Democratic Party of Georgia

Help Move Georgia Forward

RELEASE: Do Cagle and Kemp Agree with Trump on Russian Interference?

Trump Chooses Putin Over U.S. Intelligence; Do Kemp and Cagle?

GEORGIA – In the past several days, President Trump attacked our NATO allies, insulted Germany’s Chancellor and Britain’s Prime Minister, blamed a former president for Russia’s invasion of Crimea, and described the European Union as one of America’s ‘foes’.

But yesterday, Donald Trump made his most stunning proclamation regarding Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections:

“My people came to me, Dan Coates, came to me and some others they said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia.

“I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it would be. But I really do want to see the server but I have, I have confidence in both parties.”

“It sounded like Charlottesville when he blamed both the Neo-Nazi protesters and the activists who stood against them.” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “President Trump spent the day attacking our own institutions while praising Vladimir Putin. He equated our own intelligence agencies with Russian spies and said he has ‘confidence in both.’”

“Georgia has two Republicans running for Governor that are clamoring for President Trump’s endorsement. Does their loyalty include throwing American intelligence agencies under the bus? Do they agree with Trump that we should have confidence in both?”

“That’s a disaster for Georgia, a disaster for America and a solid victory for Putin and the Russian government.”

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VIDEO RELEASE: Cagle, Kemp Call Each Other Untrustworthy, Democratic Party of Georgia Agrees

Cagle, Kemp Hit the Nail on the Head: Georgia Voters Can’t Trust Either of Them

GEORGIA — Today, one week from the Republican Gubernatorial election, the Democratic Party of Georgia releases two videos, one featuring Casey Cagle and one featuring Brian Kemp, in which each calls out the other for being untrustworthy and unfit to be the next Governor of the state of Georgia.

Casey Cagle was recently caught on tape admitting that he put politics over policy and saying that the primary felt like it would go to who could be the “craziest”. He has also been plagued by revelations that he bought a condo from a lobbyist below market value and that he and his staff racked up $264,999 dollars in airplane flights on the taxpayer’s dime.

On the other hand, during Brian Kemp’s tenure as Secretary of State, his office was responsible for a reckless data breach in which over 6 million social security numbers were exposed on two separate occasions.  Kemp also defaulted on a loan worth $500,000 and took over $300,000 from people that he regulated as Secretary of State, including from Patrick Greco, former franchisee owner of two Massage Envy clinics. While Greco was owner, his Massage Envy clinics faced at least four complaints of men groping women.

One thing is for certain: Neither Kemp nor Cagle can be trusted to be the next leader for the state of Georgia.

“This much from the Republican debate was clear: Georgia voters cannot trust either Kemp or Cagle to look out for anybody but themselves,” said Georgia Democratic Party Chair DuBose Porter. “With the scandals piling up, Georgia voters are quickly learning that both Cagle and Kemp are too preoccupied with serving their own interests rather than those of everyday Georgians, and certainly ahead of leading our state.”

To view the video featuring Casey Cagle, click here.

To view the video featuring Brian Kemp, click here.

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Tom Price’s Latest Corruption Scandal Explained

Summary

  • Congressman Tom Price is under fire for yet another serious example of corruption: using his congressional office to pad his own pocket.
  • In this latest example, Rep. Price bought shares in the medical devices company Zimmer Biomet.
  • Less than a week after the purchase, he introduced legislation that would boost the company’s bottom line.
  • He spent a year and a half lobbying the Department of Health and Human Services for regulation changes that would also profit the company – and stockholders like himself.
  • This is not the only example of corruption. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported that Rep. Price traded over $300,000 in healthcare company stocks while using his office to advocate for legislation that could have impacted those stock prices and lined his pockets with cash.

Latest Tom Price Corruption Scandal

 

March 2016: Tom Price Bought Up To $15,000 Of Shares In Medical Device Manufacturer Zimmer Biomet “Rep. Tom Price last year purchased shares in a medical device manufacturer days before introducing legislation that would have directly benefited the company, raising new ethics concerns for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary. Price bought between $1,001 to $15,000 worth of shares last March in Zimmer Biomet, according to House records reviewed by CNN.” [CNN,1/16/17]

 

Less Than A Week Later Introduced Legislation To Delay A Pending CMS Regulation That Analysts Warned Would Hurt Zimmer Biomet “Less than a week after the transaction, the Georgia Republican congressman introduced the HIP Act, legislation that would have delayed until 2018 a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation that industry analysts warned would significantly hurt Zimmer Biomet financially once fully implemented.” [CNN, 1/16/17]

 

Zimmer Biomet Is One Of The World’s Leading Manufacturers Of Knee And Hip Implants, And Would Have Been One Of The Companies Hit Hardest By A CMS Rule Directly Changing Payments For Such Procedures. “Zimmer Biomet, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of knee and hip implants, was one of two companies that would have been hit the hardest by the new CMS regulation that directly impacts the payments for such procedures, according to press reports and congressional sources. After Price offered his bill to provide Zimmer Biomet and other companies relief from the CMS regulation, the company’s political action committee donated to the congressman’s reelection campaign, records show.” [CNN, 1/16/17]

Zimmer Biomet Would Have Been Hit Hard By A New CMS Regulation Changing Payments For Hip And Knee Implants Through Medicare, As Hip And Knee Implants Made Up 60 Percent Of The Company’s Revenue. “And over the past year-and-a-half, Price raised objections to the CMS regulation that proposed major changes to how providers and manufacturers are paid and reimbursed for hip and knee implants through Medicare. But medical device manufacturers, in particular, were poised to be hit the hardest by the new regulation, according to industry officials and congressional sources. And that posed a significant threat to Zimmer Biomet, which bills itself as a worldwide leader in hip and knee replacements. A report from trade publication Fierce Biotech last year said that the company’s hip and knee implants account for 60 percent of its revenue.” [CNN, 1/16/17]

