2019 was a year of triumph. And tragedy. One of hope. And heartbreak. Before we embark on 2020, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s content curation desk is taking a look back at the biggest stories of 2019 and their effects on Georgia and the rest of the nation. Today’s topic: Politics.
Credit: John Moore
Credit: John Moore
9. Trump declares national emergency on southern border
Continuing his campaign pledge to stem the tide of illegal immigration, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border. His move came after a weeks-long government shutdown, during which Democrats refused to fund the president’s $5.7 billion border security bill. A weeks-long partial government shutdown occurred, which ended only when the president signed a series of spending bills into law, then declared the national emergency.
Credit: Chip Somodevilla
Credit: Chip Somodevilla
8. Mueller report released
Nearly two years after he was appointed to investigate any connection between Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Russian operatives, Robert Mueller’s report was released. The redacted report was released by U.S. Attorney General William Barr to Congress and the American public. The president claimed he had been the victim of a witch hunt; Republicans claimed exoneration; and Democrats called for the release of the full report. Taxpayers footed the $30 million-plus expense.
Credit: Pool
Credit: Pool
7. Trump’s call to Ukraine released
President Donald Trump released a full transcript of a phone call between him and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The phone call was central to a Democratic-led effort to impeach Trump, in which Trump was accused of threatening to withhold foreign aid to Ukraine unless they investigated Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden, and a member of the board for a major Ukrainian gas company.
Credit: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
Credit: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
6. Partial government shutdown nears historic record
Nearly 16,000 Georgians were furloughed in early 2019, as President Trump and House Democratic leaders sparred over securing the nation’s southern border and immigration funding. Also impacted were Georgia farmers, law enforcement and courts, universities, parks and airports. The impasse resulted in the second-longest government shutdown in history.
5. Democrats draft 2 formal articles of impeachment against the president
House Democrats began their efforts to impeach President Trump based on a phone call between him and the president of Ukraine. Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins from Gainesville, Georgia, earned a national reputation as one of the president’s fiercest defenders. Collins, the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, repeatedly slammed House Democrats’ impeachment efforts.
4. Court blocks Georgia abortion bill
Georgia passed one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion laws in 2019, but a federal judge stopped the so-called “Heartbeat Bill” from taking effect on Jan. 1, 2020, until an ACLU-backed lawsuit could make its way through the courts. The bill would have banned most abortions after about six weeks, which is when a fetal heartbeat is usually detected. It would have also allowed abortions when the mother’s life or health was in danger.
3. Johnny Isakson retires
Johnny Isakson, Georgia’s senior senator, stunned the nation when he announced he was retiring at the end of 2019. The popular Republican served in the U.S. Senate since 2005. His announcement set off a flurry of speculation about who Gov. Brian Kemp would name as a replacement. It also fueled hopes among Democrats that Georgia, now with both U.S. Senate seats on 2020’s ballot, could indeed become a battleground state for congressional control.
Credit: Sandra Parrish/WSB Radio
Credit: Sandra Parrish/WSB Radio
2. Kelly Loeffler appointed new Georgia U.S. senator
Faced with one of the most important decisions of his young governorship, Brian Kemp appointed wealthy business executive Kelly Loeffler to fill out the rest of retiring Johnny Isakson’s term. Loeffler will have to run for the seat again in 2020, making both of Georgia’s Senate seats on next year’s ballot.
Credit: Joe Raedle
Credit: Joe Raedle
1. Democratic debate comes to Atlanta
Atlanta was at the center of the nation’s political scene in November, when Tyler Perry Studios hosted the fifth Democratic debate. Ten Democratic White House hopefuls debated everything from President Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings and health care to corporate taxes and who deserves the support of the nation’s African-American voters.
