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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Deal and Democrats Agree: Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle are No Nathan Deal

As Deal Attempts to Protect His Legacy, Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle Have Yet to Earn His Trust

GEORGIA – Today, in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nathan Deal revealed his reason for not offering an endorsement in the increasingly disruptive Republican Gubernatorial Runoff.

According to Deal, the reason is because “I’ve tried to let both candidates run their own campaigns” adding, “I do have an interest in trying to make sure that whoever my successor is does not go in and undo and destroy many of the great advances that we’ve made. That is my primary concern.”

On this, the Democratic Party of Georgia agrees: Deal has very valid reasons to be concerned and very little incentive to throw his hat behind either of the two Republican candidates running for Governor. Since the day they both declared their intent to run for Governor, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have been proposing policies that would precisely undo and destroy the advances that Georgia has made under the Deal Administration, particularly on Georgia’s business climate. See below:

Business Climate

A new CNBC report shows that Georgia has dropped from the #2 place to do business to the #7 place to do business in less than one year. Instead of following Deal’s lead of allowing Georgia businesses to foster and grow, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have consistently chosen their own personal politics over Georgia business.

Delta Removes NRA Privileges:

Nathan Deal: Called the Delta controversy an “unbecoming squabble” but said he would sign the broader tax legislation because of its wider cuts to Georgia’s income tax rate.

Casey Cagle: Tweeted “I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.”

Brian Kemp: Stated “Now, it’s time for the Georgia Senate to kill the tax break for Delta and replace it with a sales tax holiday that benefits the same 2nd Amendment supporters that Delta – and other corporate cowards – are publicly shaming.”

Georgia Film Industry

Nathan Deal: “The State of Georgia should be very cautious on telling the film industry what their social policies should be.”

Casey Cagle: “Conservatives: join me in forever boycotting Judd Apatow’s work. Hardly have to ask as his movies are terrible.”

Meanwhile, in Macon, Georgia Democratic Leaders held a press conference that further highlighted the positions and rhetoric of Nathan Deal and contrasted them to that of Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp.

Rep. Miriam Paris, Agricultural Commissioner Candidate Fred Swann, and Bibb County Democratic Chairman Harold Franklin had one simple message: Despite what you might hear and despite what Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are desperately trying to sell, the reality is that Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are simply too untrustworthy to be the heir to Nathan Deal.

“Georgia, for the longest has been the best place to do business. We have now dropped to 7th and that is a direct result of what the Republicans have done in placing politics over policy,” said Rep. Miriam Paris. “We need people that are going to be productive, positive and pushing forward to make sure that Georgia is the best place to do business, but not only that. Georgia will be the best place to live, work and raise your family [with Stacey Abrams as Governor.]”

“Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle are certainly not Nathan Deal. They see their own approval ratings going down, they both know the only way to win this race is to run as Deal’s third term. But Georgia voters see right through that. The reality is that there is the Kemp and Cagle party and the party of Nathan Deal,” said Agricultural Commissioner Candidate Fred Swann. “Through their actions, both of these men have shown that they are thoroughly embarrassing to Nathan Deal and the Deal administration. It is no wonder that Deal is staying as far away from them as possible.”

Bibb County Chairman Harold Franklin added “Are they (Cagle and Kemp) more concerned with exercising their power? Or with adopting policies that will create positive change for Georgia? How will Governor Deal protect his legacy? We hope he has made a choice to do what is best for Georgia.”

With the comments made by Deal and the Georgia Democratic Party today and the extremist positions of Brian Kemp and Casey Cagle, here is one thing both sides agree on: The policies and actions of Cagle and Kemp threaten to completely undermine the advances that Georgia has made over the past eight years.

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DPG Chair Issues Statement on Senate and Gubernatorial Debates in Perry, GA

Release:  Wednesday, October 8, 2014                                                                                           

 

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Issues Statement on Senate and Gubernatorial Debates in Perry, GA

 

Atlanta, GA – Today, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issued the following statement after solid debate performances in Perry by democratic candidates Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter.

 

“After last night, there is no doubt that Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are the right leaders to move our state forward.

 

“While Michelle Nunn offered a strong, decisive vision for our future, David Perdue proved that his campaign plan is centered around running against two people who aren’t even on the ballot. When put on the spot, David couldn’t defend the fact that he has built an entire career sending jobs out of the country at the expense of hardworking Americans. After last night’s debate, maybe he should take a play out of his private sector credo and consider outsourcing his campaign. It is evident that Perdue is more interested in picking fights with windmills and running for Senate than serving the people of Georgia.

 

“Georgians saw a true leader in Jason Carter last night—one who will fight for the middle class and build our economy from the middle out through education and job training. Nathan Deal’s best defense of his administration was ‘we haven’t been indicted.’ What the incumbent governor offered us last night was a sketchy deal—a deal that comes up short on vision but long on excuses. Facts matter—no matter how grizzly they are—and Nathan Deal can’t hide the facts that Georgia has the highest unemployment rate in the nation, ethics scandals plague his administration, our transportation system has become a national cartoon, he wrecked HOPE and underfunded our education system.”

 

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What Nathan Deal Thinks About Voting Rights

What Nathan Deal Thinks about Voting Rights

 

Today is the deadline to register to vote in the May 20 primary election.

 

Our position on voting rights is very clear: we have to ensure that every eligible voter can register, that every registered voter can vote, and that every vote is accurately counted.