September 2015: Tom Price Wrote To The Acting Administrator Of CMS Asking To Delay A Regulation Changing How Manufacturers Were Paid For Knee And Joint Implants, And Two Days Later Zimmer Biomet Donated To Price’s Campaign Committee. “And over the past year-and-a-half, Price raised objections to the CMS regulation that proposed major changes to how providers and manufacturers are paid and reimbursed for hip and knee implants through Medicare… In September 2015, Price spearheaded a letter to Andy Slavitt, the acting administrator of CMS, asking that the regulation be delayed because it ‘represents a significant change to our healthcare delivery system which could have a negative impact on patient choice, access and quality.’ Two days after the letter, Zimmer Biomet’s PAC cut Price’s reelection committee a check worth $1,000, according to campaign finance filings.” CNN, 1/16/17]

Three Months After Price Introduced Legislation To Delay A CMS Regulation, Zimmer Biomet’s PAC Cut Another Check To Price’s Campaign Committee. “When CMS didn’t listen to Price, the congressman unveiled his legislation to delay implementing the regulation until 2018, with the bill coming days after investing in the company [Zimmer Biomet], whose shares were worth $103.59 at the time. Three months after he introduced the bill, the company’s PAC cut Price’s campaign committee another $1,000 check, according to records.” [CNN, 1/16/17]

What We Already Knew

 

Price Traded Over $300,000 In Shares Of Health Companies As He Sponsored And Pushed Bills That Could Have Affected Those Companies’ Stock.  “President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the Health and Human Services Department [Price] traded more than $300,000 in shares of health-related companies over the past four years while sponsoring and advocating legislation that potentially could affect those companies’ stocks.” [Wall Street Journal, 12/22/16]

 

  • Since 2012, Price Traded Stock In About 40 Health, Pharmaceutical And Biomedical Companies, Including 12 When Congress Was In Session. “Rep. Tom Price, a Georgia Republican, bought and sold stock in about 40 health-care, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies since 2012, including a dozen in the current congressional session, according to a Wall Street Journal review of hundreds of pages of stock trades he filed with Congress.  In the same two-year period, he has sponsored nine and co-sponsored 35 health-related bills in the House.” [Wall Street Journal, 12/22/16]

 

  • Since 2012, Price Sponsored Nine Health Related Bills While Cosponsoring 35.“Rep. Tom Price, a Georgia Republican, bought and sold stock in about 40 health-care, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies since 2012, including a dozen in the current congressional session, according to a Wall Street Journal review of hundreds of pages of stock trades he filed with Congress.  In the same two-year period, he has sponsored nine and co-sponsored 35 health-related bills in the House.” [Wall Street Journal, 12/22/16]

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Voters Deserve to Know How Georgia House Republicans Voted in Secret GOP Meeting to Gut Office of Congressional Ethics

Atlanta, GA – Last night, House Republicans met behind closed doors and voted to effectively gut the Office of Congressional Ethics. After intense public outcry and criticism from Democrats, Republicans reversed course this morning and scrapped their own plans to overhaul the ethics department.

Since the vote was secret, Georgians are in the dark of knowing if any or all of Georgia’s 10 House Republicans were among the 119 members of the House Republican Conference who voted to eliminate the only independent ethics oversite of their own actions.

“The GOP is doing nothing to alleviate fears of an unaccountable majority party if this is their priority on the first day of the 115th Congress. So far, none of our 10 House Republicans have indicated if they voted for this betrayal of public trust. Georgians deserve answers, and Democrats are calling on these members to disclose just how they voted” – DuBose Porter, Chair

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BACKGROUND

New York Times [1/3/2017] – The Republican Ethics Vote: What Happened?

BIRTHERS IN THE HOUSE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Release:  Monday, October 31, 2016                                                                        

Atlanta, GA – Today, it was reported that a Republican candidate for Georgia’s State House has a well-documented history of peddling “birther” propaganda on social media. Republican Meagan Hanson—vying for the seat in House District 80—has frequently tweeted about President Barack Obama’s race and religion.

The Georgia GOP has an extensive, sordid history with the “birther” movement. Several vulnerable Republicans in the legislature signed on to 2011’s HB 401, also known as the “Presidential Eligibility Assurance Act.” The legislation would have required presidential candidates to provide their long-form birth certificate in order to appear on Georgia’s ballot. As voters head to the polls to reject the chief agitator of the birther movement, Donald Trump, they must also consider the electoral fate of his foot soldiers:

Valerie Clark (HD 101)

Gerald Greene (HD 151)

Mike Cheokas (HD 138)

Rich Golick (HD 40)

Ed Setzler (HD 35)

Rick Jasperse (HD 11)

Greg Morris (HD 156)

Tom Taylor (HD 79)

Darlene Taylor (HD 173)

This afternoon, Georgia Democrats condemned Republican candidates for their allegiance to the racist “birther” movement popularized by Donald Trump and demand they be held accountable for their rhetoric and record.

“Republicans have been twisting themselves in to knots trying to justify their support for one of the most racist presidential candidates in recent history. Donald Trump has refused to apologize for fanning the flames of the birther movement, but Georgia Republicans are no better in their unwillingness to apologize for slandering the nation’s first African-American president. Anything less than fully disavowing their legislative allegiance to birtherism and renouncing Donald Trump’s candidacy renders them unfit for office, and voters should and will hold them accountable at the polls.” – Michael Smith, Communications Director

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New York Times: “Republican polling has found that Mr. Trump is at dire risk of losing Georgia”

Release:  Wednesday, October 12, 2016                                                                 

“Mrs. Clinton’s campaign has concluded that at least two traditionally Republican states, Georgia and Arizona, are realistic targets for her campaign to win over. And Republican polling has found that Mr. Trump is at dire risk of losing Georgia, according to people briefed on the polls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.”

