Democratic Party of Georgia

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RELEASE: Kemp’s Lawyers Defend His $500,000 Unpaid Loan in Court

Reviews Are In: Brian Kemp’s Money Issues Could “Complicate” Campaign for Governor

Brian Kemp Cheated His Investor, Now He Wants to Cheat Georgians

ATLANTA–Today, the Gwinnett County Court held a hearing on a case centered around an unpaid half a million dollar loan that Brian Kemp personally guaranteed. While Brian Kemp failed to show up in person today, his lawyers spent the better part of the 90-minute hearing defending Kemp’s “broken promises.”

According to court documents, millionaire Brian Kemp personally guaranteed the $500,000 loan and even negotiated with the investor to extend the deadline, twice. After missing the final deadline, Kemp argued that he was no longer liable because his personal guaranty had expired. Then, when his deposition was scheduled, Kemp failed to appear without giving adequate notice.

Today, Kemp’s lawyers appeared in Gwinnett County Court on his behalf. The reaction to this appearance has come swift and fierce.

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“Promises were made, they were broken. That’s a judgment. Simple as that,” said Aaron Kappler, an attorney for Phillips and his RLP Investment firm. He was echoed by Patrick O’Brien, who accused Kemp and Hart AgStrong of flouting their agreement.

The upshot? Again, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

“Kemp has made his business background central to his race against Democrat Stacey Abrams…But his investment in the northeast Georgia firm Hart AgStrong has threatened to undercut his argument.”

These takes are all correct. Brian Kemp couldn’t keep his word to his investor, and now is trying to walk back on his promises. Georgians deserve better.  If his actions aren’t criminal, they should be.

Below are links to coverage on Brian Kemp’s broken promise to those who trusted him:

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RELEASE: At the 2018 Georgia Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, Brian Kemp Proves Once Again That He Has No Plans for Georgia

Brian Kemp Lacks Real Plans, Differs with Nathan Deal on Important Policies

For the First Time in Decades, Georgia’s Chamber of Commerce Refuses to Endorse in this Race

ATLANTA — Today, at the 2018 Georgia Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Brian Kemp proved once again that he has no real, concrete plans for Georgia’s families and businesses.

Using his same redundant and tired playbook, Kemp attempted to tout his own business background while claiming the legacy of Nathan Deal, despite not receiving the governor’s endorsement in the primary.

From the beginning of his speech, one recurring theme emerged: Brian Kemp’s vague ideas fail to offer real solutions for Georgia businesses and families who need it the most.

The end result? For the first time in decades, The Georgia Chamber of Commerce refused to endorse in this race.

In less than a year, Georgia has already fallen from the 2nd best place to do business in America to the 7th. At the luncheon, instead of specifying any concrete proposals to reverse this trend, Kemp touted his personal business record –while conveniently neglecting to address the current lawsuit alleging he failed to pay back a $500,000 business loan he personally guaranteed.

Since the beginning of his campaign, Brian Kemp has made it clear that he would support policies consistently opposed by the business community.

For example, Brian Kemp said he would sign a religious liberty bill similar to one that Governor Deal vetoed in 2016. At the time, over 400 Georgia companies, including major employers such as Coca-Cola, Delta, Disney, and Home Depot opposed the bill, with some warning that they would take their business elsewhere if signed in to law. Studies have shown that a religious liberty measure would cost Georgia $1-$2 billion dollars in revenue.

During the primary campaign, Brian Kemp put personal politics over Georgia jobs when he attacked a jet fuel exemption for Delta Airlines, Georgia’s largest employer, stating “Kill the Delta tax break, pass sales tax holiday for guns and ammo.” But when Governor Deal signed the tax exemption in late July, like a typical politician, Kemp quickly shifted his position.

For obvious reasons, Governor Deal refused to trust Brian Kemp with his legacy, opting to endorse Lt. Governor Casey Cagle in the Republican primary instead. In reference to his endorsement, Governor Deal stated, “My concern is, let’s not undo, or transform in a negative fashion, the good reforms that we’ve put in place.”

What else did Kemp’s talking points lack today? Specific plans and proposals that will ensure that Georgia businesses continues to move forward.

