Is Georgia on your mind?

[TV and credit cards]

Georgia prosecutor probing Trump taps leading racketeering attorney

The district attorney investigating whether former U.S. President Donald Trump illegally interfered with Georgia’s 2020 election has hired an outside lawyer who is a national authority on racketeering, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

While racketeering is typically pursued by prosecutors in cases involving such crimes as murder, kidnapping, and bribery, the Georgia statute defines racketeering more broadly to include false statements made to state officials.

“It’s not a stretch to see where she’s taking this,” said Cathy Cox, the dean of Mercer University’s law school in Macon, Georgia and a former Georgia secretary of state. “If Donald Trump engaged in two or more acts that involve false statements - that were made knowingly and willfully in an attempt to falsify material fact, like the election results - then you can piece together a violation of the racketeering act.”

And The Delusional Defense:

In a trial, Trump could argue that he did not deliberately break the law because he truly believed he had been cheated, said Kurt Kastorf, an Atlanta attorney and former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

In a trial, Trump could argue that he did not deliberately break the law because he truly believed he had been cheated, said Kurt Kastorf, an Atlanta attorney and former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor.

There's a whole new line of defense. "I wasn't robbing that bank. I really thought the money was mine."

Maybe Stump is just lying, anyone consider that?

 

[ZiprHead]

In a trial, Trump could argue that he did not deliberately break the law because he truly believed he had been cheated, said Kurt Kastorf, an Atlanta attorney and former U.S. Justice Department prosecutor.

There's a whole new line of defense. "I wasn't robbing that bank. I really thought the money was mine."

Maybe Stump is just lying, anyone consider that?

Trump lie? Shut your mouth!

 

[ZiprHead]

Stacey Abrams-Founded Group Sues Georgia Over ‘Voter Suppression Bill’

Three voting rights groups have sued the state of Georgia, claiming sweeping new voting restrictions signed into law Thursday—including limiting ballot drop boxes and shortening voting hours—violate the Voting Rights Act, as Republicans in the state face backlash for passing a bill many considered a voter suppression effort.

The signing of the Georgia bill comes as Democrats in Congress continue to move forward with the For the People Act, which would create national voting standards that could largely undue the provisions in the Georgia bill. Republicans have said they will fight tooth and nail to defeat the legislation, leading to a debate among Democrats over getting rid of the Senate filibuster, which would allow for a simple majority vote to pass legislation.

CRUCIAL QUOTE
“These provisions lack any justification for their burdensome and discriminatory effects on voting,” the lawsuit says. "Instead, they represent a hodgepodge of unnecessary restrictions that target almost every aspect of the voting process but serve no legitimate purpose or compelling state interest other than to make absentee, early and election-day voting more difficult—especially for minority voters.”

 

[crazyfingers]

Good on Stacey!

 

[SLD]

Stacey Abrams-Founded Group Sues Georgia Over ‘Voter Suppression Bill’

Three voting rights groups have sued the state of Georgia, claiming sweeping new voting restrictions signed into law Thursday—including limiting ballot drop boxes and shortening voting hours—violate the Voting Rights Act, as Republicans in the state face backlash for passing a bill many considered a voter suppression effort.

The signing of the Georgia bill comes as Democrats in Congress continue to move forward with the For the People Act, which would create national voting standards that could largely undue the provisions in the Georgia bill. Republicans have said they will fight tooth and nail to defeat the legislation, leading to a debate among Democrats over getting rid of the Senate filibuster, which would allow for a simple majority vote to pass legislation.

CRUCIAL QUOTE
“These provisions lack any justification for their burdensome and discriminatory effects on voting,” the lawsuit says. "Instead, they represent a hodgepodge of unnecessary restrictions that target almost every aspect of the voting process but serve no legitimate purpose or compelling state interest other than to make absentee, early and election-day voting more difficult—especially for minority voters.”

It doesn’t matter how good her case is. The Supreme Court will uphold every one of these restrictions with the possible exception of the ban on giving out water. Other than that, they’ll uphold it. Georgia us screwed. So is the rest of the country.

 

[lpetrich]

That strikes me as defeatist nonsense. The Supreme Court was not interested in taking up Trump's litigation about the recent election, despite having 3 Trump appointees. So they may want to keep out of future election cases.