Split Over Donald Trump Threatens to Tilt Republican States

NEW YORK TIMES // ALEXANDER BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN

Donald J. Trump’s intensifying battle with his own party is tearing open the nation’s political map, pulling Republicans across the country into a self-destructive feud that could imperil dozens of lawmakers in Congress and potentially throw conservative-leaning states into Hillary Clinton’s column.

Democrats are moving swiftly to exploit Mr. Trump’s crumbling position in the presidential race, aiming to run up a big margin of victory for Mrs. Clinton and extend their political advantage into the congressional elections next month.

Mrs. Clinton’s campaign has concluded that at least two traditionally Republican states, Georgia and Arizona, are realistic targets for her campaign to win over. And Republican polling has found that Mr. Trump is at dire risk of losing Georgia, according to people briefed on the polls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Mrs. Clinton now holds such a strong upper hand that Priorities USA, a “super PAC” backing her campaign, may direct some of its war chest into Senate races, two people said, and may begin broadcasting ads for those contests as soon as next week. Congressional Democrats also hope to persuade Mrs. Clinton to continue pouring money and campaign resources into states like Virginia and Colorado, where they believe her victory is assured, in order to lift other Democratic candidates.

In a signal of Democrats’ growing focus on the House and Senate, Mrs. Clinton used a visit on Tuesday to Miami to attack both Mr. Trump and Senator Marco Rubio, whom Mrs. Clinton blasted for what she described as his indifference to climate change.

“We need to elect people up and down the ballot, at every level of government, who take it seriously,” Mrs. Clinton said, adding, “It is an unacceptable response for Marco Rubio, when asked about climate change, to say, ‘I’m not a scientist.’”

Mrs. Clinton’s campaign chairman, John D. Podesta, told reporters that she would continue to call out down-ballot Republicans. Mr. Rubio is among the Republicans whom Priorities USA may seek to defeat, if the group decides to intervene in Senate races, one strategist said.

Increasingly anxious Republicans have not come up with a unified strategy for containing the damage from Mr. Trump’s embattled candidacy, and several strategists and party officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they were awaiting a new round of polling before settling on a course. But, in a sign that Republicans now view the presidential race as a lost cause, several Senate candidates are preparing ads asking voters to elect them as a check on Mrs. Clinton in the White House.

Yet Mr. Trump himself, having been rejected in recent days by dozens of Republican elected officials, has indicated that he will make any separation an exceptionally messy and painful ordeal for the party.

Mr. Trump lashed out publicly on Tuesday morning at two of his best-known critics: Senator John McCain of Arizona, who withdrew his endorsement of Mr. Trump over the weekend, and Paul D. Ryan, the speaker of the House, who informed congressional Republicans on Monday that he would no longer defend Mr. Trump.

Seething on Twitter, Mr. Trump attacked Mr. Ryan as “weak and ineffective” and described Mr. McCain as “very foul mouthed.” And in a Fox News interview, Mr. Trump mocked both men as disloyal, reserving special venom for Mr. Ryan.

“Paul Ryan opened borders and amnesty and bad budgets,” Mr. Trump said.

He declared himself a liberated man, writing on Twitter:. “It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to.”

Should Mr. Trump continue deriding the leaders of the institutional Republican Party, it could have profound consequences down the ballot, potentially depressing turnout by demoralizing the party or leading Mr. Trump’s ardent supporters to deny their votes to Republicans who abandoned him. But there is little Republicans can do to control Mr. Trump’s behavior: The party’s donors have no leverage over him, he is relying largely on small donors and, at 70, he is not mindful of any future campaign.

The emerging dynamic may be especially toxic for Republicans in swing states that are also home to competitive races for the House and Senate, where the party’s candidates must choose between two unpalatable options: alienating much of their party’s base, or standing behind a nominee who is unacceptable to most mainstream voters. The voting bloc that especially concerns Republican officials are the right-of-center, college-educated voters who usually favor Republican candidates but cannot abide Mr. Trump. These voters can make up anywhere between a quarter to a third of the party’s electoral coalition.

“That voter is clearly not going to vote for Donald Trump,” said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist who is working on several Senate races. “But if they don’t vote at all, it’s catastrophic for us.”

The nightmare possibility for the party is that swing voters punish the party because of Mr. Trump, the anti-Trump Republicans stay at home and Mr. Trump’s base casts a ballot for him and then leaves the polls. Under those conditions, Senate races in places like Pennsylvania and North Carolina could fall to Democrats, while Senate and House races in places like Missouri, Arizona and Kansas could move to the center of the battlefield.

Already, Republicans view Mr. Trump’s sharp downturn in the presidential race as having jeopardized their majorities in Congress. A poll published on Tuesday by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal found Mr. Trump trailing Mrs. Clinton by nine percentage points nationally and drawing just 37 percent of the vote. No major-party nominee since World War II has received a smaller share of the vote. But in an illustration of the bind Republicans are in, the poll found that three-fourths of Republicans believed their candidates should stay loyal to Mr. Trump.

In Nevada, the Republican candidate for Senate, Representative Joe Heck, withdrew his support from Mr. Trump over the weekend, and is facing a furious backlash.

Sandie Kirwin, a Las Vegas retail manager supportive of Mr. Trump, said she might now vote for a Democrat over Mr. Heck in a critical Senate race.

“I think of Joe Heck the same I do of any Republican not supporting Donald Trump,” said Ms. Kirwin, 52. “I will never support any of them, and I will do what I can to get them out of office.”

But other Republican-leaning voters say they may punish those who fail to denounce Mr. Trump. Several Republicans in difficult Senate races have criticized Mr. Trump in strong terms without coming out in opposition to his candidacy, including Senators Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, Richard M. Burr of North Carolina and Mr. Rubio.

In Pennsylvania, Jaye Steuterman, a registered Republican and a real estate agent in Doylestown, said she was still undecided on which presidential candidate to vote for. She said she was deeply unsettled by Mr. Trump’s past comments about forcing himself on women, but that might not be enough to stop her voting for him.