With every passing day, more and more Georgians are realizing that they cannot trust Brian Kemp to look out for their interests over his own.

“The Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s refusal to endorse Brian Kemp reveals one simple truth: Kemp’s tired talking points can’t mask the fact that he has no real plans to move our businesses and families forward. Stacey Abrams is the only choice for Governor for anyone who cares about fostering a pro-growth, pro-business environment in Georgia,” said Georgia Democratic Chair DuBose Porter.

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RELEASE: Kemp Must Immediately Condemn Violent Comments from Monroe County Commissioner

Republican Commissioner: “They ought to take a submachine gun and just mow [protesters] down.”

DPG Chair Porter: Local Official is Taking Cues from Kemp

ATLANTA – Today, the Georgia Democratic Party called on Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp to immediately condemn threatening comments from Monroe County Commissioner John Ambrose. Responding to a request from activists in his community to hold a peaceful protest, Ambrose referred to other demonstrations across the country and said, “I just think they ought to take a submachine gun and just mow them down.”

Kemp, who opposes common-sense gun safety to keep our schools safe and supports guns on college campuses, made national headlines earlier this year when he ran a shocking television ad in which he recklessly pointed a firearm at a teenager.

“Given Brian Kemp’s reckless behavior throughout this campaign, it’s no wonder that local officials in his party are taking their cues from him and engaging in violent rhetoric on the issue of guns,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “Mr. Kemp should be telling Georgia voters how he intends to protect our young people from gun violence, not proudly pointing guns at teenagers in television ads. Kemp must immediately condemn Commissioner Ambrose’s comments instead of supporting the incitement of gun violence.”

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ICYMI: CNN Report on Brian Kemp’s Voter Leak

ICYMI: CNN Report on Brian Kemp’s Voter Leak

Kemp’s Incompetence As Secretary of State Shown Once Again, Now He Wants a Promotion to be Governor

Atlanta –Last night, CNN’s Situation Room introduced more details about the infamous 2017 data breach that occurred under Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s watch. This breaking news report highlighted the full extent of vulnerabilities within Georgia’s voter system, deemed by experts as “unreliable” and “insecure,” and it shed light on the fact that Georgians still remain without an answer for how long the security breach actually lasted.

The report by independent cyber security expert Logan Lamb shared a number of disturbing facts:

·         A voter registration database of 6.3 million Georgia voters, including full names, dates of birth, driver’s licenses, and social security numbers, were exposed.

·         According to the Justice Department’s Special Counsel Investigation, this leak occurred around the same time that Russian hackers were “snooping” around websites of certain counties in Georgia to identify vulnerabilities.

·         Lamb called the Georgia Center for Elections Systems, housed at Kennesaw State University, to warn them of these vulnerabilities. Six months later, the vulnerabilities still remained.

·         Kennesaw State then fixed the leak and evidence of what took place simply “vanished”. The computer hard drives for the Center for Elections Systems was wiped completely clean.

With this massive data breach, the subsequent inability to figure out the root cause of this breach, and the decision to wipe the servers completely clean, Republicans and Democrats alike agree that Brian Kemp is simply too incompetent and untrustworthy to be the next Governor of the State of Georgia.

Republican Michael Williams has said that Kemp’s office has a “complete mismanagement of finances.” Republican Clay Tippins has claimed that if Kemp were in the private sector, he “would be fired,” and Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson demanded a federal investigation into the incompetence under Kemp’s watch.

“Electing Brian Kemp to Governor would be the worst case of failing up in Georgia politics. His record and job performance is abysmal,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “Both Republicans and Democrats know that he’s an incompetent Secretary of State, but Kemp remains in deep denial about his own record. Voters simply can’t trust him.”

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RELEASE: Georgia Democrats and Education Advocates Agree–Brian Kemp Would Gut Public Education

Kemp Proposes Doubling Student Scholarship Organizations and Supports Opportunity School District

ATLANTA — Today, to coincide with the first week of school for Georgia students, State Representative Brenda Lopez, State Senator Tonya Anderson, and other public education advocates convened to discuss exactly why Brian Kemp is bad for public education. Georgia’s public education system is ranked 33rd in the country, yet Brian Kemp wants to take even more money out of public schools and put it into private schools’ pockets.