 

That’s why we’re proud that Democratic candidate for Governor, Sen. Jason Carter, is a true voting rights advocate. As a lawyer, he did pro bono work on a legal challenge to a Republican-backed voter ID law. The service earned him the Stuart Eizenstat Young Lawyer Award from the Anti-Defamation League. As a Georgia Senator, he has fought for increased access to the ballot and against an overly partisan gerrymandering of our legislative and congressional districts.

 

Today, Sen. Jason Carter said, “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. Civil rights icons like Martin Luther King and John Lewis fought hard to make sure that every eligible voter could cast their ballot without impediment, and it’s up to us to defend and build upon that progress.”

 

Georgia Republicans have a drastically different take on voting rights. Since Gov. Nathan Deal took office, the GA GOP has led the charge to limit your rights, making the process more complicated and creating barriers like voter-ID laws that prevent too many Georgians from casting a ballot. Just this year, Republicans attempted to shorten early voting from twenty-one days to six days.

 

And what are Nathan Deal’s personal views on voting rights? Here’s what he said about discriminatory voter-ID laws:

 

Deal Grandmother Watch

 

“We got all the complaints of the ghetto grandmothers who didn’t have birth certificates and all that. We wrote some very liberal language as to how you can verify it. My mother was born in 1906 and she didn’t have a birth certificate. They didn’t give birth certificates back then. But we got her one, because you can do it under the proper procedures of your state.”

 

For many Georgia voters, obtaining the ID needed to cast their vote is difficult. In fact, more than 16 percent of voting-age Georgians live more than ten miles from a state-ID issuing office and have no access to a vehicle.

 

Sen. Carter and Georgia Democrats believe your right to vote is sacred and we will continue to seek out ways to expand ballot access to all those who are eligible to register and to vote.

 

If you, a friend, a family member, or a neighbor have yet to register to vote, you can do so here. If you are already registered, check your registration status here.

DPG Chair Responds to Verdict in Ethics Trial Related to Gov. Nathan Deal


Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Responds to Verdict in Ethics Trial Related to Gov. Nathan Deal

Chairman DuBose Porter says Georgia taxpayers are forced to pay the price for Deal’s political gamesmanship

 

Atlanta, GA – Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter released the following statement in response to a Fulton County jury ordering the state to pay former ethics commission director Stacey Kalberman $700,000 for wrongful termination. Kalberman testified that she was forced out of her job after she called for an investigation into Gov. Nathan Deal’s 2010 campaign.

 

“I’m afraid that this decision is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Chairman Porter. “Georgians are just now starting to get answers about the culture of political retribution from the Governor’s office. Unfortunately, this answer came with a $700,000 price tag that Georgia taxpayers are forced to pay all because Nathan Deal’s administration wouldn’t let the ethics commission do its job.”

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Governor Deal’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

ATLANTA—Facing a barrage of news exposing his failures as leader and a trial exposing his meddling with an ethics investigation of his campaign, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is having a bad week.

 

The Deal Ethics Trial

Deal Ethics Screenshot


Deal caught a break early in the week when his lawyers successfully suppressed a subpoena for him to testify in the ethics trial. But that luck quickly dried up, after witness after witness implicated Deal and his staff in a coordinated effort to stymie an ethics inquiry into his campaign’s improper activities.

 

Even Deal’s ally, former Ethics Commission Chairman Patrick Millsaps, admitted under oath that actions by the governor’s office to replace the lead investigators on the commission “doesn’t pass the smell test.”

 

“Gov. Deal may have ducked having to testify, but he’s still the elephant in the courtroom,” said DuBose Porter, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

 

Witnesses in the trial have testified that the commission’s two senior staff were forced out the door after initiating investigations of the Deal campaign. Deal’s office hand-picked a new director who quickly ended the investigation, witnesses say.

 

More Bad News at Every Turn

 

Deal was caught flat-footed after failing to advance key legislative issues that he suddenly found out were important to Georgia voters.

 

Under pressure for failing to push forward a measure to allow medical marijuana for children suffering from severe seizure disorders, Deal announced he would seek executive action on the issue. But that effort was dealt a blow by former Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears, who told WABE that the governor would be overstepping his authority. “[T]his kind of thing would be invading the province of the legislature, and I don’t think the executive can do that,” Ward Sears said.

 

Deal woke up on Saturday to a headline in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealing the state is wasting millions of dollars each year in food stamps overpayments. The huge waste comes to light during a mismanagement crisis where there is a 30,000 person backlog and thousands of calls are going unanswered at the agency responsible for administering food stamps. “This is a very dramatic wrong turn,” said an expert in Georgia’s food stamp system about the waste, which amounted to $138 million last year. “It’s unusual to see a state deteriorate this far this fast.” The mismanagement has put $76 million in federal funding at risk.

 

Deal’s week wasn’t much better outside of Atlanta. His knee-jerk response Savannah Harbor deepening project setback has landed him in hot water, with reality colliding with Deal’s rhetoric. Deal’s actions “could saddle the state with poisoned property and thorny legal problems,” the AJC reports.

 

Polling Doldrums

 

Deal had already started the week down, in the aftermath of a poll showing that four in ten likely Republican voters won’t commit to voting for Deal in the GOP primary, where he faces two challengers.

 

Then WSB-TV released a new poll showing Deal neck and neck with his challenger, State Sen. Jason Carter. That puts him in what is traditionally a dangerous zone for incumbents, and demonstrates Georgia voters’ remarkable lack of confidence in Deal’s ability to address the state’s challenges. Deal has some of the lowest approval ratings for any incumbent governor facing reelection in the nation.