Welcome to the new and improved politics newsletter from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. We’ll be in your inbox every weekday to bring you the latest news from Georgia politics and beyond.
The biggest story today is the start of the federal government shutdown. Georgia’s ports, both by air and by sea, are open. But its National Park sites are closed, including the gravesite of the late President Jimmy Carter on what would have been his 101st birthday.
The U.S. Senate again failed to pass a stopgap funding bill, indicating the shutdown could linger for days or weeks as both sides are entrenched in their positions. Government workers will feel the pain first, as many — but not all — will go without pay.
Make sure you’re checking our live updates throughout the day.
Credit: Justin Taylor for The Current GA
Credit: Justin Taylor for The Current GA
1. How Brian Kemp handled the Hyundai immigration raid
Greg Bluestein takes us behind the scenes as Gov. Brian Kemp and his staff scrambled to get a handle on a federal immigration raid at $12.6 billion Hyundai battery plant last month.
More than 100 pages of internal communications obtained in a Georgia Open Records Act request tell the story.
- Tread lightly. While Kemp never publicly wavered from the prized economic development project, his staff prepared “to put daylight between us and Hyundai ... for sneaking Koreans in on non-work visas when they could’ve and should’ve been using Americans,” according to a text message from a Kemp aide.
- High level talks. Kemp did not know about the raid in advance. But he spoke with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who assured him the president was asking about extending or correcting visas so as not to disrupt work at the site.
- Public comment. Messages poured into Kemp’s office in the hours after the raid. One voter emailed Kemp directly calling it a “great embarrassment.”
Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Cat
Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Cat
2. Why light towers near a Buc-ee’s have become a flashpoint for sea turtle safety
State officials have asked Glynn County to turn off some high-powered lights along an I-95 exit because it confuses baby sea turtles trying to find the ocean. But the county has so far refused to do it as the lights point to one of the county’s newest attractions: a Buc-ee’s travel center that has gained a cult following among motorists.
- What the science says. State officials pointed to four published studies about how artificial lights disorients sea turtle hatchlings searching for the ocean. They’ve asked the county to turn off the lights during nesting season, which ends later this month.
- Pushback. The county hasn’t acted on the request. A spokesperson said the commissioners were reviewing the state’s evidence to make sure they understand it completely before making a decision.
Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC
Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC
3. Ethics panel widens probe of group tied to Frost family
The State Ethics Commission expanded an investigation of political contributions that stemmed from the collapse of First Liberty Building & Loan, casting a fresh spotlight on an ultraconservative organization with close ties to the founder’s son.
- Both political groups are closely tied to First Liberty founder Brant Frost IV and his family, who have pushed to purge more mainstream Republicans from the GOP’s ranks in recent years. The PAC was long led by his son, Brant Frost V, before it dissolved in June.
- A recent review by the AJC found the Frosts spent nearly $1.4 million on campaign contributions to fuel far-right causes in Georgia and across the nation.
- Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s office opened its own probe of the firm, recently issuing subpoenas to Nathaniel Darnell, a financial adviser who is one of the GRA’s leaders.
Looking Ahead
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