Brian Kemp supported the failed Opportunity School District initiative, which Georgia voters rejected with 60% of the electorate voting against it. Now, Brian Kemp has proposed doubling the tax credit for Student Scholarship Organizations, a backdoor bid to move funding away from the state’s public school system. If Brian Kemp has his way, funding would be substantially decreased.

“Brian Kemp wants to double the funding for Student Scholarship Organizations, which is just another name for school vouchers,” said Rep. Brenda Lopez, member of Georgia’s Education Committee. “60% of Georgians who believe in public schools fought off the Opportunity School District once, and we must fight Brian Kemp off again.”

“Under Brian Kemp, we are going to see plenty of public schools shut down and the resources that our children and teachers need completely decimated,” said Sen. Tonya Anderson. “Teachers are already spending their own money on resources. Brian Kemp would only serve to make it even harder to prepare our students for the future.”

“I’ve served as a counselor for the last 21 years. I’ve seen firsthand the decay of our public education system under Republican leadership,” said retired counselor Toney Chandler. “Brian Kemp wants to completely give up on public education. On the other hand, Stacey Abrams wants to uplift our public education system.”

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Rep. John Lewis Calls for Brian Kemp’s Resignation

ATLANTA — Today, civil rights icon and United States Representative John Lewis called on gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp to resign his position as Secretary of State.

The call comes as Brian Kemp has let the duties of his gubernatorial campaign take precedence over the responsibilities of the Secretary of State’s office, jeopardizing the sanctity of the vote in the process.

“Too many of us fought too hard for anyone to put the sanctity of voting into question,” said John Lewis (GA D-5).  “Brian Kemp must follow the lead of past public servants on both sides of the aisle and resign immediately before voters doubt the integrity of the Secretary of State’s office. Secretary Kemp’s role as chief administrator of Georgia’s elections directly conflicts with his run for Governor.”

With this call, Rep. Lewis joins former Senator and Secretary of State Max Cleland, The Democratic Party of Georgia, the Georgia NAACP, activists, and non-partisan ethics groups demanding that Kemp resign as Secretary of State.

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RELEASE: Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter and Dara Lindenbaum, Senior Counsel Sandler, Reiff, Lamb, Rosenstein, and Birkenstock, Host Press Call to Detail Complaint Filed to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission Regarding Official Secretary of State App Linking to Brian Kemp’s Campaign Social Media Accounts

Part-time Secretary of State and Full-time Gubernatorial Candidate Brian Kemp Used Official Secretary of State App to Promote His Campaign’s Social Media Accounts

GEORGIA — Earlier today, DuBose Porter, Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia and Dara Lindenbaum, Senior Counsel Sandler, Reiff, Lamb, Rosenstein, and Birkenstock, held a press call detailing the official ethics complaint regarding Brian Kemp’s misuse of state resources to promote his campaign for governor. They requested that the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission launch an immediate investigation into Brian Kemp and the Secretary of State’s office.

Lindenbaum laid out how Brian Kemp violated Georgia law by accepting prohibited contributions from Mr. Kemp’s public office to his gubernatorial Campaign.  “By having these links to his social media pages, the Secretary of State office is using taxpayer funds to make an in-kind contribution to the campaign, which the campaign has accepted.”

The Secretary of State’s office is using a “very important app that is very useful to voters. They can look-up their polling location and find their sample ballots remotely.” More importantly, “If [Brian Kemp] were to say that he didn’t know about this, then he is not doing his job to oversee his department.”

Lindenbaum made it clear that the ethics commission must investigate this complaint:

“There is a strict timeline for the [ethics commission] to follow. After the complaint is filed, they will quickly review it and send it off to the Kemp campaign where they will have 30 days to respond. Then, the ethics commission will review that response and launch an investigation. I think there is plenty of time for them to research this. The office holds complaints that are filed within 30 days of an election, but we are outside of that 30-day window, and they have plenty of time to investigate this, and they should.”

