Despite Backlash, David Perdue Still Appearing with Marjorie Taylor Greene at Rally

Tomorrow, Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate David Perdue will appear alongside Marjorie Taylor Greene at her “Second Amendment and Freedom Rally” despite backlash from Republican leaders over her appearance last week at a white supremacist conference. Organized by Nick Fuentes, an infamous attendee of the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the America First Political Action Conference featured attendees cheering on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and praising Adolf Hitler before Greene’s remarks.

Not only did Perdue refuse to condemn Greene’s actions, but he and Brian Kemp have also refused to denounce Donald Trump, who last week praised Putin as “smart,” “savvy,” and a “genius.” This comes as thousands of Georgia-based U.S. troops from Fort Stewart deploy to Europe to defend our allies from a tyrant effusively praised by Perdue’s number one supporter. Even Perdue’s former boss in the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, denounced Greene, but Perdue refuses to weigh in and is doubling down by joining her onstage at the extremist rally.

Perdue and Kemp support permit-less carry legislation that would make it easier for criminals to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public –which 70% of Georgians oppose. SB 319 , allows the carrying of firearms in public without a permit, effectively eliminating part of the background check process which anyone wanting to carry a concealed firearm currently must undergo. States that have passed permit-less carry laws saw spikes in aggravated assaults with a gun up to 65%, while states that weakened their firearm permitting system saw up to a 15% increase in violent crime. 

“David Perdue’s silence on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s actions is cowardly — and his decision to double-down by joining her rally is despicable. His continued support for Greene marks a new low for Perdue in an already sad contest against Brian Kemp. As someone running for the state’s highest office, Perdue should be denouncing his fellow Georiga Republican’s participation in an event where attendees praised Vladimir Putin, celebrated the January 6 insurrection, and applauded racist, homophobic, and antisemitic remarks,” stated Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.

AJC Opinion: Opinion: Georgia doesn’t need Greene’s divisive antics:

• Anyone who’s ever recited the Pledge of Allegiance – let alone sworn an oath to defend America against enemies foreign or domestic – should be appalled at what transpired last week at the gathering of the America First Political Action Conference.

• Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene headlined the event, where attendees cheered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and chanted, “Putin, Putin,” shortly before Greene was introduced.

• Being willingly present where outrageous, inappropriate, anti-Semitic or racist comments are uttered is unacceptably another.

• Now, it is time for party leaders to sanction Greene for appearing at the conference.

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