We know that Attorney General Sam Olens' legal opinion helped sway Gov. Nathan Deal to withdraw his executive order opposing the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Georgia. But he might have had another reason to hurry up his decision.
A records request revealed that on the morning of Jan. 4 — the same day he issued the retreat — the Department of Community Health received an application for emergency funds to cover a delivery and a Medicaid application for a baby born to a Syrian refugee.
“Given the sensitive nature of the Syrian refugee situation in Georgia I wanted to check before giving them direction on how to proceed,” Jonathan Duttweiler of the department’s Medicaid division wrote to Clyde Reese, the agency’s head.
“I read about Attorney General Olens letter to Governor last week,” Reese then wrote to Deal’s chief operating officer, forwarding the request. “How would you like me to proceed?”
Within an hour or two, he had his response.
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