Tag: Gov Brian Kemp

Stacey Abrams Says She Never Challenged 2018 Georgia Governor Election Results

Peter D'Abrosca

Stacey Abrams, Georgia’s high-profile 2022 Democrat gubernatorial candidate, told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Thursday night that she never challenged the results of her 2018 gubernatorial bid, which she lost to Gov. Brian Kemp (R).

“On the night on November 16, when I acknowledged I would not become governor, that he had won the election, I did not challenge the outcome of the election unlike some recent folks did,” Abrams said on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” referring to former President Donald J. Trump. 

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Jury in Georgia Finds Three Men Guilty in Arbery Killing

The Center Square

A jury convicted three Georgia men of felony murder Wednesday for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in a case that led to historic legislative reform in the state.

Travis McMichael, who was seen on viral video wrestling with Arbery over his shotgun before Arbery was killed, was found guilty on nine charges that range from malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony.

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Cisco Expansion to Create 700 Jobs in Georgia

The Center Square

Multinational technology company Cisco will expand its operations in Georgia, creating 700 new jobs, Gov. Brian Kemp and company officials announced Wednesday.

Cisco plans to invest up to $41 million in opening a Talent and Collaboration Center in the Coda Tech Square in Midtown Atlanta. The new positions would add to the more than 1,000 Georgians currently working for Cisco across the state.

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Georgia Gov. Kemp, Others Criticize IRS Monitoring Plan as ‘Invasion of Privacy’

The Center Square

Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia’s business and banking community are pushing back against a federal proposal that would allow the IRS to monitor bank accounts with more than $600.

The plan is part of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending bill currently being considered in Congress. Kemp and leaders of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Bankers Association said it violates most Georgians’ privacy.

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Georgia Gov. Kemp, Others Bash IRS Monitoring Plan as ‘Invasion of Privacy’

The Center Square

Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia’s business and banking community are pushing back against a federal proposal that would allow the IRS to monitor bank accounts with more than $600.

The plan is part of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending bill currently being considered in Congress. Kemp and leaders of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Bankers Association said it violates most Georgians’ privacy.

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

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.

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Georgia’s GOP Congresspersons, Along with Pro-Vaccine Governor, Resist Biden’s Vaccine Mandate

Bradley Vasoli

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is leading the charge among Republican officials to litigate against President Joe Biden’s order that all employers with 100 or more staffers ensure that their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or that they show a negative test weekly.

“Just ended a call with my fellow Republican governors,” Kemp tweeted Friday. “We are fighting back against @POTUS’ outrageous overreach and attack on individual freedom.”

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Parents Sue Georgia’s Largest School District over Mask Requirement

Georgia Star News Staff

Parents in Georgia’s largest school district are suing the superintendent and school system over its mask mandate, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Four parents are seeking an injunction against the mask mandate at Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), which serves around 180,000 students, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported. The requirement was implemented at the end of July when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended indoor masking for schools amid the rise of the delta variant.

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New Georgia Report Shows Investments, Job Creation Increasing Around the State

Chris Butler

Georgia officials have announced that economic development projects throughout the state during fiscal year 2021 have delivered record-setting jobs and investments. This, according to a press release that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and officials with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) published this week.

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Hundreds Attend Rome GOP Rally to Learn About 2022 Candidates

Cooper Moran

Hundreds of Georgia residents and potential Republican voters on Saturday attended a Floyd County GOP event, which featured top candidates running for office in 2022.

In the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds event, speakers ranged from Governor Brian Kemp, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, and state Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) — a candidate for lieutenant governor.

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Georgia to Start Accepting Applications for American Rescue Plan Funds Sunday

The Center Square
COVID Testing station

Georgia is still deciding how to divide more than $8.1 billion from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March.

Applications for more than $4.8 billion in funding opens up Sunday. State government entities, local governments, businesses and nonprofits have 30 days to apply for the aid.

The aid will be issued in two installments and cover expenses from March to the end of 2026, but the state has until December 31, 2024, to allocate all of the funds.