 

[southernhybrid]

That strikes me as defeatist nonsense. The Supreme Court was not interested in taking up Trump's litigation about the recent election, despite having 3 Trump appointees. So they may want to keep out of future election cases.

I agree. We don't really know enough about the current members of SCOTUS to know how they will rule.

The biggest problem with the recent law just passed in Georgia, is the ability for the state to take over the elections from the locals. I'm pretty sure that they want to take over Fulton and possibly Dekalb counties. These two counties are the largest in the state and they are both majority Democratic. The Republicans have frequently criticized Fulton County election officials. I think that is their goal because the other parts of the law, while totally unnecessary, and in some cases cruel, aren't that much of a burden to voters as they may seem.

I find it hard to believe that over 200K Georgia voters don't have a form of ID. In Georgia one can't even see a doctor without a driver's license or state ID. If there really are that many who lack the ID, efforts could be organized to help those obtain the IDs. We had a resident where I worked who lacked such an ID, the staff helped her get a birth certificate and obtained an ID for her, just so her doctors would see her. A voter rights group could organize an effort to help anyone who lacks the ID obtain one. Absentee voting is still permitted without a reason under the new rules. The ID number is to be used in place of signature matches.

As far the stupid rule about water and food, voters can bring their own water and snacks if they expect to have to stand in line. Plus, the law states that locals election boards can supply water. The alternative is voting absentee. While the drop boxes will have to remain inside, ballots can be mailed if that in more convenient. I don't support this new law, but I'm hoping it will make new voters so angry that, as some voters said prior to taking Trump out of office, they will be willing to "crawl through glass" to vote. One of my friends voted absentee last time. She told me last week that she never plans to vote in person again, since absentee is so much easier. We still have that option.

Another concern of mine is voter apathy. One of my friends finally convinced her two middle aged children to vote for the first time in their lives. The motivation was to get Trump out of office. Will this type of voter be willing to continue to vote? Anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Since such bills are being considered in 43 states, Georgia isn't the only one to be concerned about. But, if Georgia is going to become more reasonable, we can't have Republicans controlling it anymore. The last poll I checked said that over 70% of Georgians oppose this new law. So much for representing your constituents.

I am also hoping that corporations and sports teams will pressure and threaten our business loving Republicans by telling them if they don't reverse this totally unnecessary law, they will consider leaving the state. Corporations have already been outspoken in their opposition to this law.

 

[southernhybrid]

I just found the following article from this morning's AJC.

https://www.ajc.com/politics/new-georgia-law-changes-voting-rules-and-maybe-results/4QBKQXRS45GUZHBSQ67W4FVLRY/

The first part of the article reviews the changes in the law and included criticism from Democrats and excuses as to why they are necessary by Republicans.

One part of the law increases voting access to residents in counties that don’t offer more than one weekend day of early voting before general elections.

The legislation mandates that early voting be available on both Saturdays of the state’s three-week early voting period, and it allows counties the option to offer early voting on two Sundays as well. Many metro counties already provided multiple weekend days, but the bill will expand voting hours for residents in more rural, Republican-leaning counties.

The law also preserved absentee voting for any voter, discarding a proposal to limit absentee ballots to voters who are at least 65 years old, have a physical disability or are out of town.

Despite the rhetoric of Democrats and civil rights groups, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Charles Stewart said most of the law’s provisions are “fairly mild as these sorts of changes go.” And he said Georgia election laws won’t be outside the norm, especially compared with other Southern states.

“There may be some slight inconvenience to voters,” Stewart said. “But they don’t seem to be so insurmountable that they would throw elections one way or another in the future.”

But when viewed as a package, the bill’s voting restrictions could deter thousands of people from voting in future elections, University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock said.

Perhaps the changes could even overcome the kind of 11,779-vote deficit that cost Trump the election here in November.

“Would this impact 12,000 people out of 5 million (voting) people?” Bullock said. “The various provisions might.”

What’s more, both experts said SB 202 could backfire on Republicans by inspiring higher turnout among angry Democrats and Black Georgians. Stewart said Democrats in 2020 effectively used lingering anger over the 2018 election — when many believed then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp used his office to gain an advantage in the governor’s race — to motivate voters.

