The Jolt: New U.S. House speaker draws cheers, jeers from Georgia lawmakers

U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, who ran for speaker himself, released a statement calling Johnson “a good man, a good friend, and a good American.”

“I have full faith that he will lead our Congress and country in the right direction,” wrote Scott, R-Tifton. “The House is open!”

Democrats, however, focused on past statements made by Johnson criticizing gay marriage, the new speaker’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the support he received from former President Donald Trump.

Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for The AJC

U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, an Atlanta Democrat who also serves as chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, condemned the Republicans in Georgia’s delegation for backing Johnson.

“Not only is Speaker Johnson an anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ extremist who wants to slash Social Security and Medicare — he also played a key role in trying to overturn the free and fair 2020 election results in Georgia,” she said. “Georgians will not forget that all nine of their Republican representatives voted for an election-denying MAGA conspiracy theorist who tried to make sure their votes wouldn’t count.”

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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Time

Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Time

COMMENTS RESURFACE. Newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson lacks a national profile, prompting scrutiny of his record. Of particular interest are his actions following the 2020 presidential election — he was one of the architects of the plan to reject electoral votes won by Joe Biden in swing states, including Georgia.

One clip circulated Wednesday was an excerpt of a radio interview that Johnson posted to social media. In the audio, Johnson shares false conspiracy theories about Dominion voting machines and how absentee ballots are processed in Georgia.

“They know that in Georgia, it really was rigged,” said Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. “It was set up for the Biden team to win.”

Later in the interview, Johnson appears to blame Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, for overseeing a fraudulent election.

“And they have a Republican Secretary of State there that’s under massive fire because he kind of went along with all of it,” Johnson said. “Nobody knows why. I’m not saying that everybody involved in Georgia was trying to steal the election. I’m saying that this system is set up for massive fraud and error and irregularity.”

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Credit: Oliver Contreras /The New York Times

Credit: Oliver Contreras /The New York Times

LISTEN UP: The Politically Georgia podcast team breaks down the possible ramifications of the immunity deal struck by former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in their latest episode.

Meadows served as former President Donald Trump’s top aide during the final year of his term, including the time following the 2020 election, and is a co-defendant in the Fulton County election interference case.

Listen and subscribe at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

TEACHER HEAT. After Lt. Gov. Burt Jones threw his support behind a proposal to pay Georgia teachers a $10,000 annual stipend to carry guns in schools, reaction from teacher groups has been swift.

“We are not law enforcement personnel and should not be seen in those roles,” said Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, one of the state’s largest teacher advocacy groups.

“It is not going to make our schools safer,” Morgan told the AJC. “I’m just horrified as to the things that could go wrong with a weapon in the classroom.”

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Democrats hammered the idea as dangerous. State Rep. Elena Parent of Atlanta said, “Instead of talking about arming teachers, we should talk about banning assault rifles. That would actually save lives.”

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, a Marietta Democrat who is a leading national advocate on gun control, issued a scathing statement to the AJC:

“Georgia teachers should be armed with books and supplies, not guns. For too long they have been forced to purchase school supplies with their own money. Instead of listening, Burt Jones is furthering his extremist agenda at the expense of our kids.”

As for Jones, he continued to oppose gun restrictions while casting his proposal as a way to “protect the most vulnerable” amid an increasing number of school shootings.

“It’s sad, but it is the sign of the times that we have to go to these lengths to protect our children, but it’s just where we are,” Jones said.

Both Jones and McBath are considered potential candidates for the 2026 governor’s race, when gun policy in Georgia is likely to be a major issue.

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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

OSSOFF HEARING. That U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff held a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday was not unusual. But the subject of the hearing — the alleged negligence of a Georgia state agency — was out of the ordinary for a committee that typically investigates federal agencies.

As our AJC colleague Katherine Landergan writes, Ossoff and his fellow senators heard from child advocates and former clients of the foster care system overseen by the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services. The hearing is part of a federal investigation meant to examine potential systemic failures in foster care systems across the country.

One witness, whose daughter died from blunt force trauma to the head while she was in a DFCS placement, wept as she told senators, “DFCS is supposed to protect children like Brooklyn, [but] they placed her in an unsafe home against my wishes, setting off a chain of events that led to her murder.”

