Chris Carr proposes anti-corruption plan aimed at public officials
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Brian Kemp manages Georgia’s ice storm prep from overseas.
- Republicans amp up the pressure on Brad Raffensperger.
- Bernice King supports Lisa Cook at the Supreme Court.
Carr’s crackdown
Attorney General Chris Carr is pitching what he calls the toughest anti-corruption crackdown in the nation. It’s a sweeping proposal that he hopes will jolt his bid for governor and amp up the pressure on a top Republican rival.
The Republican told the “Politically Georgia” podcast the eight-part package would make self-dealing by an elected official a felony, give prosecutors more power to pursue local corruption cases and create a dedicated Public Corruption Unit in the Georgia attorney general’s office.
“It’s embarrassing to me that Alabama has a tougher public corruption statute than Georgia,” Carr said. “We need more transparency, we need more accountability. And we don’t need elected officials looking at public service as a business opportunity.”
The rollout comes as Carr has sharpened his attacks on fellow gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the GOP front-runner. Jones is being pummeled by a multimillion-dollar blitz of attacks from a mysterious group accusing him of self-dealing through his state office — a charge that he denies.
Carr said the package isn’t aimed at Jones or the “cloud of unethical behavior.”
“This is about providing a shield to the people of Georgia to protect them from illegal and unethical behavior by elected officials. It’s not intended to be a sword to go after any one particular person,” he said.
Jones’ campaign mocked the timing of the plan.
“Chris Carr has been attorney general for a decade,” said Kayla Lott, his spokesperson. “It would’ve been great if he had cared about prosecuting public corruption — or prosecuting anything, for that matter — before he started running for governor. Glad to have him finally join the fight.”
Under the plan, any statewide official who uses their office for personal gain could be removed and prosecuted. Misusing confidential government information for private benefit would become a felony.
It would also overhaul campaign finance rules. Candidates would be required to swear under oath that their financial disclosures are complete and accurate, with criminal penalties for knowingly filing false information.
If a candidate floods a race with personal money — as Jones has — the proposal would lift contribution limits for opponents to raise matching amounts, a move Carr argues is meant to preserve fairness and public confidence in elections. Campaign loans would face tighter disclosure rules, with criminal penalties for intentionally hiding the source of funds.
“If you are an elected official who truly cares about public service and not enriching yourself, your family or your friends,” Carr said, “you should endorse this right now.”
Things to know
Good morning! State Rep. Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, was caught on a hot mic calling insurance companies “ruthless” and saying they are “destroying our country.” One lawmaker quipped to us that “he’ll never lose another election.”
Here are three other things to know for today:
- The AJC’s Rosie Manins writes about John Henry Thompson, Georgia’s new solicitor general, who is responsible for defending the state’s abortion law and voting restrictions, among other cases.
- Democratic candidate for governor Jason Esteves is holding a campaign kickoff rally today. Greg Bluestein writes about why the former state senator is sharpening his attacks against his rivals.
- Former Democratic state Rep. Karen Bennett pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to a charge of making a false statement, the AJC’s Michelle Baruchman reports.
Ice storm
Every winter storm is a challenge for Georgia’s leaders, who dread a reprise of the disastrous response to icy gridlock a dozen years ago that turned metro Atlanta into a laughingstock and transformed how leaders prepare for major weather events.
But this weekend’s forecasted storm poses a unique challenge for Gov. Brian Kemp.
He is overseas on a trade mission to Belgium and the United Kingdom as the state prepares for what could be a major ice storm back home. Kemp plans to hold a virtual news conference today to update Georgians on the response and aides say he hasn’t ruled out an early return.
Kemp’s spokesperson, Carter Chapman, said the governor is in “continuous communication” with his office and agency heads despite the transatlantic distance.
“He looks forward to briefing [the] press and will be in contact with both Georgians and leaders on the ground throughout the duration of the event,” Chapman said. “His top priority remains the safety of Georgians and communicating all relevant information.”
Tough crowd
Now that Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is running for governor, his trips to the state Capitol don’t appear to be as welcome as they once were.