That is what I'm hoping will happen.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, it seems like some people are expecting Jim Crow 2.0 here, but the GOP can't be that obvious about it. And they don't need to weight things too heavily to win. So a cut here, a cut there. When you add up all of the changes, it is clearly geared to try and benefit one party. But it is done discretely enough that people can lie to themselves about it.

One thing I found interesting is that I asked a while back, I think, can the Dems win Georgia without the special circumstances of the pandemic, all of that mail-in voting. We know that the lines were much shorter on Election Day, which might have been the difference for the Democrats... because of the mail-in vote. Yes, Dems voted a lot via the mail, but a good deal showed up too. The trouble with this legislation is that it doesn't attempt to deal with the simple problem of long lines in Georgia for blacks. Primarily because that is the whole point. It is Plessy v Ferguson for voting.

 

[SLD]

That strikes me as defeatist nonsense. The Supreme Court was not interested in taking up Trump's litigation about the recent election, despite having 3 Trump appointees. So they may want to keep out of future election cases.

Unfortunately, it’s true.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/a...court-might-kill-voting-rightsquietly/618220/

The Court has been quietly dismantling voting rights for years. They’re poised to favor Arizona’s strict voting laws.

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[crazyfingers]

That strikes me as defeatist nonsense. The Supreme Court was not interested in taking up Trump's litigation about the recent election, despite having 3 Trump appointees. So they may want to keep out of future election cases.

I agree. We don't really know enough about the current members of SCOTUS to know how they will rule.

The biggest problem with the recent law just passed in Georgia, is the ability for the state to take over the elections from the locals. I'm pretty sure that they want to take over Fulton and possibly Dekalb counties. These two counties are the largest in the state and they are both majority Democratic. The Republicans have frequently criticized Fulton County election officials. I think that is their goal because the other parts of the law, while totally unnecessary, and in some cases cruel, aren't that much of a burden to voters as they may seem.

I find it hard to believe that over 200K Georgia voters don't have a form of ID. In Georgia one can't even see a doctor without a driver's license or state ID. If there really are that many who lack the ID, efforts could be organized to help those obtain the IDs. We had a resident where I worked who lacked such an ID, the staff helped her get a birth certificate and obtained an ID for her, just so her doctors would see her. A voter rights group could organize an effort to help anyone who lacks the ID obtain one. Absentee voting is still permitted without a reason under the new rules. The ID number is to be used in place of signature matches.

As far the stupid rule about water and food, voters can bring their own water and snacks if they expect to have to stand in line. Plus, the law states that locals election boards can supply water. The alternative is voting absentee. While the drop boxes will have to remain inside, ballots can be mailed if that in more convenient. I don't support this new law, but I'm hoping it will make new voters so angry that, as some voters said prior to taking Trump out of office, they will be willing to "crawl through glass" to vote. One of my friends voted absentee last time. She told me last week that she never plans to vote in person again, since absentee is so much easier. We still have that option.

Another concern of mine is voter apathy. One of my friends finally convinced her two middle aged children to vote for the first time in their lives. The motivation was to get Trump out of office. Will this type of voter be willing to continue to vote? Anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Since such bills are being considered in 43 states, Georgia isn't the only one to be concerned about. But, if Georgia is going to become more reasonable, we can't have Republicans controlling it anymore. The last poll I checked said that over 70% of Georgians oppose this new law. So much for representing your constituents.

I am also hoping that corporations and sports teams will pressure and threaten our business loving Republicans by telling them if they don't reverse this totally unnecessary law, they will consider leaving the state. Corporations have already been outspoken in their opposition to this law.

My mom has no valid ID at this time other than birth certificate and expired passport. Her driver's license expired October 2020. I mailed it in with the form to get her a state ID in August! But they didn't even open the letter until November, after it expired, and to get even a state ID I would have had to take her in-person to a RMV. NO way is was going to do that then.

Stupid state requires, even during the pandemic, for anyone 75 or older to go in person to an RMV.

CRAZYNESS!

So once I am also vaccinated along with my family I will have to get her to an RMV just for a state ID because they didn't open my letter for 3 months. NO on-line , virtual or mail in's allowed.

