Peach State Politics (April 2, 2021)
2021 GA legislative session ends, Cannon speaks out after arrest, business leaders speak out against election bill, Kemp rolls back COVID-19 restrictions, This Week in Washington, and more
Good Friday morning, everyone! It has been another busy week in Georgia politics. Between the legislative session ending and business leaders criticizing the recently passed election restriction bill, a lot of big things happened around the state this week. But I’m here to get you up to speed, so let’s get to it!
2021 Georgia Legislative Session ends
This week, state lawmakers concluded the 2021 legislative session session. The last day of the 40-day session, known as Sine Die, is when a bill must pass both chambers of the legislature in order to be signed or vetoed by the governor this year. If it fails to pass both chambers, it is considered “dead” for the year. Perhaps the most notable bill that passed this year is the sweeping election restrictions bill. But lots of very important bills are heading to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, from permanent Daylight Saving Time, a citizen’s arrest overhaul and the 2022 state budget. If you missed my recap of the 2021 session, click here to read it.
Cannon speaks out after arrest
A week after her arrest at the state capitol while Gov. Kemp was signing the election restrictions bill into law, State Rep. Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) is speaking out publicly for the first time since the now-viral encounter with state troopers.
With a sling on her left arm, the 29-year-old Atlanta Democrat gathered with supporters and some colleagues under the John Lewis mural on Auburn Avenue Thursday morning for her first on-camera remarks since her arrest.
Facing up to 8 years in prison for felony disruption and obstruction charges, Cannon blasted the charges against her as unfounded. “I believe the governor’s signing into law the most comprehensive voter suppression bill in the country is a far more serious crime,” she said.
She and her attorney, Gerald Griggs, also made several cable news appearances on Thursday night. The two are hopeful that the charges will be dismissed, but they are prepared to fight the charges all the way to a jury trial if necessary.
Georgia entertainers, business leaders criticize election bill amid boycott threats
This week, several prominent leaders in Georgia’s entertainment and business industry had harsh words for the new election restrictions bill. Media mogul Tyler Perry attacked the law as “unconstitutional” and said that it “harkens back to the Jim Crow era.” Perry, who owns a massive movie studio complex in the metro Atlanta area, has spoken out against controversial legislation before. He criticized a “heartbeat” abortion ban in 2019, but he refused to join a movement to boycott the state.
Other business leaders weighed in on the bill this week. Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines, said that the bill does not match his company’s values. Republican legislators attempted to retaliate by stripping Delta, the state’s largest employer, of a lucrative jet fuel tax break. But it failed to pass both chambers by the end of the legislative session. Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said bluntly that his company does not support the bill. “It makes it harder for people to vote, not easier,” Quincey said.
These statements come as prominent faith leaders prepare to organize a boycott of Georgia-based companies starting next Wednesday, including Delta, Coca-Cola and Home Depot. The group said that they will be moving forward with the boycott even though some company leaders have spoken out against the bill.
Kemp loosens COVID-19 restrictions
Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order this week that rolls back some restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The order loosens restrictions on the amount of people who can gather in places like restaurants, movie theaters and bars. It also halves the social distancing length from the 6 feet to 3 feet in theaters and 3.5 feet in restaurants. A shelter-in-place order for nursing home residents and other long-term care facilities has been lifted. These new changes are set to go into effect starting next Thursday, April 8.
This Week in Washington
It was another big week in our nation’s capital, with President Biden rolling out his infrastructure plan and holding his first official cabinet meeting. Plus, a high-profile Republican Congressman is under federal investigation for potentially violating child sex trafficking laws. Here’s your weekly rundown of what happened this week in Washington.
Biden unveils $2 trillion infrastructure plan; Senate Republicans vow to oppose it
Biden introduces first slate of judicial nominees
With all secretaries confirmed, the Cabinet held its first (socially distanced) meeting this week
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) faces federal investigation for potentially violating child sex trafficking laws
Iowa Democrat withdraws challenge to 6-vote loss, offically closing the books on the 2020 House races
Controversial U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) introduced a bill to strip Dr. Anthony Fauci of his salary
Biden makes false statements regarding Georgia’s new voting laws, incorrectly saying that it “ends voting hours early”
“Georgia secures major victory in Supreme Court water wars case”
U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) helps administer COVID-19 vaccines
Cobb Democrat enters race for LG
In 2022 campaign news, a Democratic lawmaker from Cobb County has entered the race for Georgia’s second-highest office.
State Rep. Erick Allen (D-Smyrna) announced this week that he will challenge incumbent Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R). Allen, a consulting firm owner, entered the race with the endorsement of 2018 nominee Sarah Riggs Amico, who plans to serve as chair of his campaign committee.
Allen was first elected to the Georgia House in 2018 after unsuccessfully running in 2014 and 2016, respectively. In the 2018 Democratic primary, he was defeated by a woman named Sandra Bullock (no, not that one). Bullock ended up dropping out of the race and Allen’s name was placed on the ballot for the general election. He easily flipped the Republican-held district and won re-election by double digits in 2020.
A list of state lawmakers eyeing runs for higher office can be found here.
Warnock & Abrams address voting rights, boycotts
Two of Georgia’s most prominent Black leaders continue to speak out against new the voting restrictions. But they are not siding with the activists who are calling for boycotts of Georgia businesses.
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who has sponsored federal voting rights bills such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, joined the New York Times for a podcast interview to discuss his vision for the future when it comes to the right to vote. You can listen to the 30-minute podcast here.
Voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, the 2018 Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia, wrote an op-ed in USA Today urging business leaders not to boycott Georgia in the wake of the new voting laws. In fact, she is encouraging businesses to do the exact opposite: “I ask you to bring your business to Georgia and, if you’re already here, stay and fight. Stay and vote.”
Rest in peace, Don Farmer
I want to close out this week’s newsletter by paying tribute to an icon in Atlanta television. Legendary news anchor Don Farmer died this week at the age of 82. Farmer, who anchored the evening news for 10 years at Atlanta’s WSB-TV, was one of the original anchors at CNN when the network first went on the air in 1980. His career in journalism took him around the world and to several groundbreaking events in American history. During his adventurous career, he would eventually meet the love of his life, Chris Curle, who would become his wife of nearly 50 years. In all, he covered news in 81 countries across 6 continents. He and Chris, who was also a news anchor, retired and moved to Florida in 1997.
Don’s son Justin, who himself now anchors the evening news at WSB-TV, announced the passing of his father in a Facebook post on Thursday. “Being the son of Don Farmer was fascinating, incessantly enlightening and awesome,” Justin said. “My dad’s drive as an individual and love for this country are among the things that will always live in our family. Same for his love of baseball and his beloved [Atlanta] Braves.” Click here to read more of what he had to say about his father.
Don’s career may have been well before my time, but his legacy in television news will last for generations to come. I am sending my deepest condolences to the Farmer family and the entire WSB news team as they mourn Don’s passing. Thank you for your years of service and for inspiring so many people along the way, Don.