curry, Georgia’s Revenue Commissioner, is launching a congressional bid in an effort to replace Representative Jody Hice (R-GA-10).

Curry announced his intent to enter the contest for the 10th Congressional District on Tuesday via a video posted to his Facebook page.

Judge Halts Audit of Georgia Ballots

May 27, 2021May 28, 2021 Cooper Moran

A judge in Georgia is temporarily stopping the audit on absentee ballots in Fulton County, Georgia that was allowed earlier last week.

Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero, the same judge who granted the initial audit, ruled as officials within the county have filed numerous motions in an attempt to stop the audit.

Georgia Elections Director to Leave Position

May 27, 2021May 26, 2021 Cooper Moran

Chris Harvey, the elections director within the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, has decided to leave the agency for a different position.

Harvey oversaw the 2020 elections and was responsible for implementing a new voting system and machines in the state of Georgia.

Brad Raffensperger Says ‘Facts’ Will Help Him with Voters During Next Year’s Reelection Campaign

May 25, 2021May 24, 2021 Chris Butler

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said this past weekend that he expects to perform well within the Peach State as he seeks reelection. But his campaign staff remained mum Monday when asked whether supporters of Donald Trump will overlook his and staff members’ past actions against the former president.

Embattled Secretary of State Raffensperger to Seek Another Term

May 19, 2021May 19, 2021 Cooper Moran

Controversial Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed on Tuesday that he will seek another term.

Raffensperger has been the focal point of criticism of Georgia’s election from both sides of the political aisle. He routinely ignored the widespread concerns over election security throughout the state.

85 Percent of 59,000 Absentee Ballots Placed in Fulton County Drop Boxes in 2020 Election Were Not Transported to Registrar ‘Immediately’ As Georgia State Rule Requires; 5 Percent Were Delivered BEFORE They Were Picked Up

May 19, 2021May 18, 2021 Laura Baigert

Ballot transfer forms from Fulton County reveal that 86 percent of the more than 59,000 absentee ballots analyzed from drop box locations, required to be “immediately transported” to the county registrar according to Emergency Rule of the State Election Board for Absentee Voting, took more than one hour to be transferred to election officials.

State Election Board Emergency Rule 183-1-14 relative to securing absentee ballot drop boxes, which went around state law, was adopted by the State Election Board at their July 1, 2020, meeting.

Greater Georgia Group Chair Kelly Loeffler Asks AG Chris Carr to Investigate Brad Raffensperger

April 29, 2021April 28, 2021 Chris Butler

Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler on Wednesday wrote a letter to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and asked that Carr investigate Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and whether Raffensperger abused his office during recent elections. Loeffler, in her letter, also said Raffensperger violated the state constitution to further his own political self-interests.