 

[Swammerdami]

Another concern of mine is voter apathy. One of my friends finally convinced her two middle aged children to vote for the first time in their lives. The motivation was to get Trump out of office. Will this type of voter be willing to continue to vote? Anyone's guess is as good as mine.

I'd like to see a dramatic video of the stimulus vote — the stimulus that gave $1400 to every American. Show both Georgia Senators standing up and saying 'Yea.' Have the narrator point out that every single Republican Senator voted 'Nay' out of spite. Demonstrate that the Georgian votes were absolutely essential with dramatic footage of Kamala Harris climbing to the dais to break the 50-50 tie.

Is there something like that on YouTube already? Bloomberg said he wanted to help with money; would $50 million be enough to saturate Georgian TV with such ads?

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-grand-jury-subpoenas_n_6062ba0bc5b6531eed07f124

....
Donald Trump could be feeling the heat, legally, from several directions at once.

MSNBC’s Ari Melber on Monday featured a Daily Beast report about two grand juries in Georgia that are investigating the former president’s attempts to interfere in the 2020 election by pressuring state officials into changing the results.

“He certainly is looking at criminal exposure,” former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal told Melber. “Donald Trump is the only president to have more open grand juries than election wins.”



Katyal called the grand juries “a very serious prosecutorial step.” And the next step may be even more significant.

“It looks like, according to the news reports, that they’re on the verge of using their inquisitive powers to subpoena ― that is, get documents ― from the president,” he explained.
.....


It would be so grand and great if Trumpo got busted on felony charges. Then on to investigating other GOP politicians who did anything like this also by grand juries. Could the Trump era end with the clanging of Federal Prison cell doors slamming shut?

 

[Elixir]

Could the Trump era end with the clanging of Federal Prison cell doors slamming shut?

The doors might clang shut, but the mouths of trumpsucking morons will remain open.
Witness the stupidity on display in this very forum, where My Pillow Guy's lists of people asserting election fraud are presented as EVIDENCE of election fraud.
Most of the stoopids will go to their graves convinced that President Donald Trump was a great and forthright American, and all the more so if he is living rent-free on the generosity of the federal government.
So, no. Imprisoning Trump won't end the Legacy Of Lies (LOL).

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

And of course there are the investigations in New York of his tax cheating. A meeting in court with one Jean Carroll. And a number of other legally sticky issues Trumpo will be dealing with in the near future.

 

[southernhybrid]

I hope that even if Trump is never convicted, he will spend the rest of his life in court, fighting both criminal and civil law suits.

And yes, sadly there are still too many Trumpsters out there. I saw a bumper sticker on the back of pickup truck yesterday that said, "Honk if you think Biden cheated". I was joking about this because I have to see humor in everything in order to cope. Some idiots think that Biden gave hoards of money to the Republican lead states to overturn the election and give him the win. How much more stupidity can we have before we realize that we have past the point of no return? Of course, the truck I just mentioned, also had a Trump sticker on it. It still amazes me that a man like Trump could built such a successful cult. There is still a Trump 2024 outside of a run down shack about 2 miles from my home. Whenever I pass it, I can't help but think, what the fuck did Trump ever do for someone like you! It's hard to understand.

 

[southernhybrid]

Here's another example of the idiocy of our Georgia Republicans!

https://www.ajc.com/politics/two-weeks-after-shooting-spree-georgia-senate-backs-bill-to-loosen-gun-restrictions/R2CULB5IF5CMNKFVPD5OUGUU7A/

two weeks after eight people where gunned down in three Atlanta-area spas, the Georgia Senate on Monday approved legislation to loosen the state’s gun laws.


“This is a Second Amendment protection bill that further recognizes Georgia’s commitment to protect its citizens and their Second Amendment rights,” said state Sen. Bo Hatchett, a Cornelia Republican.

House Bill 218 passed 34-18 on a party-line vote, with Republicans in support of the measure.

 

[southernhybrid]

That strikes me as defeatist nonsense. The Supreme Court was not interested in taking up Trump's litigation about the recent election, despite having 3 Trump appointees. So they may want to keep out of future election cases.

I agree. We don't really know enough about the current members of SCOTUS to know how they will rule.