“I don’t know what’s more important to me — that, or the fact that Hillary is a liar,” Ms. Steuterman said.

In the Senate race, she is inclined to vote for Mr. Toomey because he is a Republican, but her decision could depend on whether he supports Mr. Trump.

Even the drastic step of denouncing Mr. Trump may not be enough to shield Republicans from his unpopularity. In a conference call on Tuesday with the Democratic caucus, Representative Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that party polling found voters drawing scant distinction between Republicans who endorsed Mr. Trump and those who abandoned him out of political expediency, according to people who participated in the call, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because it was supposed to be private.

On the same call, Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the third-ranking House Democrat, expressed concern that Mrs. Clinton might abandon states that she is all but sure to win, but where Democrats are still locked in competitive races. Mr. Clyburn asked Representative Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader, to contact Mrs. Clinton’s campaign to ensure it would not withdraw resources from Virginia and Colorado.

“Most people think the House now could be in play,” said Representative John Yarmuth of Kentucky. “There’s a little bit of scrambling going on to identify races that could flip if the presidential race somehow gets to a 10-point margin.”

Like their Republican counterparts, Democrats do not plan to make final strategy decisions until they receive new polling. But they have already begun aggressively attacking Republicans, even as those officials retreat from Mr. Trump.

Three Democratic congressional candidates have started running ads this week that showcase footage of Mr. Trump describing sexual assault in graphic terms, from a 2005 recording. Gov. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who is challenging Senator Kelly Ayotte, used the footage in a campaign video on Tuesday, saying Ms. Ayotte recently denounced Mr. Trump only to “protect herself.”

And outside groups supporting congressional Democrats have begun to reallocate their spending to take advantage of the shifting environment. The House Majority PAC, the principal outside group supporting House Democrats, this week made a $1.2 million reservation to contest the suburban Philadelphia seat held by Representative Michael G. Fitzpatrick, who is retiring.

In affluent, suburban areas, which were already trending strongly toward Democrats after the first presidential debate, Republican survival may depend on the willingness of voters to separate their feelings about the presidential race from their voting behavior in all other elections.

Outside a ski shop on Tuesday in Aurora, Colo., Sharon and Les Sparks said they were disappointed by Republicans pulling away from Mr. Trump, whom Mr. Sparks described as “spoiled little entitled brats.” Among those lawmakers is Representative Mike Coffman, a Denver-area congressman who has been critical of Mr. Trump for months and recently called on him to end his campaign.

Still, Mr. and Ms. Sparks said they would vote for Mr. Coffman, despite their frustration. “They need to unite,” said Ms. Sparks, 49, a project manager in the health industry. “If you’re going to be in the Republican Party, you need to start standing behind the party.”

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Democratic Party of Georgia Statement on Donald Trump’s Vile Comments About Women

Release:  Saturday, October 8, 2016      

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia Executive Director Rebecca DeHart issued the following statement on the latest revelations of Donald Trump’s treatment of women.

“Throughout the course of his campaign, we—as a nation—keep asking ourselves what Donald Trump could possibly do to sink lower. Anyone who denigrates and objectifies women, and brags about sexual assault, is completely and wholly unfit for elected office. How could any parent cast their vote for this vile, dangerous man and then come home and look their child in the eyes.

“Make no mistake. Young girls are paying attention to how we as a society respond to a man who boasts of forcibly groping a woman. Young boys are paying attention to our response to a man who calls women ‘pigs’ and ‘slobs.’

“Equally as shocking is the Georgia GOP’s silence and complacency. Where’s the leadership? Why haven’t Senators Johnny Isakson and David Perdue and the rest of their Party condemned their candidate and immediately withdrawn their support?

“In a year in which Democrats are finally shattering that glass ceiling, Georgians are left with a stark choice this November. But there is also a stark choice facing the Republican Party. As their nominee he is their standard bearer—representative of their party. And they have the choice to reject him. I hope, for the sake of women and girls everywhere, they send him packing.”

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Georgia GOP’s Silence Becomes Seal of Approval for Trump’s Lies and Insults

Release:  Thursday, September 8, 2016    

Atlanta, GA – Donald Trump not only failed last night’s Commander-in-Chief test—he doubled down on his reckless foreign policy ideas and offensive rhetoric. Among the lowlights of the evening…

On his plan to defeat Isis:  “If we’re going to get out, take the oil.”

On Vladimir Putin: “If he says great things about me, I’m going to say great things about him. I’ve already said, he is really very much of a leader. I mean, you can say, oh, isn’t that a terrible thing — the man has very strong control over a country. Now, it’s a very different system, and I don’t happen to like the system. But certainly, in that system, he’s been a leader, far more than our president has been a leader.”

On American generals: “I think under the leadership of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the generals have been reduced to rubble. They have been reduced to a point where it’s embarrassing for our country.”

On his offensive tweet about rape in the military: “It’s a correct tweet.”

At a press conference this morning, Hillary Clinton called on all Republicans to respond to Donald Trump’s offensive remarks.

Today, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter echoed Clinton’s challenge, calling on Georgia Republicans—including Senator Johnny Isakson—to either support or disavow Trump’s lies and insults.

“The Georgia GOP can’t keep straddling the fence. Their silence has become a seal of approval. If the top of your ticket praises foreign dictators yet insults our own military, push politics aside and do the right thing. They should denounce Donald Trump now.” – DuBose Porter, Chair

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GA Senate Republicans Pass FADA, Promoting State-sanctioned Discrimination

Release:  Friday, February 19, 2016                                                                                               

 

Georgia Senate Republicans Pass FADA, Promoting State-sanctioned Discrimination

 

 

Atlanta, GA – Today, the Georgia State Senate passed the so-called First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). Using every trick in the political maneuvering playbook, Republicans passed the bill out of an unlikely committee and used a procedural maneuver to stifle dissenting voices.

 

Democratic Party of Georgia Communications Director Michael Smith issued the following statement on today’s vote.