DFCS described that incident as an isolated tragedy and said an ombudsman’s report that details systemic problems within the agency lacked evidence.

The department is overseen by Candice Broce, who was appointed to the post in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp after serving for years as his communications director and chief operating officer in the governor’s office.

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SAVANNAH CAMPAIGN BLITZ. Three of the highest-profile names in Georgia Democratic politics — Stacey Abrams, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams and Keisha Lance Bottoms — visit Savannah this weekend to campaign for Mayor Van Johnson.

Johnson has the power of the incumbency and positive polling numbers working in favor of his Nov. 7 reelection. Still, the 20-year veteran of Savannah politics is taking “nothing for granted” in his race against Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter and a third candidate, Tyrisha Davis.

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Abrams, the two-time gubernatorial candidate, will appear with Johnson at 5 p.m. Saturday in an event at the International Longshoremen’s Association hall. Williams, the state Democratic party chair, will join Johnson at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Beach Institute. Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official, will rally with him at 5 p.m. Monday at The Clyde Venue.

“We have run a comprehensive inclusive campaign that utilizes both traditional and contemporary ways of increasing voter awareness and turnout,” said Johnson, who is often mentioned as a potential future candidate for statewide office or a U.S. House seat. “We take nothing for granted and are working hard towards a convincing victory.”

Internal and third-party private polls show Johnson is the front-runner in the mayor’s race, although his biggest challenger and longtime nemesis, Gibson-Carter, has mounted a tireless grassroots campaign. She canvasses door to door and has appeared at numerous community and neighborhood association meetings across the city.

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ON TRIAL. The organization behind the election conspiracy movie “2000 Mules” is challenging a lawsuit filed by the liberal voting rights group Fair Fight in a federal trial that opens today in Gainesville.

True the Vote is accused of voter intimidation related to its questioning the eligibility of 250,000 voters and recruiting Navy SEALs to oversee polling places. The AJC’s Mark Niesse reports the lawsuit asks that True the Vote be prohibited from operating in Georgia and from targeting the state’s voters in the future.

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Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times

TODAY IN WASHINGTON:

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Credit: U.S. Army

Credit: U.S. Army

TECH HUB. Augusta is already one of America’s cybersecurity epicenters, home to the U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon and the Georgia Cyber Center, the federal government’s largest cybersecurity facility. Now, the city has been designated as a federal technology hub, with a focus on energy storage innovation and manufacturing.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff announced the designation earlier this week. The technology hubs are part of the CHIPS and Science Act, passed in 2022 to promote domestic manufacturing of critical technology equipment. Businesses in technology hubs are eligible to apply for grants valued between $50 million and $75 million.

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Credit: Drew Kann/AJC

Credit: Drew Kann/AJC

METAPLANT ON SCHEDULE. The Hyundai EV factory site along Interstate 16 in Ellabell is among Coastal Georgia’s most-watched roadside attractions because of the rapid pace of construction.

Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the groundbreaking, and already crews have erected more than 27,000 tons of steel. Known as a Metaplant, production is to begin in late 2024 or early 2025.

The Korean automaker celebrated the one-year milestone with a tour of the largest economic development project in state history. Unlike at the groundbreaking, the conga line of shovel-wielding dignitaries, which included Gov. Brian Kemp, both Georgia U.S. senators, U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and a bevy of other federal, state and local officials, skipped the anniversary event.

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Credit: Patricia Murphy/AJC

Credit: Patricia Murphy/AJC

DOG OF THE DAY. Next up in our adoptable dogs from first lady Marty Kemp’s pet adoption event this weekend is Arnold, one member of an entire litter of eight-week-old Great Pyrenees mix puppies who won over the lawn of the Governor’s Mansion.

Arnold and his siblings came to Atlanta from Athens with Jed Kaylor, program director at the Athens Area Humane Society. Back in Dawg-land, Kaylor also sponsors puppy parties, junior vet summer camp, and other chances for people to meet adoptables like Arnold.

If Arnold looks like your new best pal, you can reach out to AAHS directly.

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.

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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to adam.vanbrimmer@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.