Georgia Speaker responds to Justice Department’s election lawsuit

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ATLANTA – U.S. Department of Justice is suing Georgia concerning the Election Integrity Act on the basis it infringes on civil rights.

Democrats have widely derided the controversial law as racist and designed to limit minority voting in Georgia. President Joe Biden (D – Delaware) even called the bill “Jim Eagle” in comparison to Jim Crow laws.

The law expands early voting in the state and puts in place a state-verified ID requirement. No excuse absentee voting is still a part of Georgia Law.

Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston (R – Blue Ridge) has issued the following statement:

“Today’s lawsuit is partisan pageantry at taxpayer expense. Meant to distract from the Biden Administration’s failure to pass its election legislation, which had many similar requirements to SB 202 such as voter ID, this lawsuit only serves to needlessly divide our country and provide a Democratic Party fundraising opportunity.

“Georgia’s Election Integrity Act makes voting more accessible and secure. We will vigorously defend our system of free and fair elections. It is shocking and sad that the Biden Administration would stoop to push a political power grab which would repeal voter ID and strikes at the very heart of our system of federalism.”

ralston

Georgia Speaker of the House of Representatives David Ralston

The law also prohibits campaigns from handing out food or water within 150 feet of a polling place in line with previous election laws concerning campaigning around polling places. The move was intended to give voters privacy before entering a voting booth. Polling places can still provide water to voters in line.

The run-off period was shortened from nine weeks to four weeks. Additionally, rules pertaining to drop boxes were put into place. Previously, Georgia election law didn’t account for drop boxes and the receptacles only came into place due to the pandemic. Going forward, the number of boxes will be limited and must be inside a facility.

Election Integrity Act of 2021 does limit the power of the Secretary of State, removing the elected official as chairman of the state board of elections. The Secretary of State will now be a “nonvoting ex officio member” and the legislature will appoint the chairman. The state board can now oversee and review the performance of local election boards too. If a board is found lacking, the state board can appoint a new supervisor for that county.

The United States’ complaint challenges several provisions of Senate Bill 202, including a provision banning government entities from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot applications; the imposition of costly and onerous fines on civic organizations, churches and advocacy groups that distribute follow-up absentee ballot applications; the shortening of the deadline to request absentee ballots to 11 days before Election Day; the requirement that voters who do not have identification issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services photocopy another form of identification in order to request an absentee ballot without allowing for use of the last four digits of a social security number for such applications; significant limitations on counties’ use of absentee ballot drop boxes; the prohibition on efforts by churches and civic groups to provide food or water to persons waiting in long lines to vote; and the prohibition on counting out-of-precinct provisional ballots cast before 5 p.m. on Election Day. The complaint asks the court to prohibit Georgia from enforcing these requirements.

Current Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R – Ga) was one of several elected officials in Georgia pushing back the hardest against former President Donald Trump’s election fraud claims. He’s insisted the election was fair and honest. His office also instructed three recounts which failed to uncover any massive voter fraud.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated earlier this year that his department was looking into states’ new voting laws and post-election audits. He also doubled the number of people in the Civil Rights Division looking into voting rights.

“The right of all eligible citizens to vote is the central pillar of our democracy, the right from which all other rights ultimately flow,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland  “This lawsuit is the first step of many we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote; that all lawful votes are counted; and that every voter has access to accurate information.”

Kemp calls election lawsuit an assault on democracy

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ATLANTA – Governor Brian Kemp (R – Ga) had harsh words for Attorney General Merrick Garland and Stacey Abrams concerning the Justice Department’s election lawsuit against Georgia and the weaponization of the court system.

“There’s someone lying to you about SB 202,” Kemp said, “and it is not me.”

The governor detailed the areas addressed in the Election Integrity Act including expanded early voting, dropbox limitations, and voter ID requirements. He said the law ensures secure elections and isn’t voter suppression.

Rather Stacey Abrams and the far left are operating according to their playbook, Kemp called the lawsuit an attempt to further “their extreme agenda.” He reminded Georgians that the far left’s response to SB202 cost the state $1 million when the All-Star Game pulled out. Abrams later said she was against the boycott; however, she initially applauded the move.

According to Kemp, the web address stopjimcrow2 was purchased three weeks before the bill was even passed.

He urged people to “stand up to the woke mob” because they’re coming for Georgians and Americans “next.” Now he stated that they are “not afraid to use the full force of the federal government.”

Kemp proclaimed that he isn’t afraid of Abrams, Garland, or the far-left, citing the two cases he won against the President Obama Justice Department. He “look[s] forward to making it 3 and 0.”

Three days prior to the filing of the lawsuit, the For the People Act – a Democrat-sponsored bill that would alter the election process across the country – failed to pass.

“This lawsuit is born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed against Georgia’s Election Integrity Act from the start. Joe Biden, Stacey Abrams, and their allies tried to force an unconstitutional elections power grab through Congress – and failed,” Kemp said in an earlier statement.

Georgia Prominent Republicans Speak Out

Other prominent Georgia lawmakers and elected officials have commented on the lawsuit, including Speaker of the House David Ralston, which you can read here.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger issued the following:

“It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court.”

Gubernatorial Candidate Vernon Jones (R – Ga) called the lawsuit “meritless.” In a tweet, he added, “Joe Biden’s DOJ is suing the state of Georgia because they think black people are too damn dumb to secure a Voter ID and properly vote.”

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s statement also depicted the lawsuit as a politicization of the Justice Department:

“The Justice Department is wrong: factually, legally and constitutionally. Georgia’s law clearly strengthens security, expands access and improves transparency in our elections. Merrick Garland said he was going to depoliticize the Justice Department yet files this blatantly political lawsuit,” said Carr.

“It is disappointing for those of us who respect the rule of law, because this is not a lawsuit, it is a political campaign flier. Falsely using race to scare people of color into believing their vote will not be counted is irresponsible and fundamentally wrong.”

The attorney general also blasted progressive Democrat Stacey Abrams, a vocal opponent of the bill, saying, “Unfortunately for the Justice Department, the Stacey Says Standard does not hold up in a court of law. We have defeated Stacey Abrams in every legal challenge she’s filed since 2018. We remain confident that Georgia’s law will be upheld. “

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the following:

“After failing to sell the partisan federal election takeover known as H.R.1 to the American people, Joe Biden is now weaponizing the Justice Department to attack election integrity. Democrats are seeking to undermine confidence in elections in the pursuit of political power. The Republican National Committee will use every tool and resource at its disposal to intervene and fight these left-wing power grabs.”

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