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Georgia Gov. Kemp Says No New Lockdowns Coming, Encourages Vaccination

Peter D'Abrosca

There will not be any new shutdowns or mask mandates in Georgia, as concerns over the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases grows. 

“Georgia will not lock down or impose statewide mask mandates,” Gov. Brian Kemp said Wednesday on Twitter. “As the first state in the country to reopen over a year ago, we’ve proven that Georgians know how to come together and protect themselves and their loved ones.”

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Savannah Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate Effective Immediately

Peter D'Abrosca

The city of Savannah has reinstated its indoor mask mandate, effective immediately. 

“Many people have just let their guard down,” Mayor Van Johnson said, explaining the decision. “They’ve stopped masking, they’ve stopped social distancing regardless of vaccination status. None of us want to take a backward step in our return to normalcy, but wearing a mask is the simple, easy, most inexpensive thing we can do to protect ourselves and those around us.”

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Gov. Brian Kemp Appoints Verda Colvin to Georgia Supreme Court

Cooper Moran

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Tuesday appointed Judge Verda Colvin to fill a vacancy and serve on the state’s Supreme Court, after the resignation of Justice Harold D. Melton.

“It is an honor to appoint such an experienced and accomplished justice to our state’s Supreme Court. With Justice Colvin on the bench, Georgia’s highest court is gaining an immensely talented and principled judge who will help guide it in the years to come,” Kemp said of his decision to select Colvin.

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Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels

The Center Square
Woman checking out a business

Georgia’s unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Department of Labor officials said this week.

The state’s unemployment rate in June was 4%; three times lower than what it was at the beginning of the pandemic in April 2020. Georgia’s unemployment rate was 3.1% in February 2020.

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Trump Praises Efforts of State Sen. Burt Jones, Hits Gov. Kemp and Secretary of State Raffensperger

Cooper Moran

Former President Donald Trump praised State Senator Burt Jones (R-Jackson) for his efforts in examining the results of the 2020 election, while knocking Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger for their lack of action.

“Thank you to Senator Burt Jones and all of the other Patriots for continuing the fight. Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger have done an absolutely terrible job of watching over Voter Integrity in Georgia. They must be held accountable!” Trump said in a statement.

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Georgia Gov. Kemp Officially Launches Campaign, Rails Against Cancel Culture

Cooper Moran
Brian Kemp

  Georgia Governor Brian Kemp officially launched his re-election campaign on Saturday at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry. At his event, Kemp railed against the “cancel culture” of rival Democrats and urged Republicans to remain involved at the highest levels. “We need everyone engaged, because we know the Democrats…

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Vernon Jones Commentary: Governor Kemp, Georgia Needs an Audit Now

Georgia Star News Staff

For several months, I have demanded that Governor Brian Kemp carry out a full forensic audit of Georgia’s ballots from the election last year. Growing evidence indicates that either fraud or gross negligence occurred that potentially swayed the result of the presidential election. But for one reason or another, Governor Kemp refuses to act. It’s long overdue for him to perform the job that he was elected to do. We simply can’t wait any longer.

On June 17, I held a press conference at the State Capitol in Atlanta exposing irregularities that occurred when ballots were tabulated in the presidential election. As the investigative news outlet Just The News reported, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger received a report in November that his office commissioned with a private contractor. The report exposed the disaster of the election in Fulton County.

Just The News reported that the contractor “recorded troubling behavior like the mysterious removal of a suitcase of sensitive election data known as polls pads, used to authenticate voters.” This contractor “also observed that sensitive election materials were left on a dock at a warehouse without supervision.” The full report documents troubling and revealing events that occurred throughout the entire process of Fulton County officials tabulating votes. It’s a disaster that should never happen again and should have never happened in the first place.

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Georgia Audit Documents Expose Significant Election Failures in State’s Largest County

Admin

Documents that Georgia’s largest county submitted to state officials as part of a post-election audit highlight significant irregularities in the Atlanta area during last November’s voting, ranging from identical vote tallies repeated multiple times to large batches of absentee ballots that appear to be missing from the official ballot-scanning records.

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Gov. Kemp to Ban Mask Mandates in Schools

Cooper Moran

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that he will take action to prevent public schools across the state from implementing mask mandates for students. 