Chair Porter decided to file the official complaint and request an investigation. He asserted “In all my years in politics, I have never seen anything this blatant or this corrupt. Brian Kemp is trying to use his current political position as Secretary of State to give himself an advantage in his current campaign because he knows he cannot run on his failed record as Secretary of State.”

Chair Porter also stressed, “the newest update of the app has the links taken down, but taxpayers are confused because old versions still have the links up… There needs to be a public message to update the app.” Chair Porter also pointed out that, “It has been five months since he was warned, and he has ignored [the fact] that his office is linking [these accounts] to his campaign.”

Furthermore, Chair Porter noted that it took Kemp’s office nearly 20 hours to take the links down after they had already told the press they had done so. “That is not the sign of a campaign that makes ethics and integrity a priority. We must protect the integrity of this election, and this is the top priority.”

Finally, Chair Porter wanted to make sure that taxpayers knew that their tax dollars aren’t being used as a slush fund to promote Kemp’s campaign. “Georgian’s deserve to know that Brian Kemp is abusing his current office and obviously doesn’t care.”

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RELEASE: Ethics Complaint Filed Against Secretary of State Brian Kemp

Part-time Secretary of State and Full-time Gubernatorial Candidate Brian Kemp Accused of Using Official Secretary of State App to Promote His Campaign’s Social Media Accounts

GEORGIA– Today, DuBose Porter, Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, filed an official ethics complaint accusing Brian Kemp of blatantly misusing state resources to promote his campaign for governor and requesting that the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission conduct an immediate investigation into Brian Kemp and the Kemp Campaign for Governor.

This action comes following news reports that Brian Kemp used his official capacity as Secretary of State to promote his campaign website and social media through the official Secretary of State app, “GA SOS,” which is paid for using taxpayer funds. This represents a clear violation of state law, as it is illegal for a public agency such as a Secretary of State’s Office to make contributions to a political campaign or candidate.

Additionally around 6:10 PM on the night of July 31st, it was first reported that the Kemp campaign agreed to remove the link from the app. However as of 1:02 pm on August 1st, nearly 19 hours later, the links on the Secretary of State App were still present, as indicated by the screenshot below:

These ethical, legal, and moral issues raise critical questions that must be answered by the Secretary of State’s office and the Brian Kemp for Governor campaign:

  • If Brian Kemp is willing to ignore the law like this, in what other ways is he willing to abuse his authority as SoS?
  • In what other ways is he using the office to promote his own campaign and further his political ambitions?
  • This issue was raised in 2017. Why did Brian Kemp take no corrective action at that time?

“Brian Kemp’s willingness to use taxpayer dollars for his own political gain raises serious ethical questions and reveals his disregard for Georgia voters and Georgia law,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “Georgia families can’t put their trust in a leader who won’t put their interests above his own. This is a flat-out abuse and careless use of his office.”
The complaint with appendices that was sent today can be downloaded here (12 page PDF).

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Brian Kemp vs. the Georgia Board of Nurses

Georgia Board of Nurses Criticizes Kemp For “Putting Patients At Risk” In Replacing Effective, Powerful Executive Director

Secretary of State, Brian Kemp angered Georgia nurses when he proposed to replace state Nursing Board Executive Director, Jim Cleghorn with Andrew Turnage, head of the State Cosmetology Board. This decision would thereby remove Cleghorn from his post on the Board of Directors for a national nursing organization where he is an important voice, according to several nursing leaders. Gleghorn is largely credited with improving issues concerning the reporting and processing of nursing violations. State Senator and nurse, Renee Unterman who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said the disagreement with Kemp’s office further bolsters a sentiment of the board to be removed from the Secretary of State’s authority. [The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 6/30/2016][The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 7/1/2016] EVENT DATE: June/July 2016

Attorney General Sam Olens Sides With Nurses Against Brian Kemp

Attorney General Sam Olens sided with the Georgia Board of Nursing by agreeing that the board has the authority to accept or reject the new Executive Director proposed to them by Secretary of State, Brian Kemp.  [The Atlanta Journal Constitution 9/2/16]

