Secret testimony reveals Georgia Republicans’ private rebukes of Trump
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Senate resolution urges Brad Raffensperger to comply with federal request.
- Geoff Duncan says abortion is not a binary issue.
- Nineteen candidates have filed to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene so far.
Secret’s out
It turns out what top Georgia Republicans said in public about President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election is what they also relayed to him privately.
That’s according to secret grand jury testimony from the Fulton County election interference case against Trump and his allies published last night by The New York Times.
Gov. Brian Kemp told the grand jury that Trump urged him to convene a special legislative session and to order an audit of ballot signatures — requests he rejected at the time.
He testified that a special session would have been a “distraction” and attempting to change the law would be a “fruitless exercise” struck down by the courts.
Those statements mirrored Kemp’s public posture during the Trump pressure campaign, when he repeatedly said Georgia law left him no authority to intervene and would lead to “endless” litigation.
And Attorney General Chris Carr, now a candidate for governor, said in testimony that Trump urged him to stop lobbying other state attorneys general against joining a Texas lawsuit to toss out Georgia’s results.
Carr testified that he told the president that he was not reaching out to his fellow attorneys general about the matter, which he saw as “legally, factually and constitutionally wrong.” He said he told Trump: “We’re just not seeing the things that you are seeing.”
That, too, mirrors the extensive reporting at the time.
We reached out to both Republicans for comment. Kemp’s office declined. Carr spokeswoman Kara Murray offered a curt statement:
“Attorney General Carr believes the [Fulton County] criminal case against President Trump should never have been brought,” she said.
Things to know
Good morning! We’re 55 days away from the special election to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress. We’re 125 days away from the primary for U.S. Senate, governor and other races.
Here are three other things to know for today:
- Federal immigration officers arrested about 40 people in Dalton, according to an estimate from the organization CLILA, a local Latino leaders coalition. Local law enforcement said they were not involved, the AJC’s Lautaro Grinspan reports.
- A federal judge will hear arguments in a case today that could remake Georgia’s campaign finance system, the AJC’s David Wickert reports.
- Colton Moore saw his first bill pass the state Senate on Tuesday hours before he resigned so he could run for Congress, the AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu and Caleb Groves report.
Pressure campaign
A top ally of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones introduced a resolution urging Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “immediately and fully comply” with a federal demand for Georgia’s voter registration data. Jones and Raffensperger are Republican rivals in the governor’s race.
The resolution, introduced last night by state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, accuses Raffensperger of “obstructing” the U.S. Justice Department and alleges a “pattern of behavior” to evade oversight of Georgia’s election.
Since President Donald Trump took office last year, the Justice Department has sued Georgia and other states to obtain detailed voter registration information. The lawsuit says the department needs the information to verify compliance with the National Voter Registration Act.
Raffensperger’s office has said it provided some of the requested information, but Georgia law prohibits it from releasing voters’ birth dates, driver’s license numbers and Social Security numbers.
“We aren’t going to break the law and release private information to unnamed third parties,” Raffensperger said.
The lawsuit is pending in U.S. District Court in Macon. A judge there has set a hearing later this month on whether the lawsuit should have been properly filed in federal court in Atlanta, where the secretary of state’s office is headquartered.
Abortion stance
Geoff Duncan has said he “got it wrong” when he backed Georgia’s abortion restrictions in 2019. But the Democratic candidate for governor says he’s keeping his personal opinions to himself.
Appearing on the “GD Politics” podcast, host Galen Druke pressed Duncan on his personal views about abortion. He noted abortion rights groups like Emily’s List are pointing to the former Republican’s past social media posts where he said “I will fight for every innocent life as if it was my own.”
Duncan said his personal views abortion have changed “as I’ve gained more awareness, more understanding.” But he declined to give more details other than saying abortion is “not a binary issue.”
“I would not ask you what your personal opinions are because that’s you and your family’s personal opinions,” Duncan said. “I shouldn’t ask somebody else what their personal opinions are. They should have the freedoms and flexibility to make that decision with themselves, their family, their faith and their doctor.”
