Latest news with #RossWilliams
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘No Kings' organizers in Georgia want peaceful protests but are armed with deescalation tactics
"No Kings" organizers are expecting a large crowd for a protest outside the Georgia Capitol they are working hard to keep peaceful Saturday. Pictured is a 2023 protest over abortion rights at the same location. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Five years ago, an Atlanta protest that began peacefully ended in chaos with burning police cars and tear gas canisters. With mass protests over the Trump administration's policies set to take place around the country Saturday, Georgia's leaders say they will be prepared if violent elements overtake peaceful protests. Around two dozen protests are scheduled across Georgia with hundreds across the country. But organizers of the planned 'No Kings' event in Atlanta say they've taken every step to ensure a morning of peaceful demonstration. 'This is a permitted rally,' said Laura Judge, an activist with the Indivisible Georgia Coalition, one of the main organizers of the Atlanta event. 'We went and we talked with local officials and law enforcement to make sure that this is a safe and permitted, peaceful rally. But, you know, we went above and beyond to ensure that there is safety and de-escalation.' Judge said that means over 100 volunteers, including 28 medics and 37 marshals trained in de-escalation, conflict prevention and crowd safety techniques. Medics will be specifically trained to assist older attendees and with disabilities, and the staff will include a law enforcement liaison to assist with communicating with police. Georgia's top leaders have warned against violent escalations. Gov. Brian Kemp vowed 'heavy accountability,' and Attorney General Chris Carr issued a statement threatening to charge offenders with domestic terrorism, which comes with a prison sentence of up to 35 years. 'Our attorney general just put a statement out about how protests should look,' Judge said. 'And while we're committed and we want all our attendees to be peaceful and use their First Amendment rights, we don't want anyone having that threat of being arrested or being detained when we have done everything, we have checked all the boxes to do what is right using our First Amendment.' Organizers of Columbus' event recommended an unusual response in case of unexpected behavior. 'In the rare event that individuals outside our organization come to the event and behave in ways that are contrary to our peaceful values, we strongly encourage attendees to sit, hold hands, and listen to to instructions from our trained de-escalators,' reads a post from Indivisible Columbus on social media. 'We are 100% committed to and united in peace.' Speaking at a virtual meeting for nationwide participants Thursday, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin called for spirited but peaceful protests, saying that violence would play into the hands of their political opponents. 'When some bad actors engage in property destruction or violence, the Trump team says, 'see, there, now we need to escalate further,'' he said. 'And that's Trump's plan, rinse and repeat. It's straight from the authoritarian playbook.' Britt Jacovich, deputy communications director at the liberal MoveOn advocacy group, echoed Levin's sentiments. 'Trump wants chaos on camera, and so we shouldn't give him any footage to use,' she said. 'We win by showing the truth. We are joyful, proud, nonviolent, in every corner of the country.' Judge said problems caused by outside agitators are always a concern for protesters, but volunteers have been trained to deal with potential criminal elements. 'I believe it's important that at least the organizers and the volunteers are all on the same page knowing who we go to and who we need to work with when things are escalating like that so that we're not branded as these agitators,' she said. 'Because that is not the purpose, our purpose is to show the power belongs to the people and we're allowed to speak up and we should not just automatically be branded as agitators or instigators.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia Supreme Court rejects changes sought by Trump-aligned board ahead of 2024 election
Members of Georgia's State Election Board sit during a Sept. 23 meeting at the Georgia state capitol in Atlanta. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file photo) The Georgia Supreme Court has permanently blocked four rules the State Election Board approved last fall, concluding Tuesday that members of the board exceeded their authority in attempting to implement rules that went beyond the scope of Georgia's election laws. A total of seven rules were approved by the Republican-led board ahead of the 2024 general election, with supporters claiming that the changes were necessary to ensure accuracy and restore public confidence in Georgia's election integrity. If enacted, the rules would have ordered poll workers to hand count all ballots cast on election day, made it easier for local election officials to delay certifying election results and required family members and caregivers to present a photo ID when dropping off absentee ballots on behalf of another voter, among other changes. Election officials and voting rights groups opposed the rules, arguing that last-minute changes could sow confusion and doubt into the election process, and that implementing the new rules would violate Georgia's election laws. Last October, the Georgia Republican Party and Republican National Committee filed an emergency motion urging the state Supreme Court to reinstate the rules ahead of the general election, but the court declined to expedite their appeal. In a 96-page opinion, Chief Justice Nels Peterson upheld most of the Fulton County Superior Court's ruling, declaring that the State Election Board 'can pass rules to implement and enforce the Election Code, but it cannot go beyond, change, or contradict' existing Georgia law. The October ruling from Judge Thomas A. Cox Jr. argued that the seven rules were 'illegal, unconstitutional and void,' and that the State Election Board had exceeded its authority by passing them. However, in a slight reversal of the lower court ruling, the state Supreme Court allowed a rule mandating video surveillance of ballot drop boxes to take effect, finding that the rule was consistent with current election laws. Two other rules that would have expanded mandatory poll-watching areas and required election workers to publicly post daily totals of early and absentee voters were sent back to the Fulton County Superior Court for further consideration. The State Election Board is tasked with writing rules to ensure that elections run smoothly and hearing complaints about alleged violations. The three most conservative members of the Republican-led board — Janice Johnston, former state Sen. Rick Jeffares and Janelle King — made national headlines last fall after approving seven election rules in spite of Attorney General Chris Carr's warnings that the changes likely would not stand up in court. Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump also praised King, Jeffares and Johnston during a campaign rally in Atlanta for supporting changes to election certification rules, calling them 'pit bulls' for 'victory.' State Election Board Chairman John Fervier did not respond to a request for comment on the Supreme Court's ruling. The ACLU of Georgia, which helped represent the plaintiffs, applauded Tuesday's ruling. 'This is a resounding affirmation of voters' rights,' said Theresa Lee, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Voting Rights Project. 'The court recognized what we've argued all along — that this rule was unlawful and entirely unnecessary. Today's decision safeguards not just the letter of Georgia election law, but the democratic principle that every vote must be counted accurately and without interference.' Eternal Vigilance Action, a conservative election advocacy organization that sued the State Election Board over the rule changes, also celebrated the ruling. 'This ruling makes clear: the legislative power belongs to the General Assembly, not executive agencies operating without proper constraints,' Eternal Vigilance Action founder and former Republican state Rep. Scot Turner said in a statement. As new election laws passed in 2024 begin to take effect, including a ban on the use of QR codes to tabulate ballots, the board will likely continue to draft rules to guide local election officials tasked with implementing the changes. However, this year the board is workshopping changes to the rulemaking process in the hopes of avoiding a repeat of the chaos that defined the 2024 election cycle. During a May meeting, state election board members discussed the possibility of forming a rules committee with election directors, legislators, Georgia residents, and election law attorneys. Rules would be vetted by the committee before being presented to the full board. Senior reporter Stanley Dunlap contributed to this report. s25a0362 SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Early voting is underway for Georgia PSC races. Here's what you need to know.
Primaries for two Georgia Public Service commission races will take place on June 17. Early voting began May 27 and will end June 13. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file) For the first time since 2020, Georgia voters have a chance to decide who will represent them on the Public Service Commission. This delayed election comes after a lawsuit challenged the statewide elections used to elect commissioners, arguing it diluted the voting strength of Black voters. Despite each commissioner hailing from a specific geographic district in Georgia, voters across the state are eligible to vote for each member. This year, District 2 and 3 seats are on the ballot. The 2025 election comes as commissioners face criticism for signing off rising rates for Georgia Power customers. After June's primary election, winners will advance to the general election in November that will coincide with municipal elections across the state. With early voting already in full swing, about 18,000 people have cast a ballot as of Monday, according to the Secretary of State's data hub. The primary election will take place on June 17. Early voting began May 27 and will end June 13. If a candidate does not receive at least 50% of the vote in the primary, a runoff election will be held on July 15. Voters can check their registration status, polling information and sample ballots on the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. The PSC is a five-member commission that is tasked with regulating electric, telecommunication and natural gas services. The commissioners' decisions and outcomes directly affect how much people in Georgia pay for necessary utility services. Their website points out that 'very few governmental agencies have as much impact on peoples' lives as the PSC.' Despite this impact, PSC elections tend to have low visibility and voter turnout across Georgia. University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock attributes that partly to limited campaign capability. 'I've often said that most Georgians [are] probably not fully aware we have a public service commission, don't know that it has five members, and couldn't name a single one of them,' Bullock said. With limited campaign finances and awareness, it can be tough for candidates to reach voters. As a political scientist, Bullock said he often uses the PSC as an example when trying to identify what partisan division exists in the state. He says that when people vote for the PSC election with limited knowledge they tend to fall back on their preferred party. 'Georgia is still more Republican than Democratic, so I think ultimately, probably the incumbent Republicans are going to win,' Bullock said. 'It also helps that once we get to the general election ballot, it'll have the 'I' beside their name, indicating they are the incumbents.' In District 2, incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols is running for re-election. If elected, this would mark the beginning of his third term as a commissioner. Echols will face Lee Muns on the Republican ballot. Alicia M. Johnson is running uncontested on the Democratic ballot. District 2 goes as far north as Hart County and as far south as Savannah. In District 3, which includes Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties, incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson is the sole candidate on the Republican ballot this month. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Johnson to the seat in 2021. All the action in this race is on the Democratic side right now, with four candidates trying to clinch the nomination. Daniel Blackman, who served as the Environmental Protection Agency's Southeast regional administrator during the Biden administration, is fighting to remain a candidate. Blackman was disqualified after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger agreed with an administrative court judge that he did not have the adequate residency qualifications to run. A Fulton County Superior Court judge granted an injunction allowing Blackman to remain on the ballot for now. A hearing on Blackman's appeal is set for June 10. Other Democratic candidates include Peter Hubbard, who is the founder of the clean nonprofit Center for Energy Solutions, former utility executive Robert Jones and Keisha Sean Waites, who is a former Atlanta City Council member and ex-state representative. The PSC primary is a partisan election and requires voters to choose a Democratic or Republican ballot. The primary election will not occur at the same time as any municipal elections. This will not be true for the general election. For cities with municipal general elections also occurring on Nov. 4, different ballots will be offered for each election. The partisan nature of the primary election often contributes to low voter turnout. 'Many people do not turn out for primaries,' said Travis Doss, president of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials and Richmond County's election director. 'They do not feel that they have an affiliation with a party, so there's always confusion when it comes to primaries. People argue with us that they should be able to vote for both sets of candidates.' This was true for a Richmond County woman who recently came in ready to cast her vote but ended up telling Doss that she would not be picking a party. A 2020 lawsuit brought forth by Black voters in Atlanta delayed years of PSC elections and challenged the electoral process that allows statewide voters to elect district-specific commissioners. Plaintiffs argued that this is a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and dilutes the voting power of Black Georgians. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decided not to hear the case, and the at-large method of electing commissioners remains in place. Critics and consumer watch groups have continued to express concerns over rate prices, growing electricity demands and the spread of data centers. According to previous Georgia Recorder reporting, the average Georgia Power residential customer pays about $43 more to cover base electric rate increases, recover excess fuel expenses, and cover the cost of completing two new nuclear power generators at Plant Vogtle. PSC staff and Georgia Power reached a proposed agreement to 'freeze' base electric rates from 2026 to 2028. Critics have pointed out that Georgia Power customers could still see an increase on their utility bill after the approval of funds for storm damage and fuel recovery expenses. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Medical cannabis access, ‘fair' tax policies and more on deck as study committee season cranks up
Lawmakers created a long list of study committees during the 2025 legislative session, laying the groundwork for a busy offseason. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder School may be out for the summer, but at the state Capitol in Atlanta, lawmakers are gearing up for their own version of summer school. Study committees, which meet outside the regular 40-day legislative session, have already begun gathering information and soliciting expert testimony on topics ranging from chronic student absenteeism to improving tourism. All told, 16 different House study committees and 20 Senate panels will convene under the Gold Dome, which is the most each chamber has seen in the past decade. Here is a look at a few notable ones. Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been a hot-button issue both in Georgia and around the country. During the 2025 session, legislators in both chambers introduced bills aimed at increasing regulations on the use of AI technology, but none managed to pass through both chambers by the Sine Die deadline. However, two new study committees will allow legislators in the Senate to continue compiling research and drafting a report that may guide their efforts when lawmakers reconvene for the 2026 session next January. Senate Resolution 391, introduced by Roswell Republican Sen. John Albers, creates a new committee dedicated to examining the use of AI across industries like education, health care and financial services. The committee will also explore the use of digital and cryptocurrency, and how to better prevent security threats. A second AI-related committee, created by SR 431, will study the impact of social media on children across Georgia, examining privacy implications and the impact of chatbots and other AI features on minors. The resolution was introduced by Atlanta Democrat Sen. Sally Harrell, who will serve as co-chair alongside Johns Creek Republican Sen. Shawn Still. Lawmakers are getting a jump start on election policy this year, perhaps hoping to avoid a repeat of the months-long battle between Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the five-member State Election Board that characterized the lead-up to Georgia's 2024 election. House Resolution 885 established a special panel that will examine Georgia's existing election code and how responsibilities are shared between election officials at the local and state levels. It will be chaired by Rep. Tim Fleming, a Covington Republican. Another study committee, created by SR 429, will research ways to remove barriers for those who are seeking to restore their voting rights after a felony conviction. Georgia 'has one of the longest parole and probationary periods in the nation and the highest number of individuals under supervision per capita of any state,' according to the resolution. The fight to overhaul Georgia's civil litigation landscape may be settled for now, but discussions over Georgia's insurance rates are set to continue. A newly created panel will investigate the driving forces behind insurance rate hikes throughout the state by analyzing insurance industry practices, profit margins and compliance with state regulations. It will be chaired by Duluth Republican Rep. Matt Reeves. House lawmakers will also delve into how the state's reinsurance landscape