 

“Senate Republicans manipulated the rules to sidestep public input. They know that a majority of Georgians do not believe in discrimination and exclusion. Those aren’t our values. That’s not who we are.

 

“If this piece of legislation is signed in to law, millions of hard-earned tax dollars will be spent to get the radical right’s paw prints out of the henhouse. This bill is not only an attack on the dignity of LGBTQ families, but an attack on all families and an attack on our state’s reputation. This bill is bad business and nothing more than a vulgar political stunt wielded by politicians who want to erase the progress we’ve made as a country.

 

“Democrats will continue to fight these types of disingenuous attacks on Georgia families, and will continue to fight for a more just and equal state.”

 

Data Breach Scandal Once Again Brings into Question Whether SoS Brian Kemp is Up to the Job

Release:  Thursday, November 19, 2015                                                                                         

 

Data Breach Scandal Once Again Brings into Question Whether Secretary of State Brian Kemp is Up to the Job

 

 

Atlanta, GA – Yesterday, several outlets reported that Secretary of State Brian Kemp may have compromised the privacy and economic security of more than six million Georgians by disclosing their social security numbers and other personal information.

 

But this isn’t the first time Kemp has proved incapable of handling large amounts of data. Other divisions of the Secretary of State have been in shambles for years.

 

The Professional Licensing Boards Division and Corporations Division—both of which are overseen by Brian Kemp—have both been plagued by reports of mismanagement.

 

Two years ago, concerns over the Nursing Board were raised, with the board president admitting that the “the board regularly takes upward of two years to process a complaint and issue a ruling.” At the time, it was reported that the North Carolina Board of Nursing regulated the same amount of nurses as Georgia, but processed complaints in “a fraction of the time”—taking an average of 45 days to resolve complaints. While a backlog of complaints in Georgia ballooned, nurses accused of malpractice—sometimes involving the death of a patient—were allowed to continue practicing medicine.

 

In early 2013, Brian Kemp was forced to extend annual corporation registrations due to SoS website issues.

 

Questions continue to pile up regarding Brian Kemp’s ability to effectively execute his duties as Secretary of State. While small business owners recovering from an economic recession have been hamstrung by his corporations division, patients put at risk because of backlogs, and licensed professionals—including electrical contractors, accountants, and cosmetologists—struggle with the licensing division’s renewal process, this latest debacle with Kemp’s elections division casts doubt on the Secretary of State’s ability to serve the people of Georgia.

 

“Either Brian Kemp’s office is a living disaster movie, or the procedures and safeguards in place are wholly ineffective. Kemp saying this data breach is a ‘clerical’ error is absolutely disrespectful to the millions of Georgians now fearing for their economic security—especially right before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

 

“We have yet to hear what exactly Brian Kemp is doing to clean up this mess. Where is the hotline for consumers? Where is any kind of education from the SoS on how Georgians can protect their bank accounts? Where is the complete list of persons, organizations, or companies who received this personal information? Kemp needs to do right by Georgians and accept full responsibility for his egregious errors.” – Michael Smith, Democratic Party of Georgia Communications Director

 

 

 

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Background

 

WABE (11-18-2015) – 6 Million Ga. Voters’ Personal Information Released

 

AJC (11-18-2015) – Georgia: ‘Clerical error’ in data breach involving 6 million voters

 

WJCL (11-18-2015) – Lawsuit alleges Georgia’s Secretary of State released voters’ personal information

Excerpts from Chairman Porter’s Press Call re: GOP Presidential Contenders

Today—as Georgia Republicans gather in Athens for their state convention—Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter held a press call to highlight the out-of-touch and extreme views held by visiting GOP presidential contenders. Here are a few excerpts of Chairman Porter’s remarks:

 

“This weekend, Georgia Republicans are holding their state convention in Athens. While their usual suspects—like Nathan Deal, Johnny Isakson, and David Perdue—will be on hand to share their out-of-touch vision for our state with the party faithful, the GA GOP has outsourced some primetime speaking spots to a few of their presidential hopefuls.”

 

“To anyone who’s paying attention, these introductions aren’t necessary. It’s like the clown car just rolled in to town. We know enough about these three men to know that Georgians cannot afford what they are offering.”

 

 

On Chris Christie

 

“While I’m sure he claimed to be a problem-solver who ‘gets things done,’ let me fill you in on a few missing pieces of his resume. Christie’s administration has driven New Jersey’s economy into the ditch by giving massive tax breaks to corporations and those at the top, while their middle class families have been left behind. Georgia’s own middle class has suffered long enough under Nathan Deal. The last thing hard-working Georgians need is the Christie model brought to the national level—skyrocketing taxes for seniors, lagging job growth, and rising unemployment.”

 

“And Georgia has had enough of Republican leadership mired in scandal. There are too many unanswered questions about Christie’s involvement in Bridgegate. If he can’t be trusted in his own home state, why on earth would we send Chris Christie to the White House?”

 

On Marco Rubio

 

“Rubio would like for everyone to view his candidacy as a fresh style of leadership, but in fact, he’s nothing more than a follower who would rather pander to the GOP base than do what’s right by Georgians.”

 

“A prime example of this kind of pandering happened just a few months ago, when Rubio joined Georgia Senators Johnny Isakson and David Perdue in undermining President Obama’s foreign policy by signing on to Tom Cotton’s reckless—and embarrassing—letter to Iranian leaders.”

 

“Georgia—and the rest of the nation—has too much at stake to elect a man who said the Paycheck Fairness Act was a ‘waste of time,’ said that Social Security and Medicare has ‘weakened us as a people,’ fought to block access to affordable health care, and has consistently dismissed the evident and imminent threat posed by manmade climate change.”

 

On Ted Cruz

 

“God help us all if this is the kind of leadership Georgia Republicans want to bring to the White House. Ted Cruz is a living, breathing embodiment of everything that is wrong with the GOP.”