The biggest problem with the recent law just passed in Georgia, is the ability for the state to take over the elections from the locals. I'm pretty sure that they want to take over Fulton and possibly Dekalb counties. These two counties are the largest in the state and they are both majority Democratic. The Republicans have frequently criticized Fulton County election officials. I think that is their goal because the other parts of the law, while totally unnecessary, and in some cases cruel, aren't that much of a burden to voters as they may seem.

I find it hard to believe that over 200K Georgia voters don't have a form of ID. In Georgia one can't even see a doctor without a driver's license or state ID. If there really are that many who lack the ID, efforts could be organized to help those obtain the IDs. We had a resident where I worked who lacked such an ID, the staff helped her get a birth certificate and obtained an ID for her, just so her doctors would see her. A voter rights group could organize an effort to help anyone who lacks the ID obtain one. Absentee voting is still permitted without a reason under the new rules. The ID number is to be used in place of signature matches.

As far the stupid rule about water and food, voters can bring their own water and snacks if they expect to have to stand in line. Plus, the law states that locals election boards can supply water. The alternative is voting absentee. While the drop boxes will have to remain inside, ballots can be mailed if that in more convenient. I don't support this new law, but I'm hoping it will make new voters so angry that, as some voters said prior to taking Trump out of office, they will be willing to "crawl through glass" to vote. One of my friends voted absentee last time. She told me last week that she never plans to vote in person again, since absentee is so much easier. We still have that option.

Another concern of mine is voter apathy. One of my friends finally convinced her two middle aged children to vote for the first time in their lives. The motivation was to get Trump out of office. Will this type of voter be willing to continue to vote? Anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Since such bills are being considered in 43 states, Georgia isn't the only one to be concerned about. But, if Georgia is going to become more reasonable, we can't have Republicans controlling it anymore. The last poll I checked said that over 70% of Georgians oppose this new law. So much for representing your constituents.

I am also hoping that corporations and sports teams will pressure and threaten our business loving Republicans by telling them if they don't reverse this totally unnecessary law, they will consider leaving the state. Corporations have already been outspoken in their opposition to this law.

My mom has no valid ID at this time other than birth certificate and expired passport. Her driver's license expired October 2020. I mailed it in with the form to get her a state ID in August! But they didn't even open the letter until November, after it expired, and to get even a state ID I would have had to take her in-person to a RMV. NO way is was going to do that then.

Stupid state requires, even during the pandemic, for anyone 75 or older to go in person to an RMV.

CRAZYNESS!

So once I am also vaccinated along with my family I will have to get her to an RMV just for a state ID because they didn't open my letter for 3 months. NO on-line , virtual or mail in's allowed.

While it's always a good idea to get an updated ID, Georgia voters can use an expired drivers license as an ID to vote, so that's not a problem related to voting here.

https://dds.georgia.gov/voter-id

What IDs Are Acceptable?
Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
A Georgia Driver's License, even if expired
Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
Valid U.S. passport ID
Valid U.S. military photo ID
Valid tribal photo ID
What if I don't have one of the six acceptable forms of Photo ID?
The State of Georgia offers a free ID Card. An ID Card can be issued at any county registrar's office free of charge.
To receive a voter identification card at the county registrar's office, the voter must provide:
A photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document that includes full legal name and date of birth.
Documentation showing the voter's date of birth.
Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter.
Documentation showing the applicant's name and residential address.
OR
A Voter ID card can be issued at any Georgia Department of Driver Services office free of charge.
To receive a free Georgia voter identification card at Georgia Driver Services, voters must provide:
An original or certified document to prove WHO YOU ARE such as a Birth Certificate or Passport.
Your SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
Two documents showing your RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS such as a Bank Statement or Utility Bill.
If you've had a NAME CHANGE, then you'll also need to bring a document to prove that, such as a Marriage License.
Signed Affidavit.
Evidence that you are a registered voter.

This is why I am skeptical that over 200,000 Georgians who vote lack an ID. There are so many options. I would think that almost anyone could come up with at least one of them. Again, I don't support the new law, but I don't think it's necessarily as damaging as some seem to think.

I would think that they could look up to see who is a registered voter. I certainly don't have the card that I got over 20 years ago when I registered to vote in Georgia. In some ways, writing your ID number on an absentee ballot may be better than having to match signatures. Originally, some Republicans wanted to demand a copy of your ID, but that wasn't passed. We just need to write our ID number on the ballot.