Nurses Board Sets Plan In Motion To Be Removed From Brian Kemp’s Control

In January 2017, after a long-standing disagreement with the Secretary of State’s office, the Nurses Board expressed interest in lobbying legislators to remove them from Kemp’s control. Kemp cites cross-training as the reason for replacing Jim Cleghorn with Andrew Turnage. A few state lawmakers privately told a reporter that Kemp’s move smells of sexism since the nursing profession is overwhelmingly female. [Atlanta Journal Constitution, 7/28/2016]

Boards of Dentistry and Pharmacy Removed from Brian Kemp’s Control

In 2013, the Boards of Dentistry and Pharmacy left the Secretary of State’s office and became independent agencies. [The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 7/28/2016]

Under Brian Kemp’s Watch, Nursing Board Takes Years To Clear Cases of Nurses In Violation Of Professional Standards.

In order to prevent bad nurses from practicing elsewhere, a law was passed in 2012 that required employers to report nursing violations to the Nurses Board, resulting in double the number of complaints submitted. A review of records in 2012 and 2013 showed that due to lack of resources and poor record keeping there were thousands of unresolved cases and an estimated turnaround time of 15 months. Though Kemp alleges he secured more resources for the board, nurses cite that Executive Director, Jim Cleghorn was the reason for progress in clearing cases. [The Atlanta Journal Constitution 7/28/16] and [The Atlanta Journal Constitution 7/13/2013]

In 2013, Poor Record Keeping Software Was Roadblock In Resolving Nursing Violations

Nursing violations were prevented from being resolved because the 2013 software was unable to distinguish between nursing violations that involved malpractice or the use of narcotics. Additionally, the software could not distinguish between a nurse who might endanger a patient and a nurse with paperwork problems like an expired license. [The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 7/13/2013]

RELEASE: On the 53rd Anniversary of Medicaid, Brian Kemp Still Refuses to Support Medicaid Expansion

Under Republican Leadership, Georgia has Already Become an ‘At-Risk’ Patient

Under Kemp’s Plan, Georgia Would Continue to Lose $8 Million Per Day   

GEORGIA – “Brian Kemp and the GOP leadership’s refusal to expand Medicaid has resulted in a loss of more than $3 billion per year in federal funds, making Georgia an ‘at-risk’ patient,” said Democratic Party of Georgia’s Chair, DuBose Porter.

Porter’s statement follows confirmation from Brian Kemp that regardless of the benefits of expanding Medicaid, he would not pursue additional federal dollars for health care coverage through Medicaid. According to US Census data, Georgia currently has a 12.9% uninsured rate, making it the fifth worst in the country. Additionally, six rural hospitals have closed since 2013–costing Georgians thousands of jobs–and more than half of the remaining rural hospitals remain financially vulnerable to closure. This Medicaid expansion would provide payment to hospitals and healthcare providers for their services.

“Despite the irreversible harm that his stances are inflicting on all Georgians, Brian Kemp has made it clear that he does not plan on lifting a finger to improve healthcare measures here in Georgia, putting the lives of Georgians at further risk,” continued Porter. “It is time to elect leaders across the state who will commit to building a healthier, more prosperous Georgia.”

Expanding Medicaid would provide coverage to nearly 500,000 Georgians. Thirty-two other states across the U.S. have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, – and Georgia is not one of them. Due to GOP leadership in Georgia and their inability to take advantage of the opportunity to expand Medicaid, Georgia ranks near the bottom-tier of statesby many healthcare measures.

By every moral, economic and health measurement available, one thing has become clear— Kemp’s reckless decision to not even consider expanding Medicaid continues to make Georgia an ‘at-risk’ patient.

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Video Release: Members of His Own Party Agree, Brian Kemp Can’t be Trusted

Brian Kemp: Too Incompetent to be Trusted with Georgia’s Future

GEORGIA – Today, the Democratic Party of Georgia released a new video exposing new GOP Gubernatorial nominee Brian Kemp for his professional, personal, and ethical failings. The video makes it clear that Kemp cannot be trusted to put the interests of Georgia families and business over those of his own.

Featuring the words of former GOP Gubernatorial candidates Michael Williams, Clay Tippins, and Casey Cagle, the videos highlights Brian Kemp’s blatant disregard for the interests of everyday Georgians in favor of those of his own and showcases several of the many instances where Kemp’s professional incompetencies served as a detriment to Georgia voters.