 

“In 2013, Ted Cruz led efforts to shut down the federal government for 16 days. His recklessness cost our nation’s economy $24 billion.”

 

“Here at home, with Georgians already under hardship because of Nathan Deal’s failed economic policies, Ted Cruz’s cheap stunt cost our state $324 million.”

 

“Just look at his record in the Senate. Cruz has called for a flat tax that would benefit a few folks at the top, but place a huge burden on working Georgians who are already fighting to cover life’s most basic needs. Cruz wants to abolish the Department of Education and voted against efforts to help Americans refinance student loans at a lower rate. He’s referred to Social Security as a Ponzi scheme and even suggested that it’s cheaper to provide emergency care than expand Medicaid.”

 

“Ted’s ideology is out of the mainstream, and his policies pose a serious threat to Georgia’s middle class and those looking to work their way in to it.”

 

Summary

 

“Looking at this roster the Georgia GOP has brought in, it illustrates how out-of-touch their party has become. This isn’t the kind of leadership America needs, and it’s certainly not the kind of leadership Georgia needs. Folks here in Georgia and the rest of the county deserve leaders that will solve problems and maintain the public’s trust. But what the GOP is offering this weekend is a record of abuse of power, political opportunism, partisan stunts, and tone-deaf rhetoric that does nothing to solve the very real problems we face. In fact, the GOP IS the problem.”

 

“Georgians are paying attention to what is said and done during this GOP race to bottom primary. And by the time we reach next November’s election, our choice will be crystal clear. We can erase the progress of the last six years by adopting the failed policies of the Republican Party, or we can elect a Democrat and continue to move our country forward and strengthen our middle class.”

Georgia Legislators Target Deal’s Unrepresentative Appointments to Top Boards

Release: Tuesday, August 26, 2014

 

Georgia Legislators Target Deal’s Unrepresentative Appointments to Top Boards

 
 

Atlanta, GA – Today, prominent women and African American legislators assailed Gov. Nathan Deal’s appointments of wealthy campaign contributors to the state’s most powerful boards. The governor defended the appointments—the vast majority of whom are wealthy white men—by saying he wants to appoint people who he has “confidence” in and who think the way he thinks.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last week that more than four-fifths of members of the state’s most powerful three boards—the Board of Regents, Georgia Ports Authority and Board of Natural Resources—have contributed nearly $1.3 million to Deal’s campaign and political action committee. Of the 51 positions, 43 are held by white men while only five are women and one is an African American.

Responding to the report, Deal told WSB and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Any governor appoints people who think the way he thinks, who are going to carry out policies that he believes are important in board settings. Some of these boards are very important boards. They do help set the direction and course of our state. I don’t want to appoint somebody that I don’t know, or I don’t have any confidence that they won’t have the same general point of view.”

Democratic leaders responded:

“Women make up over half the electorate, vote more consistently than men, and yet women account for less than 10 percent of Nathan Deal’s appointments to the state’s top three boards. That’s just wrong,” said State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, House District 91, Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

“The numbers speak for themselves. 94 percent of Governor Deal’s appointments to the state’s top boards are white and 90 percent are men. That doesn’t look like Georgia,” said State Rep. Virgil Fludd, House District 64, Chair of the House Democratic Caucus

“Governor Deal said he does not appoint anyone he does not know or have confidence in. Based on his record of appointments, one can conclude that he either does not know or does not have confidence in woman or African Americans and for any appointments remaining during his time in office I would be happy to introduce him to both!” said State Rep. Roger Bruce, House District 61

“Nathan Deal clearly hasn’t demonstrated that he values diversity in his board appointments. It seems to me that if you don’t fit a certain demographic, then don’t expect to have a representative voice at those highest levels of state government,” said State Rep. Howard Mosby, House District 83

In contrast, Sen. Jason Carter has promised to release donor information and any conflicts of interest of any appointments he would make as governor.

 

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QUESTION FOR DAVID PERDUE: When You Outsourced Hundreds Of American Jobs, Did Your Company Get A Tax Break?

QUESTION FOR DAVID PERDUE: When You Outsourced Hundreds Of American Jobs, Did Your Company Get A Tax Break?

In Today’s AJC, Perdue Unveils Support For Tax Breaks For Companies That Ship Jobs Overseas While Raising Cash From Party Leaders In DC

As A Corporate Executive, Perdue Led Efforts To Outsource 1,700 Jobs & Hand American Workers Pink Slips

DPG: “Georgians deserve to know if Perdue and the firm he worked for got a tax break for laying off American workers.”

 

ATLANTA, GA — Georgians are reading in this morning’s Atlanta Journal Constitution how David Perdue announced his opposition to eliminating tax breaks for firms that ship jobs overseas while raising money with national party leaders in Washington, D.C. His announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise to Georgians — as a corporate executive, David Perdue led efforts to fire hundreds of workers and ship their jobs overseas.

 

Perdue’s announcement begs the question, posed by Michael Smith of the Democratic Party of Georgia:

 

“While orchestrating the layoffs of hundreds of American workers and shipping their jobs overseas, did David Perdue and his firm get a tax break — the same tax breaks he endorsed yesterday?  Georgians deserve to know whether Perdue and his firm prospered from the tax break he now supports.”

 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Perdue’s announcement this morning:

Perdue’s visit to Washington came amid a flurry of activity as Congress prepares to leave town for August, including a failed vote in the Senate on a bill that would have prevented companies from deducting from their taxes expenses related to moving operations overseas. Republicans blocked the bill, calling it an election-year gimmick.

…

Perdue said he was not familiar with the Senate bill, but he would tackle the issue by overhauling the tax code and reducing federal regulations.

“Rather than penalizing people for going offshore, we’ve got to make ourselves more competitive,” Perdue said. 

