What will the most expensive state-funded building in Georgia history look like? Atlanta Magazine's Max Blau got hold of renderings of the proposed design. From his piece:
The Georgia Building Authority's board voted in October to devote about $7.3 million in bonds to design what would be the most expensive state-funded building in Georgia history. It did so by re-directing bond money lawmakers approved in 2014 to demolish the old Archives building and plan the new complex.
Gov. Nathan Deal and his predecessors have long sought to tear down the boxy, aging building down the street from the Gold Dome. And the state's top judges have pined for a new home for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals for years.
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Some opponents of Dax Lopez' nomination to a U.S. District judgeship are straying close to a line that ought not be crossed.
As we've told you before, Lopez' ancestry is Spanish – and Sephardic. During the Inquisition, many 15th century Jews chose to convert to Catholicism rather than face torture and, often, death. But some secretly maintained aspects of the old religion. Lopez' ancestors were among them.
Several hundred years later, after the Lopez family moved here from Puerto Rico, they began the open observance of Jewish traditions and rituals. The future DeKalb County state court judge was 12 at the time. Lopez is now a member of The Temple, one of the oldest congregations in Atlanta. His mother is the executive director of a Virginia synagogue.
All of this to say that opponents of his nomination to the federal bench have heretofore focused on Lopez' association with the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials. Now they are drifting into an area that threatens to strip them of all credibility.
From a post on the website of the Dustin Inman Society by Greg Williams, a conservative talk show host and blogger:
"Of secondary concern, Judge Lopez experienced an undoubtedly transforming religious epiphany during his conversion to Judaism…I can't claim any expertise in that arena as I've never questioned the role of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life but I do respect the right of others in their personal religious self-determination. Dax Lopez has already exhibited a propensity to reinvent oneself via religious [conversion] and I believe the populace is owed more data before assessing qualifications and competence. While there are nuanced questions about his role advocating for activist organizations, I will leave that for others to debate."
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On this same topic, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson called Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren this weekend to persuade him that Dax Lopez, a Republican appointed by President Barack Obama to the federal bench, deserves a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Isakson was somewhat successful in bringing the sheriff of his home county around to his point of view. We know all this because Warren has now written a letter of retraction that has been posted by the Dustin Inman Society. Read the entire letter here. It includes this paragraph:
"Having had a few days to reflect on our conversation, I am withdrawing my support of Judge Lopez' nomination moving forward to be heard by the full Judiciary Committee. It is my understanding that there is a longstanding process which is intended to reserve the privilege of each state's Senator. This process allows you to qualify a federal judge nominee according to your standards before the candidate advances to a hearing."
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We asked Sen. David Perdue whether, one year into his Washington stay, he can still legitimately brand himself as an outsider. His quote was a keeper: "I don't think any one in the Republican caucus would dare call me an insider. They don't know what to make of me yet."
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The head of the state's probate judges council wants to be clear about one thing: his organization has no stake in Sen. Greg Kirk's First Amendment Defense Act proposal, which would give court clerks cover if they don't want to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Chase Daughtrey of the Council of Probate Court Judges said it doesn't have a position on the legislation "nor have we encouraged or asked for such legislation." We told you yesterday that Senate President pro tem David Shafer had suggested some improvements for Kirk's legislation, expected to be dropped next week.
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Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark surprised no one when, at Tuesday's Eggs & Issues breakfast, he endorsed a third term for U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. But he raised eyebrows when he also ratified the re-election of state Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols, who is facing a pair of challengers this year.
Echols, something of a social media addict, was in the crowd. In fact, he was something like the lead cheerleader for Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Here are only a couple of many Tweets launched during the lieutenant governor’s speech:
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