The lie materialized on Friday afternoon and went viral on far-right social media accounts, just as a federal jury ruled that former President Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani must pay $148 million to former Fulton County election staffers he falsely accused of voter fraud.
The post wrongly claimed that Gov. Brian Kemp’s legal staff notified Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger that more than 17,000 “invalid” votes were tallied in Fulton County in 2020, echoing debunked conspiracy theories that Trump’s allies have pushed for years.
The accusation was quickly repudiated by state officials, but that didn’t stop Trump’s loyalists from spreading it. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, even used the invalid vote myth to suggest those who called her a “conspiracy theorist” were wrong.
The falsehood was first floated in an unsuccessful pro-Trump lawsuit filed shortly after the 2020 vote.
Kemp’s inner circle is fed up with the parade of lies about the Georgia vote, which President Joe Biden narrowly won.
“Retelling the same lies for three years does not make them true, even when citing bogus online blogs,” said Kemp adviser Cody Hall. “The moon landing was real, Bigfoot does not roam the forests of North America, and the 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen.”
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
QUO WARRANTO. A group of Democrats are pursuing a specialized lawsuit to remove Lt. Gov. Burt Jones from office because he “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the U.S. when he served as a pro-Donald Trump elector after state officials certified Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
The long-shot “quo warranto” lawsuit was filed in Butts County Superior Court, where Jones lives. The 47-page briefing, filed earlier this month, said the Republican has “forfeited his right to hold public office and to discharge the duties” as lieutenant governor.
It’s part of a coordinated legal effort by Democrats to disqualify Trump and his allies from office by invoking Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. An earlier effort in Georgia to disqualify U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, from holding office also failed.
“Like President Trump, I am being targeted by liberal Democrats intent on weaponizing the legal system against strong conservatives fighting for commonsense conservative values,” Jones said.
He added: “The voters get to decide who represents them in Georgia, not Democrat operatives. I won’t let them subvert the will of the people. I’ll continue fighting back against the radical Democrats in Georgia and around the country.”
Jones still faces other legal hot water. The Fulton County special grand jury that investigated Trump’s effort to overturn his 2020 defeat recommended filing charges against the lieutenant governor.
But a judge last year disqualified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from investigating Jones, saying she had a political conflict of interest. The Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia is weighing whether to appoint a special counsel to see whether Jones should face charges.
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Credit: Katelyn Myrick/AJC
Credit: Katelyn Myrick/AJC
GEORGIA 2024. Monday morning saw two other developments related to the 2024 election:
- Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson formally backed former President Donald Trump’s comeback bid, saying he is supporting Trump because he’s the “only candidate who can win” next year.
- State Rep. David Jenkins of Grantville became the first Republican official to jump in the race to succeed U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson, who announced last week he was retiring from Congress.
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LISTEN UP. U.S. Rep. Drew Ferguson’s decision against running for reelection in 2024 and the toxic environment on Capitol Hill were the centerpiece topics of Friday’s episode of the “Politically Georgia” radio show and podcast. Ferguson’s predecessor, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, gave a candid assessment of the challenges legislators face in today’s political climate.
Listen at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch “Politically Georgia” as it airs live at 10 a.m. every weekday on WABE 90.1 FM, at AJC.com and at WABE.org.
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Credit: Jamie Spaar for the AJC
Credit: Jamie Spaar for the AJC
A BUSY VP. Vice President Kamala Harris danced along with Howard University’s band from her vantage point in a luxury suite at Saturday’s Celebration Bowl, but there would be no victory for her alma mater at the end of an exciting game with several lead changes.
The Rattlers of Florida A&M University won the showdown between the two best historically Black college teams in the country by a 30-26 score, and our Tia Mitchell, a FAMU alum, couldn’t be any prouder. The vice president told Mitchell afterwards that she had no hard feelings about the Bisons’ loss because the game served a larger purpose as a celebration of HBCUs.
Their chat happened as Harris made a pit stop at popular soul food restaurant The Busy Bee before catching Air Force 2 back to Washington, D.C. Harris told eatery owner Tracy Gates that she was craving a slice of sweet potato pie.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the Georgia Democrat who attended Morehouse College, was also spotted in photos from Harris’ suite. His office said that he encouraged her to make the trip down for the game.
Today's game was a celebration of HBCU culture and excellence.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 17, 2023
Always proud of my @HowardU Bison. Congratulations to the @FAMU_1887 Rattlers! pic.twitter.com/1CCIE0Xten
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$148 MILLION. A federal jury ordered former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to pay two former Fulton County election workers more than $148 million in damages for falsely accusing them of voting fraud.
The AJC’s David Wickert reports that Friday’s decision on damages capped a week of testimony from Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, where they talked about the false allegations and how they impacted their lives. They detailed death threats and racial harassment.
The jury said Giuliani owes $33.2 million in compensatory damages for defamation, plus $40 million for intentionally inflicting emotional distress on them. The jury also awarded them $75 million in punitive damages.
Giuliani, acting as part of then-President Donald Trump’s legal team, made the false claims against the two women following the 2020 election.
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Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC
POST OFFICE WOES. Members of Georgia’s congressional delegation say they are receiving complaints from constituents about delayed or missing mail leading into the busy holiday season, and the lawmakers want answers.
Led by U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, 13 of the state’s 14 House members signed a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy asking him to answer questions about service issues and how they are being addressed. U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens, was the only Georgia congressman not to sign on.
“These concerns are particularly pertinent during the holiday season as Americans send letters and gifts to family and friends,” the lawmakers wrote. “Failing to deliver those items to our constituents will produce a not-so-merry Christmas.”
DeJoy was given a Jan. 8 deadline to provide a response.
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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC
TODAY IN WASHINGTON:
- President Joe Biden has no public events scheduled.
- The Senate considers confirmation of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as commissioner for Social Security. Members await an agreement on border security measures that could be coupled with funding for Ukraine and Israel.
- The House is on holiday break until Jan. 9.
- U.S. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Augusta, and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., host a news conference in Augusta to talk about House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
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Credit: Greg Nash/The Hill
Credit: Greg Nash/The Hill
WARNOCK’S DREAM. Last week we highlighted the Savannah City Council’s decision to help fund a proposed study into removal of a highway flyover that cuts through the city’s historic core.
One lawmaker who understands the community damage caused by the I-16 ramp is Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, who was raised within sight of the road. He recently penned a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg supporting the flyover’s removal and saying “it is a dream of mine to see that community restored.”
He wrote the corridor bisected by the road “was once the center of a thriving community and home to Black families and businesses, as well as many Asian and Jewish immigrants.” He also bemoaned the construction of the road and the demolition and paving over of landmark buildings, homes and businesses.
Warnock’s letter is meant to support the Savannah Council’s application for a $1.6 million federal Reconnecting Communities grant to study demolishing the flyover. The pilot program is based on legislation written by U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta.
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DOG OF THE DAY. The best pets index is closed for 2023 as the “Politically Georgia” morning newsletter winds down ahead of our holiday break. Be sure to celebrate all your furry friends during this joyous time of year.
And don’t hesitate to continue to send us your dogs of any political persuasion and location, and cats on a cat-by-cat basis, to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, or DM us at @MurphyAJC. We’ll consider them for our 2024 honorees list.
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AS ALWAYS, “Politically Georgia” readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, and adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com.