Even Nathan Deal didn’t trust Brian Kemp enough to endorse him, openly worrying whether Kemp’s policies would “undo” and “destroy” the progress made by Georgia over the past eight years.

Voters have a decision to make on which candidate they can trust this November. With Brian Kemp’s failed track record, self-serving ways, and consistent professional failures, under no circumstances is that candidate Brian Kemp.

“When it comes to the real Brian Kemp, Georgia voters have only scratched the surface of what they think they know. The reality is that Brian Kemp has always put his own personal politics over Georgia families and businesses and has a track record of consistently being promoted beyond his ability,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “That ends now. Due to his failed track record, questionable judgement, and ethically reprehensible dealings as Secretary of State, Georgia voters simply can’t trust Brian Kemp to be the next Governor of our state.”

To view the new video, click here.

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DPG Statement on Brian Kemp

GEORGIA — In response to Brian Kemp winning the Republican Nomination for Governor, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter issues the following statement:

“Despite noted resistance from the business community and his record as quite possibly the worst Secretary of State in Georgia history, Brian Kemp was chosen tonight by Georgia Republicans to be their nominee for Governor. Kemp’s refusal to support commonsense, Georgia-first solutions such as expanding Medicaid for our rural communities, investing in our public schools, and protecting women’s access to health care, proves to Georgians that Brian Kemp is more interested in putting his personal politics ahead of the well-being of Georgia families and businesses.

“Be it defaulting on farmers, which resulted in two separate lawsuits worth a total of over $700,000 combined, or recklessly allowing 6 million Georgians’ social security numbers to be publicly leaked on two separate occasions—not to mention then attempting to wipe the servers —Brian Kemp has proven time and time again that he can’t be trusted.

“In less than a year, Georgia fell from being the 2nd to being the 7th best state in America to do business. Georgia’s abysmal standing as 32nd in the country for K-12 public education rankings continues to drop. In Kemp’s Georgia, lucrative businesses such as Amazon and the film industry will take their money and jobs away from our state. Being “politically incorrect” should never take precedence over enacting real, meaningful public policy that serves everyday Georgians. 

“Brian Kemp’s litany of professional incompetencies already make him wholly incapable of serving as Governor, but they pale in comparison to his personal and ethical failures – including taking $300,000 in campaign donations from those he regulated and turning a blind eye to 25 sexual abuse complaints of massage therapists over the last three years.

“The question then becomes as Governor, who would Brian Kemp truly be serving? Does Brian Kemp support Washington tariffs on Georgia farmers? Will Brian Kemp’s personal agenda “destroy” and “undo” the progress made by Georgia over the past eight years, as prominent Republican leaders fear? And will Brian Kemp betray the nearly 4.5 million Georgians with preexisting conditions who rely on access to health care?”

“Regardless of the answers to these questions, Kemp’s failed track record and ethical breaches have made one thing abundantly clear: Georgia voters simply can’t trust Brian Kemp to be our next Governor.”

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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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Georgia Has Become an At-Risk Patient With Casey Cagle, Brian Kemp and the GOP leadership

$3 Billion Per Year is lost in Revenue by Refusing to Expand Medicaid

ATLANTA — “Casey Cagle, Brian Kemp, and the GOP leadership’s refusal to expand Medicaid has resulted in a loss of more than $3 billion a year in federal funds, making Georgia an ‘at-risk’ patient”, said Democratic Party of Georgia’s Chairman, Dubose Porter.  Porter’s statement follows confirmation from both Cagle and Kemp that regardless of the benefits of expanding Medicaid, both would prefer the same short-term “market-based” solutions. [1]

“Despite the irreversible harm that their stances would inflict on all Georgians, Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp have made it clear that they do not plan on lifting a finger to improve healthcare measures here in Georgia, further putting the lives of Georgians at risk,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman, DuBose Porter. “It is time to elect leaders up and down the ballot who will commit to building a healthier, more prosperous Georgia.”