Kemp announced on Wednesday that he will sign an executive order to prevent the mandates. However, though not required, Kemp highlighted that students will be allowed to wear a mask if they choose to do so. 

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Georgia Passes Bill to Let College Athletes Get Paid for Utilization of ‘Name, Image, or Likeness’

Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed legislation that will allow athletes at higher educational institutions to get paid for the utilization of their “name, image, or likeness.”

The bill, which is slated to go into effect on July 1, 2021, states that “participation in intercollegiate athletics should not infringe upon the rights of student athletes to have control over and profit from the commercial use of their name, image, or likeness.”

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Georgia Passes Bill to Let College Athletes Get Paid for Utilization of ‘Name, Image, or Likeness’

Georgia Star News Staff

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed legislation that will allow athletes at higher educational institutions to get paid for the utilization of their “name, image, or likeness.”

The bill, which is slated to go into effect on July 1, 2021, states that “participation in intercollegiate athletics should not infringe upon the rights of student athletes to have control over and profit from the commercial use of their name, image, or likeness.”

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Kemp Signs School-Choice Expansion Bills in Georgia

The Center Square

Gov. Brian Kemp signed a trio of bills Thursday to expand education options in Georgia.

Senate Bill 47 expands the state’s Special Needs Scholarship program to students with 504 Plans. The program offers scholarships for students with individualized education plans to attend a private school or a public school of their choice.

“COVID-19 has certainly highlighted the challenges that families face and finding the right education for their child, especially those with special needs,” Kemp said Thursday during a bill signing ceremony at the state Capitol. “This bill will give more parents greater options to ensure their child has every opportunity to achieve their dreams.”

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Kemp Approves Paid Parental Leave for State Workers in Georgia

The Center Square

State workers will have three weeks of paid parental leave under a bill signed into law Wednesday by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

Under House Bill 146, state government or local school board employees who worked at least 700 hours over the six months preceding the requested paid leave date can qualify for the paid time off after the birth of a child, adoption of a child or taking in of a foster child. Paid parental leave would be granted only once a calendar year.

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Conservative Clergy of Color ‘Correct Lies’ Biden, Abrams Telling About Georgia’s New Election Law

Georgia Star News Staff

The Conservative Clergy of Color — a group of black pastors, priests and ministers — is running a full-page ad in the Atlanta Constitution Journal newspaper saying it’s “correcting the lies” President Biden and Georgia Democratic politician Stacey Abrams have told about the state’s new voting law.

“There’s nothing ‘racist’ about the Election Integrity Act, and it’s certainly not ‘Jim Crow 2.0.’ Your lies are now devastating minority small businesses in Atlanta following the MLB’s decision to move its All-Star Game to Denver, resulting in the loss of $100 million in business,” reads the ad. “Enough is enough.”

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Georgia to Lift All COVID-19 Restrictions

Georgia Star News Staff
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) announced on Wednesday that Georgia is lifting all COVID-19 restrictions.

“We know hard-working Georgians cannot endure another year like that last. That is why beginning tomorrow we are loosening the remaining restrictions on our economy here in Georgia,” Kemp said in a video statement Wednesday.

Starting from Thursday, Georgia businesses will no longer be required to enforce social distancing, the ban on gatherings will be eliminated and the ability for authorities to shut down businesses that violate restrictions will be taken away, according to The Hill. 

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Commentary: Don’t Believe the Left’s False Narrative About Georgia’s New Election Law

Georgia Star News Staff

They’re lying about the new voting legislation in Georgia. The only question is whether they will get away with it.

For now, the center is holding. Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is proud of the work the legislature did to address corruption complaints from both sides. He is willing to tolerate the loss of the MLB All-Star Game and baseball’s amateur draft and has pushed back on remarks by the chairman of Coca-Cola and of Merck and others.

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Commentary: Don’t Believe the Left’s False Narrative About Georgia’s New Election Law

Georgia Star News Staff

They’re lying about the new voting legislation in Georgia. The only question is whether they will get away with it.