The Gold Dome is the domain of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and the Republican rival for the gubernatorial nomination has not been shy about using his home field advantage.
That was evident on Wednesday, when Raffensperger faced pointed questions from state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a candidate for lieutenant governor and a close Jones ally. Dolezal tried to get him to admit the state’s voting system is operating on software with known security vulnerabilities.
Raffensperger threw the issue back at Dolezal, noting that the state Legislature still has not approved funding to upgrade the system. But the exchange likely won’t be the last attempt to embarrass him.
Today, the Senate Ethics Committee will discuss a resolution urging Raffensperger to comply with the Trump administration’s request for Georgia’s voter data. The resolution notes Raffensperger’s refusal mirrors the response from Democratic leaders in states like Massachusetts, accusing him of “obstructing the efforts” of a president popular with Republican primary voters. The State Election Board approved a similar resolution on Wednesday.
Raffensperger is not expected to show up. But he has pushed back hard, writing an opinion essay in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that state law prohibits him from releasing that data.
“I will not break the law because a few folks in suits and name badges demand it,” he wrote.
End of the road?
The Trump administration has agreed to release Georgia from much of a settlement agreement overseeing its system of caring for people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities, according to a motion filed this week in federal court.
Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities has been under federal supervision since 2010, when the Obama administration accused the state of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Georgia signed a settlement agreement to avoid a federal lawsuit. But for many years, things did not seem to improve. Just four years ago — after more than a decade of federal oversight — a court-appointed reviewer cited Georgia for failing to abide by the agreement.
Kevin Tanner, commissioner of the Georgia department, told lawmakers the agreement “reflects the progress we’ve made as a team and the confidence of all parties that Georgia has met its obligation.”
The motion must still be approved by a federal judge. It requires Georgia to house 537 extra people in supportive housing. Tanner said Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget request includes $9.3 million to do that.
Under the Gold Dome
The Legislature is off this week. Some happenings:
- 8 a.m.: The House and Senate Appropriations Committees meet to review Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget proposal.
- Noon: State Rep. El-Mahdi Holly, D-Stockbridge, hosts a news conference on the South Wing steps of the capitol with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America to discuss housing costs.
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast Attorney General Chris Carr outlines his plan to strengthen Georgia’s anti-corruption systems and statutes. Then we break down the results of the special election for a Middle Georgia state Senate seat.
You can listen and subscribe to Politically Georgia for free an Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.
Cook’s support
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., was among the supporters who showed up in court Wednesday to support Federal Reserve Board member and Georgia native Lisa Cook.
King wrote on Facebook that Cook asked her to attend Wednesday’s U.S. Supreme Court hearing on President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire her. Trump has accused her of mortgage fraud involving her condo in Atlanta, a charge Cook denies.
“We show up,” King wrote. “We stand with one another. And we continue pressing toward justice with courage, conscience, and prayer.”
Her prayers might have worked. The Associated Press reported that comments or questions from six of the nine justices were skeptical of Trump’s efforts to oust her.
Trump-appointed Justice Brett Kavanaugh said that allowing Cook to be removed “would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve.”
Today in Washington
Happenings:
- President Donald Trump will meet with members of his new Board of Peace as his trip to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum continues.
- The House could vote on the four final full-year appropriations bills.
- Former special counsel Jack Smith will testify during a House Judiciary Committee hearing examining the investigations of Trump.
- The Senate is out for the week.
Shoutouts
Today’s birthdays
- State Rep. John LaHood, R-Valdosta.
- Thomas Wilkerson, special assistant to the Brad Raffensperger campaign for governor.
Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.
Before you go
State Rep. Eric Bell, D-Jonesboro, has introduced a bill that would designate lemon pepper as the official chicken wing flavor of Georgia.
That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.
About the Authors
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
Patricia Murphy is the AJC's senior political columnist. She was previously a nationally syndicated columnist for CQ Roll Call, national political reporter for the Daily Beast and Politics Daily, and wrote for The Washington Post and Garden & Gun. She graduated from Vanderbilt and holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
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