 

It’s been widely reported how David Perdue was literally THE executive in charge of moving 1,700 jobs overseas at a Texas manufacturing firm. MSNBC wrote earlier this year:

As senior vice president, Perdue was in charge of international operations at Haggar and later domestic operations as well. Under [Perdue’s] watch, the company did what so many clothing manufacturers did at the time: closed down factory lines in America and outsourced production overseas where labor was cheap and regulations were less restrictive.

That meant cutting hundreds of jobs at South Texas facilities in Weslaco, Edinburg, and Brownsville and producing clothes in countries like Mexico, where the average manufacturing employee earned about $1.50 an hour in wages and benefits.

 

For his part, Perdue even boasted in that report how skilled he was at outsourcing, saying:

“To politicians who have never been in a free enterprise system this sounds really easy,” Perdue said. “It is anything but easy. It’s very messy.”

 

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What’s wrong with them?

GOP NOT Welcome copy

 

Remember that GOP autopsy and subsequent “rebranding” attempt? If none of that rings familiar, don’t worry—Georgia Republicans seem to have completely forgotten as well.

 

Republicans in Georgia and at the national level have bragged about this rebranding project in an attempt to convince us that the GOP is a more tolerant, inclusive party.

 

About that…

 

Jody Hice is a Republican running to replace Paul Broun in Congress. Hice has a history of repulsive comments—he’s suggested that supporters of choice are worse than Hitler, compared being gay to beastiality and incest and said that he has no problem with women running for political office “if the woman’s within the authority of her husband.”

 

Now, Jody Hice has turned his attention to followers of the Islamic faith. Here’s what he had to say:

 

“Most people think Islam is a religion, it’s not. It’s a totalitarian way of life with a religious component. But it’s much larger. It’s a geo-political system that has governmental, financial, military, legal and religious components. And it’s a totalitarian system that encompasses every aspect of life and it should not be protected [under U.S. law].”

 

But he doesn’t stop there…

 

“…That’s why Islam would not qualify for First Amendment protection since it’s a geopolitical system … This is a huge thing to realize and I hope you do. This will impact our lives if we don’t get a handle on it.”

 

Message to the Georgia Republican Party—if you want your outreach efforts to be taken seriously, stop putting racists and right-wing fanatics on the ballot.

 

Just this weekend, Nathan Deal was spotted pallin’ around with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. When Huckabee expressed concern that the two being spotted together might hurt Deal’s reelection bid, Deal said “You helped me get there in the first place.”

 

Last Thursday, Huckabee—who Deal calls a “good friend”—compared the Republican fight against LGBT marriage equality to fighting against Nazi Germany.

 

Phil Kent, Republican talking head and Deal political appointee to the Georgia Immigration Enforcement Board—who has called Somali refugees “primitive people“—recently said the notion of all cultures being equal is a “great lie”.

 

But it should come as no surprise that this is the company that Nathan Deal keeps. After all, Deal has derided minority voters as “ghetto grandmothers” and talked about judging a child’s potential based solely on the way they look.

 

And in just a few weeks, the GOP will choose a candidate for U.S. Senate between the guy who wants underprivileged children to sweep the floors for their free or reduced lunch and the guy who makes fun of people who don’t have a college degree.

 

The second runner-up in that Senate race likes to post things like this about First Lady Michelle Obama on Facebook.

 

This is the Republican Party’s problem. The GOP would rather stick with a strategy of throwing red meat to the most extreme wing of their base with disgusting rhetoric than address the very real problems they have with women, people of color, and the LGBT community.

 

The Democratic Party of Georgia realizes that our Party is not perfect and there is much work to be done. But our progress has accelerated because of Georgia Democrats’ commitment to tolerance, inclusion, and values that seek to lift people up rather than tear them down.

 

This year, Georgia Democrats have a ballot that reflects the diversity of our Party and our state.

 

Georgia Republicans? Not. So. Much.

 

It certainly seems as though the Georgia Republican Party has given up any attempt to reach out to new voters. And with rhetoric like that of Jody Hice and the rest of this crew…that isn’t going to change any time soon.

 

 

Release: DPG Chair Responds to News of Multi-Million Dollar Settlements in Ethics Lawsuits Involving Nathan Deal

Release:  Friday, June 13, 2014      

 

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Responds to News of Multi-Million Dollar Settlements in Ethics Lawsuits Involving Nathan Deal

 

 

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter released the following statement in response to news that the State of Georgia will settle the two remaining civil lawsuits against its ethics commission. In May, the state agreed to pay former ethics commission head Stacey Kalberman $1.3 million. Reports say the second and third settlements will total $1.8 million—moving the final amount to more than $3 million. All three lawsuits are related to an investigation into Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2010 campaign.

 

“What I really have to say is not fit for print. It must be nice to not have to pay for your own ethics violations—but after decades of living off of taxpayer money, why wouldn’t Nathan Deal expect us to pay for this too?

 

“It’s reprehensible that hospitals are closing, students are being cheated out of the education they deserve, our state agencies have been stripped of funding to the point that we can’t protect children in danger, yet our governor can find enough money in our state budget to sweep his election-year headaches under the rug.

 

“Apparently an aversion to embarrassing ethics trials and a win-at-all-costs mindset are enough to burden taxpayers with the consequences of Nathan Deal’s own unethical behavior. But avoiding accountability as a campaign strategy is just flat out wrong. Voters won’t—and should not—forget this.”

 

 

 

###

 

BACKGROUND

 

AJC 6/13/14 – State settles all remaining ethics commission cases

DPG 5/28/14 – Deal Finally Admits His Office Advised Ethics Commission on Replacing the Executive Director

WABE 5/22/14 – Campaign 2014: A Conversation with Republican Governor Nathan Deal

DPG via WSB – Nathan Deal Suggests New Restrictions for Good Government Whistleblowers

 

 

Release: DPG Chair Calls on GA GOP to Table Extreme Health Care Legislation

Republican Lawmakers Should Stop Playing Primary Games with Georgians’ Access to Health Insurance

Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman Porter asks Georgia GOP to act in best interests of Georgians by tabling HB 707 and HB 990

 

Atlanta, GA – This session, Georgia Republican legislators have introduced multiple pieces of legislation to block the implementation of health care reform. Two bills designed to drastically reduce consumers’ ability to learn about and access health care coverage through the exchange. Both HB 707 and HB 990 have already passed the House and now they await a vote in the Senate.