For now, the center is holding. Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, is proud of the work the legislature did to address corruption complaints from both sides. He is willing to tolerate the loss of the MLB All-Star Game and baseball’s amateur draft and has pushed back on remarks by the chairman of Coca-Cola and of Merck and others.

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Report: Georgia Lt. Gov. Not Expected to Run for Reelection, Will Fight Trump GOP

Peter D'Abrosca

According to several reports, Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) is not expected to run for reelection, and is instead expected to focus his efforts on moving the Republican Party away from former President Donald J. Trump. 

“Duncan has signaled for months that he would not seek reelection after he’s repeatedly criticized former President Donald Trump, but he’s declined to say publicly whether he will stand for another term,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Thursday. “Duncan’s chief of staff, John Porter, said the lieutenant governor was not planning a 2022 bid, though he added the decision hasn’t been finalized.”

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Georgia’s Cobb County Says it Will Lose $100 Million From MLB Moving All Star Game

Peter D'Abrosca
Braves baseball stadium

The Cobb County Travel and Tourism Bureau said that it estimates it will miss out on $100 million in revenue, after Major League Baseball (MLB) was brow-beaten by political activists into moving its 2021 All-Star game from Atlanta. 

“This event would have directly impacted our county and the state, as visitors spend their dollars on local accommodations, transportation, entertainment and recreation, food and retail throughout the county,” the bureau said. “This would have been a big boost to Cobb businesses and help with recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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Funding for Georgia Charter Schools Boost Heads to Gov. Kemp

The Center Square

A bill to increase state funding for Georgia charter schools was passed by the General Assembly and awaits approval by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Senate Bill 59 increases charter school allocations by about $100 per student. It also secures an equal portion of federal funding for local charter schools and gives teachers and staff more access to the State Health Plan.

The General Assembly approved the bill with limited debate in both chambers this week before its legislative session ended. The House gave SB 59 its final approval, 113-51, on Wednesday after it cleared the Senate, 40-11, on Tuesday.

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Georgia Dem Rep Arrested After Banging on Gov. Kemp’s Door

Peter D'Abrosca

A Georgia House Democrat was arrested Thursday night after repeatedly banging on Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s office door. 

Rep. Park Cannon (D-GA-58) was banging on the door in protest of an election integrity bill signed into law Thursday. Democrats contend that the bill constitutes “voter suppression.” 

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First Battlefront Drawn in Georgia in Epic Fight over Future of American Elections

Georgia Star News Staff

Over just a few hours Thursday, Georgia’s Legislature and Gov. Brian Kemp drew the first battle line in the high-stakes struggle to decide how American voters will cast ballots in the future after the pandemic-ridden election of 2020.

The Republican-controlled state put itself firmly in the camp of voter ID requirements, limited drop boxes and expanded weekend voting. And depending on the eye of the beholder, it was either a win for election integrity or a return to the era of Jim Crow voter suppression.

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Georgia to Use $277M in Federal Coronavirus Aid on Transportation Projects

The Center Square

Georgia will use $277 million in federal coronavirus relief for local transportation projects, Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said Monday.

Kemp’s office said the money was set aside for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to offset projected COVID-19-related revenue gaps.

“I am thankful for these one-time federal resources that will help keep Georgians working while also keeping our economy on the road to recovery,” Kemp said.

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Georgia’s Net Tax Collections Total Nearly $2B in February

The Center Square

Georgia’s decision to delay processing tax year 2020 individual returns helped lead to a net tax collection of nearly $2 billion in February.  

Georgia followed the Internal Revenue Service’s guidance of not accepting and processing 2020 returns until Feb. 12. The deferment led to a delay in tax refunds, which resulted in higher than usual individual income tax collections, Gov. Brian Kemp’s office said in a news release.

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Georgia Gov. Kemp Says He’d Back Trump in 2024 Despite Election Tiffs

Peter D'Abrosca

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto Wednesday night that he will support former president Donald J. Trump in 2024, if Trump decides to run for president again and becomes the Republican Party nominee. 

“Absolutely, I’m going to support the nominee,” Kemp said. “As I said, again, I worked very hard for the president. I think his ideas … will be part of our party for a long time in the future. And Republicans, we need to have a big tent. I mean, there’s a lot of great ideas out there.”