Right now, 240,000 Georgians make too little to buy health insurance on the marketplace and don’t currently qualify for Medicaid. [2] Additionally, six rural hospitals have closed since 2013 and more than half of the remaining rural hospitals remain financially vulnerable to closure. [3] Thirty-two other states across the U.S. have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, Georgia not being one of them. [4] Due to GOP leadership in Georgia and their inability to take advantage of the opportunity to expand Medicaid, Georgia ranks near the bottom-tier of states on many healthcare measures. [5]

By every moral, economic and health measurement available, one thing has become clear— Kemp and Cagle are both willing to put partisan politics above the needs and lives of Georgians.

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[1] (GBPI)

[2] (GBPI)

[3] (GBPI)

[4] http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2018/01/expanding-coverage-part-leaders-legislative-agenda/

[5] http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2018/01/expanding-coverage-part-leaders-legislative-agenda/

2018 Democratic SOS Nominee John Barrow, Georgia Democrats, and Business Owners Agree: Cagle, Kemp Wrong for Georgia Businesses and Families

ATLANTA — Today, Georgia Democratic Secretary of State nominee John Barrow, other prominent Georgia Democrats, and business owners agreed that neither Casey Cagle nor Brian Kemp are suitable candidates for Governor in the state of Georgia. Barrow stated that Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are guilty of “willful neglect” when it comes to aiding Georgia businesses and declared them both thoroughly incompetent for office.

Flanked by State Senator Valencia Seay and State Representative Kimberly Alexander, Barrow and the speakers recounted several disastrous moves by Brian Kemp, whose office leaked the Social Security numbers of 6.5 million voters. Similarly, Casey Cagle has spent 24 years at the state capitol with virtually nothing to show for it- except for punishing the state’s biggest employer over a petty, political stunt. While describing the harmful policies of Cagle and Kemp, the speakers frequently invoked the words of former Republican Gubernatorial candidates Hunter Hill, Michael Williams, and Clay Tippins.

“I have had an opportunity to visit with and get to know the needs and concerns of the business community in this state,” said Barrow. “And I can tell you they are shocked and appalled at the prospect of people wanting to take the business climate that we have in Georgia- the product of generations of bipartisan leadership- to impose a narrow, partisan, ideological and often times religious viewpoint on their fellow citizens and the businesses that are doing business here in the state of Georgia.”

“Mr. Kemp and Mr. Cagle both have to live with the legacy cost of years of neglect on our educational infrastructure, and the current, willful neglect of the opportunity to take advantage of investments in healthcare that Georgia taxpayers are paying for- but not getting,” continued Barrow.

John Barrow’s statement echoes the statements made by other Democrats, as well as fellow Republican colleagues of Cagle and Kemp. In rare bipartisan consensus, both sides agree that the two remaining GOP candidates for the state’s highest office have been incompetent and/or negligent in their roles. They both represent a clear danger for Georgia families and businesses.

Further descriptions of Cagle and Kemp’s incompetence for office, in their fellow Republicans’ own words, may be found at WrongForGeorgia.com.

John Barrow’s full comments may be found here on YouTube.

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The Democratic Party of Georgia Unveils New Website Highlighting Cagle and Kemp’s Dangerous Track Records

GEORGIA — Today, the Democratic Party of Georgia released a new website highlighting statements made by state Republicans that Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are wrong choices for everyday Georgians.

The new website, WrongForGeorgia.com, comes on the heels of the videos released yesterday on Kemp and Cagle, where state Republicans claim that both candidates are out-of-touch career politicians. Damning statements from former Republican candidates for Governor (Hunter Hill, Clay Tippins, and Michael Williams) detail the disastrous failures of both remaining GOP candidates for Georgia’s highest office.

Georgia Republicans have said that Kemp/Cagle are “bought and paid for,” guilty of “complete mismanagement of finances” and “bullying colleagues and citizens.”  Of Kemp, it’s been said “If you were in the private sector, you would be fired.”

One thing is for certain: Republicans agree that neither Kemp nor Cagle have what it takes to be the next Governor of the state of Georgia.

“Georgia Republicans are normally as useless as a steering wheel on a mule,” said DuBose Porter, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair. “Georgians deserve to know exactly what their Republican colleagues have said about them.”

“And in this case, we think they’re right: Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp are wrong for Georgia families and businesses.”

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