 

If HB 707 were to pass the Senate this week, it would prohibit any state agency from using resources or spending funds to advocate for the expansion of Medicaid, prohibit insurance navigators—like the UGA Health Navigator Program—from directing consumers to the federal exchange, and the bill would prohibit the Commissioner of Insurance from investigating or enforcing any violations of the ACA—including discrimination by insurance companies based on pre-existing conditions.

 

“This seems pretty simple to me—Georgia Republicans would rather watch uninsured Georgians get sicker and sicker than to admit there are popular provisions of the Affordable Care Act that are already saving lives,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair and former State House Speaker Pro Tem DuBose Porter. “HB 707 says it’s okay to charge women higher premiums than men. HB 707 codifies what Republican Ralph Hudgens has said—that having breast cancer, asthma, or diabetes is ‘your fault.’ HB 707 says that it’s okay for insurance companies to spend whatever amount of your premium dollars they want on bureaucracy and bonuses.”

 

Republican state lawmakers have enabled Gov. Nathan Deal’s desire to shirk responsibility by introducing HB 990. Currently, Gov. Deal has the ability to broaden access to health care for over 600,000 Georgians and throw a critical lifeline to struggling rural hospitals with one pen stroke by expanding Medicaid. Yet, with HB 990—crafted and strengthened by the governor’s own staff—Georgia Republicans have instead thrown an Election Year lifeline to Deal by removing his authority to expand Medicaid and giving it to the state legislature.

 

“There is no accountability with this governor,” said Chairman Porter. “Sure, solving Georgia’s health care problems isn’t easy—but if Nathan Deal doesn’t want the responsibility of governing, he should stick to the salvage business.”

 

Georgia Democrats have repeatedly called for Gov. Deal and the Georgia Republican Party to work with Democratic lawmakers to expand access to affordable health care and fix our state’s broken system. Instead, Republicans have introduced these dangerous pieces of legislation, said that rural hospitals “need to close” and even compared hospitals to crack addicts.

 

“If Nathan Deal and his Party want to act in the best interest of Georgians, they would table both of these bills,” concluded Chairman Porter. “Rural Georgians shouldn’t be forced to drive an extra thirty miles in their hour of need just because Nathan Deal let their hospital go belly up. These nightmare scenarios are happening right now and Georgia Republicans seem just fine with it as long as their chest-beating ekes out a few extra votes in their primary.”

 

 

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Why Don’t Republicans Trust Women?

Why Don’t Republicans Trust Women?

 

 Georgia Republicans are at it again, targeting women and taking away our rights. And I’m fed up.

 

Monday, our State Senate will vote on SB 98, a bill that will prohibit any health plan sold through the health care exchange from providing abortion coverage, for any reason except for an unconstitutional definition of “medical emergency.” It also bans abortion coverage for every single person covered by the state health benefit plan in this state.

 

I could go on and on about the awful intricacies of this bill—how it’s unconstitutional, how it will leave victims of horrific crimes without options, how it unfairly targets low-income women and their families, how all its authors are men and it was vetted by an all-male committee… And believe me, there is a lot wrong with this bill, and all of that deserves to be aired. But instead, I’m going to share with you why I’m taking this latest assault so personally. And then I’m going to share with you a glimmer of hope.

 

This week, I’ll be a happy 36 weeks pregnant. Like my mother and sisters before me, I have now experienced, and continue to do so, the highs and lows of pregnancy.  Specifically, I’ve felt the fear, the absolute terror, of having to endure extra tests to see if my pregnancy was healthy.

 

Luckily, my son appears to be in good health. But that’s not the case for a lot of women. Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong during pregnancy, and for that reason termination may become a necessity.

 

And it should be covered by insurance.

 

As of December 2012, more than 650,000 people were covered by the State Health Benefit Plan—and the average annual pay for a state employee was $20,548. Now imagine a woman, making $20k a year, who finds out at her anatomy scan that her child is anencephalic, or without a brain, and will die at birth. How can she possibly afford the thousands of dollars that surgery will cost because Georgia Republicans think they know what’s better for her and her family than she does? Their absolute callous disregard may force women to become walking tombs.

 

Georgia Republicans have no right telling us what medical procedure we may or may not have. Because the truth of the matter is, not one of the men pushing SB 98 has experienced pregnancy. And not one of those men deserves the authority to make a decision for me or any other woman. And we need to call our legislators every day telling them as much, take our anger to facebook and twitter and talk about our rights with our friends and colleagues.

 

Simply put, we can’t let the Republicans win.

 

Because there is hope. And for me, my hope is in the Democratic Party right here in Georgia.

 

I was seven months pregnant when I started on the job as the Executive Director of the Democratic Party, and I can tell you that the leadership here didn’t bat an eye.  It never crossed our Chairman’s mind that my pregnancy should be seen as a liability to my employability. Instead, he stated we should do more to model how maternity leave should be for women across our state.

 

Friends, this is not a small distinction. When it comes to truly supporting women and families—our parties could not be more different.

 

Republicans are fighting against contraception coverage, against access to health care, against privacy rights, against equal pay laws and against laws that keep women safe from discrimination.

 

Democrats are fighting for laws that protect and empower women, laws that preserve our rights to health care, demand equal pay for equal work and laws that prevent discrimination.

 

Our parties could not be more different when it comes to supporting women, and I’m so proud to be on the side that seeks to lift women up, rather than tear them down.

 

Monday, I’ll be down at the Capitol and I hope you will join me. Keep an eye out for me. I’ll be the really pregnant lady fighting back.

 

Sincerely,

 

Rebecca DeHart

Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Georgia