intersects with climate change in a study committee created by HR 40. Citing the estimated $6.46 billion in damage that Hurricane Helene caused in Georgia, lawmakers are hoping to combat insurance-related challenges that businesses may face during future storms and severe weather events. Co-chaired by Republican Reps. Darlene Taylor of Thomasville and Noel Williams of Cordele, the committee aims to collaborate with the Georgia Office of Insurance and Department of Agriculture to mitigate rising property and casualty insurance costs for small businesses across the state. Cannabis consumption, both medical and recreational, was another prominent issue that surfaced during the 2025 legislative session. While House Bill 227 and Senate Bill 220 both sought to widen access to medical cannabis, neither bill managed to make it over the finish line before lawmakers adjourned for the year. Instead, two separate study committees will tackle the issue over the summer. A House study committee led by Augusta Republican Rep. Mark Newton, who works as a doctor, will dive into Georgia's medical marijuana policies. In the Senate, lawmakers on the Study Committee on Intoxicating Cannabinoids in Consumable Hemp Products will tackle the issue of regulating recreational products like THC-infused drinks, which are chemically similar to medical cannabis but more broadly available to consumers because they fall under the federal 2018 Farm Bill and the Georgia Hemp Farming Act. Georgia lawmakers at both the state and federal level are pushing for legislation that would overhaul the current tax code, replacing the current system with a fixed consumption tax that proponents refer to as 'FairTax.' The congressional version of the bill, which was first proposed in 1999, was sponsored this year by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who recently announced a bid for the U.S. Senate. At the Georgia Capitol, the Senate State FairTax Study Committee will examine similar legislation that would apply a fixed sales tax rate within the Peach State. The committee will be chaired by Rome Republican Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, who also heads the Senate Finance Committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kennesaw State students protest at regents offices over the end of Black studies, philosophy majors
KSU students and others protest outside the University System of Georgia offices in Atlanta over the end to majors including Black studies and philosophy. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Dozens of Kennesaw State University students and others gathered outside University System of Georgia offices in Atlanta Wednesday to ask the Board of Regents not to eliminate majors in Black studies, philosophy and technical communication. The university announced last month that it plans to eliminate the three majors, citing low enrollment numbers. Kennesaw State University spokeswoman Tammy DeMel said the programs did not meet the graduation standards required by all majors. 'Undergraduate programs are expected to maintain a three-year rolling average of at least 10 graduates per year. The Black Studies major has a three-year graduation average of 5.7 degrees per year, while Philosophy averages 6.3 and Technical Communications 7.7,' DeMel said. 'The programs underwent a multi-year remediation process, which included annual improvement plans focused on increasing enrollment,' she added. 'As the required benchmarks were not met, the University deactivated these programs.' DeMel said the school will ensure current students majoring in those subjects will have the opportunity to complete their degrees, and courses from those subjects will continue to be offered as minors or electives. That wasn't much comfort for students outside the offices Wednesday, some of whom disputed the university's numbers. Students characterized the move as preemptively folding to pressure from the state and federal governments. President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to investigate and withhold federal funding from universities that promote 'diversity, equity and inclusion.' Kennesaw State has been moving forward with plans to shut down resource centers for groups like LGBTQ students and students of color. The Georgia Senate passed a bill this year that would have banned DEI programs and policies from all state public schools and universities, but the measure did not get a vote in the House. Simran Mohanty, a third-year KSU student majoring in sociology on the pre-law track, said philosophy classes have prepared her to study law. 'Philosophy helps a lot with critical and analytical thinking,' she said. 'You typically have a lot of readings to do, so you have to be able to critically analyze the readings, which is really good for pre-law students who need to read legal briefs or long case documents such as that, and it also helps to have analytical thinking of being able to analyze those readings and apply it to real-world context, practical context. So philosophy has been monumental in my studies.' KSU student Jacob Waller, who is seeking a double major in philosophy and psychology, said he fears doing away with the majors would prevent students who want to dip their toes in the field from doing so. 'You're cutting institutional support to the major so that all of the rigor and the quality of the classes as it is currently – which is very incredible due to our four professors, we only have four people in the department but they're all incredible and work very hard to make sure that the sanctity of the space is preserved – the quality of those classes is going to diminish significantly by getting rid of the major because you're cutting most of the systemic support for it.' Stephan Sellers, a third-year mechatronics major who has taken philosophy and Black studies courses, said they have been some of the most important of his college career. 'Those courses teach us not only who we are, but the history of our diaspora from the African continent,' he said. 'And those studies also teach us that we have a voice, we have power, and so with these studies being taken away, I can see that some of the students coming in will miss out on very vital parts of their education.' The Georgia Board of Regents is set to meet Thursday, but a vote on the majors is not scheduled on the agenda. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
