Ups, Downs and In-betweens

All Eyes on Georgia: The two-year-plus investigation by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis that led to grand jury indictments of former President Donald Trump and 18 other defendants on charges of violating the state’s RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) Act has guaranteed that Georgia will remain in the national spotlight for a while.

Among Trump’s co-defendants are former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former New York City Mayor and attorney Rudy Giuliani, former Georgia Republican Party Chair David Shafer, State Sen. Shawn Still (R-Norcross), Ray Smith, Georgia-based attorney and Cathy Latham, former chair of the Coffee County Republican Party.

The 98-page indictment includes 41 charges, hinging on Trump’s “find 11,780 votes” call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger; his allies’ attempts to intimidate poll workers; and the actions of Republican false electors who attempted to cast Georgia’s electoral votes for Trump rather than President Joe Biden, who won the state.

The Judge: Fulton Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee will preside over the racketeering case against Trump and the 18 others indicted by a Fulton County grand jury – assuming those indicted aren’t able to move their trials to federal court.

McAfee, 34, was appointed to his judgeship earlier this year by Gov. Brian Kemp. He was formerly Georgia’s inspector general, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and an assistant district attorney in Fulton County, where he served under D.A. Willis.

In Memoriam: Longtime Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom Moreland died in July at age 90. He headed the department from 1975 until 1987.

Tom Moreland’s impact on transportation in Georgia is immeasurable.

In a statement, the DOT said Moreland’s “impact on transportation in Georgia is immeasurable.” The busy I-85/I-285 intersection, constructed during his tenure, is named the Tom Moreland Interchange (more commonly known as Spaghetti Junction). After leaving state government, Moreland founded Moreland Altobelli Associates, a civil engineering firm.

Georgia’s Voting Law: Federal Judge J.P. Boulee temporarily blocked two provisions of the state’s 2021 election law, SB202, and upheld two others.

Boulee granted a temporary injunction regarding a ban on anyone but poll workers providing food and drink to people waiting in line to vote. The injunction blocks election officials from penalizing people who violate the ban, as long as they are more than 150 feet from the polling place and 25 feet from the line of voters. Boulee also blocked part of the law that requires voters to put their birthdates on the mailing envelopes of absentee ballots. He upheld provisions prohibiting unauthorized individuals from returning absentee ballots for another person and the restrictions on the locations of ballot drop boxes that some opponents of SB202 claimed limited access of voters with disabilities.

Walter Rabon, new DNR Head…”dedicated himself to the mission of protecting hardworking Georgians and their ability to enjoy our outdoor spaces.”

New DNR Head: Walter Rabon, a 30-year veteran of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, is the new department commissioner, nominated by Kemp and approved by the DNR board. He has been interim commissioner since July. He began his career as a game warden. In a statement, Kemp said Rabon has “dedicated himself to the mission of protecting hardworking Georgians and their ability to enjoy our outdoor spaces.”

Misaligned Funding: A Georgia Department of Education (DOE) report says the state’s gifted program provided $13.1 million in funding to schools “that did not meet the requirements related to student eligibility and teacher endorsements,” noting services were “not aligned with funding intent.”

The gifted program serves intellectually gifted students, “who must be identified as having intellectual needs requiring specialized instruction.”

The report includes recommendations that the DOE implement controls to ensure that funding is only given for classes that meet state requirements; review class data to determine the extent to which services align with the program’s intent; and provide additional guidance.

Carr in the Running: Attorney General Chris Carr has let it be known that he plans to run for governor in 2026 to succeed Kemp, who is term limited.

State Attorney General Chris Carr: photo contributed.

Carr, a former commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and a long-time chief of staff to Georgia’s late U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, was appointed to his current position by former Gov. Nathan Deal to fill the vacancy created when Sam Olens resigned to become president of Kennesaw State University. He has since won two elections to keep his job.

Carr is a close ally of Kemp and was targeted, with the governor and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, by Trump for his role in fending off lawsuits by Trump attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 elections.