Democratic Party of Georgia

Help Move Georgia Forward

Kemp’s Laughable Claim That He’s “Independent” From His Poll-Closing Henchman Mike Malone

Known Kemp Associate and Donor Mike Malone Said He Was Sent by Kemp and Said Kemp “Highly Recommended” Polling Closures

Randolph County Elections Director: “Mr. Malone came highly recommended from the Secretary of State’s office.”

ATLANTA – Today, the Democratic Party of Georgia called out Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp for his laughable claim that he is “independent” from his associate and donor, Mike Malone.

In a statement from his Secretary of State’s office, Kemp defensively referred to Malone as “an independent consultant” who is “not backed by the Secretary of State’s office.” This statement raises the following questions:

1. How does Kemp define “independent”?

2. Does Kemp really believe he is independent from his associate and donor? (AJC, 8.20.2018)

3. How does Kemp explain his associate and donor Mike Malone’s presentation in Randolph County, where Malone said polling consolidation came “highly recommended” by Kemp himself? (AJC, 8.20.2018)

4. How does Kemp explain his associate and donor Mike Malone’s contention that he was sent around the state by Kemp for the purpose of recommending polling location closures? (Slate, 8.17.2018)

5. How does Kemp explain these words from Randolph County’s elections director: “Mr. Malone came highly recommended from the Secretary of State’s office”? (AJC, 8.20.2018)

And, most importantly,

6. Given Kemp’s history of voter suppression and his connection to the polling closure proposal in Randolph County, will he resign as Secretary of State?

# # #

Brian Kemp Associate FIRED After Trying to Suppress Votes in Randolph County

Chair Porter: Kemp should resign

ATLANTA — Today, the Democratic Party of Georgia responded to the firing of Mike Malone, an associate and donor of Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp, who recommended the closing of seven of nine precincts in Randolph County, a county with a majority African-American population. Malone, who claims Brian Kemp recommended the closures, was today fired in a letter from the county’s attorney.

“Randolph County officials were correct to tell Brian Kemp’s henchman to take a hike, but he never should have recommended the poll closures in the first place,” said Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter. “Georgians deserve a free and fair election, not 11th hour efforts to close down polling locations and suppress votes.”

“Now that his donor and associate has been fired, it’s a good time for Brian Kemp to resign as Secretary of State,” added Porter, noting that Kemp continues to oversee the gubernatorial election in which he is a candidate.

# # #