Holiday season
For the fourth year in a row, Georgia’s legislative leaders have agreed to a calendar at the start of the session that sets when lawmakers will meet over the next few months.
That’s no small feat. In years past, the calendar was a major source of angst among members as they bickered over the personal and professional schedules of 236 elected officials. This year’s calendar ran into some trouble over the observance of religious holidays.
Legislative leaders agreed to push the final day of the session to April 2 instead of April 1 to accommodate the first night of Passover. But they did not agree to a request from state Rep. Ruwa Romman, D-Duluth, and others to change the schedule to accommodate the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, R-Mulberry, said the request came in too late, saying he only learned about it the day lawmakers were set to approve the schedule. House Minority Caucus Secretary Park Cannon objected, saying Republican leaders reached out to some lawmakers about the calendar but not others.
“I took input from anyone who was willing to communicate with me about this in advance,” Efstration said. He noted that, as a Christian, he has worked at the Capitol on Good Friday.
No advantage
There’s been scant public polling in Georgia’s Republican primary for lieutenant governor. But judging by the reaction at yesterday’s Faith and Freedom Coalition legislative luncheon, no one has the upper hand.
The crowd applauded politely for the parade of Republican candidates, never betraying a preference.
Here’s a rundown of the speeches:
State Rep. David Clark: Focused on his personal story as a military veteran and father.
State Sen. Greg Dolezal: Took credit for writing bills about school choice and transgender sports. He also vowed Georgia would not be subject to “sharia law.”
State Sen. Steve Gooch: Said our rights come from God, not government. He also talked up his opposition to expanded gambling.
Former state Sen. John F. Kennedy: Talked about lawmakers passing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act when he was president pro tempore of the Senate. He said the race will be about who has the record of “trusted results.”
State Sen. Blake Tillery: Pledged to eliminate the state income tax, a plan that he helped write as chair of a special Senate study committee.
Listen up
Today on the “Politically Georgia” podcast we break down the high-stakes fight over expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and the crowded race to replace former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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.
Under the Gold Dome
It’s day three of the legislative session. Some of today’s happenings:
- 7:30 a.m.: Eggs and Issues breakfast sponsored by the Georgia Chamber.
- 10:30 a.m.: Senate convenes.
- 11 a.m.: House convenes.
Georgia 14th
At least 19 candidates have filed paperwork to run for former U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s seat. And there are still a few more hours to go until qualifying ends at 1 p.m. today.
The crowded field has already triggered the first wave of campaign advertising. Dalton Councilman Nicky Lama released a 30-second digital ad, which casts himself as a “pro-MAGA next generation conservative.”
“We don’t need more talkers. We need leaders who are willing to act,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Paulding County Commissioner Brian Stover has been running ads on digital and cable, including a spot that aired on televisions in the district during the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Ole Miss.
Stover’s campaign is out with a new ad today titled “Take Out the Trash.”
“Christian, conservative, pro-Trump Republican and trash destroyer,” the narrator says toward the end of the spot.
Today in Washington
Happenings:
- President Donald Trump will participate in a bill signing ceremony.
- The House will vote on two more of the 12 full-year appropriations bills.
- The Senate will continue consideration of three appropriations bills passed by the House last week.
- The House Administration Committee will consider legislation that introduces a stock trading ban for members of Congress and another proposal that would withhold pay for lawmakers during government shutdowns.
- The House Select Subcommittee on January 6th, chaired by U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, will hold a hearing on pipe bombs left near Democratic and Republican party headquarters the night before the riot.
- U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., will be accompanied by choirs as he introduces a resolution honoring gospel artist Richard Smallwood, an Atlanta native who died on Dec. 30.
Shoutout
Noteworthy:
- State Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, was elected vice chair of the House Republican caucus on Tuesday. She replaces state Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, who is running for Congress.
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
After more than a decade in which Republicans passed new abortion limits, gun rights expansions and transgender restrictions, this could be the year those debates are at least partially sidelined, writes Greg Bluestein.
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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