Kemp wants to “avoid burning bridges with Trump”

Atlanta — A new Bloomberg column provides key details and context, offering a comprehensive look at Governor Brian Kemp’s failure to do his duty to investigate ethics complaints filed against pro-Trump members of Georgia’s Election Board who are making changes to election rules that likely violate state law. Despite having the power to stop this threat, Gov. Kemp has allowed it to fester, risking chaos in the November election.

The column points out that Gov. Kemp’s inaction is likely driven by a desire to avoid alienating Donald Trump and his MAGA base ahead of future political ambitions. As the governor remains silent, Georgia voters are left vulnerable to the MAGA Election Board’s election disruption plot and rule changes that fuel the potential for election chaos in November.

Read the full Bloomberg column: "Brian Kemp Has Failed Georgia Voters" for an in-depth look at how this crisis is unfolding and why Georgia’s election future hangs in the balance.

"It's outrageous that Kemp would put his own political ambition and desire to stay on Trump’s good side ahead of protecting one of the most important freedoms and rights his constituents hold — the right to vote. Playing politics with the independence of our election is just another betrayal of Kemp’s most basic duties to serve Georgians," said Lauren Groh-Wargo, Fair Fight CEO.

Context: Last week, a lawsuit was filed against Gov. Kemp that asks a court to direct the governor to do his duty under state law and investigate the illegal and unethical actions alleged in ethics complaints made against the pro-Trump Election Board members. The lawsuit came after Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr provided Gov. Kemp an opinion stating that he is not required to investigate the members because the ethics complaints filed are not “formal” complaints. This assertion was made even though Georgia law does not define what a formal complaint is, something AG Carr’s opinion acknowledges.

This all comes as the pro-Trump Election Board members are changing election rules to force election officials to hand count ballots and empower local election officials to disrupt the certification of 20204 election results. The MAGA Election Board members’ actions are part of a confirmed local and national conspiracy which could obstruct the certification of Georgia’s 2024 election results and help Trump sow chaos in November.

Formal Ethics Complaint: On August 16, a “formal ethics complaint” against the MAGA Election Board members was filed with Gov. Kemp “under O.C.G.A. § 45-10-4” in his “capacity as the official responsible for receiving formal ethics complaints and resolving them under state law.” It laid out in a detailed nine page document how the state election board members, Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston, and Janelle King, allegedly failed “to uphold the laws and regulations of the State of Georgia.”

The complaint, submitted by a former Fulton County Board of Elections Chair, accuses the members of violating the Open Meetings Act and disregarding legal advice from the Georgia Attorney General’s office. The complaint called on Governor Kemp to order a prompt hearing, emphasizing the need to resolve these allegations before the November election to ensure public trust in the integrity of Georgia’s elections.

Unlawful Meeting of Election Board: On July 12, Republican members of the Georgia State Election Board went rogue to set up a meeting without public notice and seemingly without input from the Board’s Chair. Their actions were not in compliance with Georgia law which requires the Board Chair to give prior notice to each Board Member of the time and place of each meeting. The rules they tried to ram through in their unlawful meeting are the very rules that they later held another meeting to engage in a do-over vote and passed after a lawsuit alleged the meeting violated state law.

MAGA Election Sabotage Conspiracy: Reports have revealed months of email coordination between Georgia State Election Board member Dr. Janice Johnston, local Georgia election officials who support Trump’s Big Lie, and MAGA election deniers. The email correspondence reveals a secret effort to rewrite Georgia election certification rules. The emails build on other reports that show direct coordination between Election Board members and Georgia Republican Party leaders, Republican National Committee operatives, and Trump-connected election deniers, even some that supported his failed attempts to steal the 2020 election.

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