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Georgia Launches COVID Vaccine Registration Website

Peter D'Abrosca

This week, Georgia rolled out a COVID-19 vaccination registration website, as the state gears up to begin vaccinating more residents. 

“COVID-19 vaccines continue to arrive in Georgia in extremely limited supply,” the site’s homepage says. “As we await additional vaccine supply from the Federal Government, we urge currently eligible Georgia residents to pre-register today.”

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Georgia Legislature Approves $650M Spending Increase in Amended State Budget

The Center Square

The Georgia General Assembly approved a more than $650 million increase in spending for fiscal year 2021 on Thursday after lawmakers in the Senate and House came to agreement on an amended budget.

Lawmakers approved a plan that restores 60% of K-12 school funding and adds spending for public health, state employee raises, broadband internet expansion, higher education and state vehicles. The bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp for final approval.

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Georgia Department of Labor Refutes Claim It Jeopardized State’s Financial Rating

The Center Square

Georgia Department of Labor officials said claims the agency caused a delay that could harm the state’s financial rating are inaccurate.

Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, said the state could be at risk of losing its AAA rating if the state auditor doesn’t receive additional documents from the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) to complete the state’s end-of-year comprehensive financial report.

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‘Stop Stacey’ Initiative Launched to Fight Stacey Abrams in Georgia

Peter D'Abrosca

A group of Republicans launched a committee to fight former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, who is likely to challenge Republican Gov. Brian Kemp again in 2022.

“Leaders of the new independent committee, known as ‘Stop Stacey,’ say they will build a ‘robust state and national fundraising operation’ in order to target Abrams with opposition research, digital ads and other paid media,” a Fox News report said.

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Six Dead After Liquid Nitrogen Leak at Georgia Poultry Plant

Georgia Star News Staff

At least six people were killed and nine were injured in a liquid nitrogen leak at a Georgia poultry plant, officials said.

Firefighters arrived at the Foundation Food Group plant in Gainesville, Georgia just after 10 a.m. on Thursday after receiving reports of burns, said Zach Brackett, a local fire chief, at a news conference.

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Georgia Senate Republican Caucus Seats Sixteen Trump Electoral College Delegates in Case SCOTUS Rules Out Biden Victory

Jason M. Reynolds

The Georgia Senate Republican Caucus on Monday seated 16 electors for President Donald Trump, State Senator Brandon Beach (R-GA-21) told the Georgia Star News.

The seating of the electors is in the event that the U.S. Supreme Court does not certify Georgia for Joe Biden, Beach told The Star News.

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Pollster: Fraud Prone Drop Boxes Cost Trump and GOP the Election if Biden Wins GA; State Legislature Must Fix This Before Senate Runoffs

Jason M. Reynolds

Drop-boxes will have cost President Donald Trump the election if Biden wins Georgia, and this points to the state’s most important concern for the upcoming Senate runoffs, Pollster John McLaughlin said in an exclusive statement to The Georgia Star News.

McLaughlin is CEO and partner of national survey research and strategic services company McLaughlin & Associates.

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Lin Wood Wins Restraining Order to Stop Georgia Elections Officials From Wiping Dominion Voting Machines

Jason M. Reynolds

Shortly after initially ruling Sunday that state officials must seize and preserve voting machines and data, a federal judge reportedly changed his mind to clear the way for machines to be reset or wiped.

The second order was issued by Senior Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division. It came in a civil suit asking Gov. Brian Kemp, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and others to decertify the election results, protect machines and verify ballot signatures.

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President Trump Asks for Georgia Recount That Would Match Absentee Ballot Envelope Signatures

Jason M. Reynolds

President Donald Trump’s legal team on Saturday said they had filed a petition for a recount in Georgia, one that would match signatures on absentee ballot envelopes, which the state did not do in the previous effort.

The team made the announcement in a statement.

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Georgia GOP Vote Chief Blames Trump And His Voters For Apparent Defeat

Jason M. Reynolds

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R), who is on the defensive with his fellow Republicans over his handling of the election and the recount, is now lobbying a serious accusation against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and blaming President Donald Trump for not receiving more votes.

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