October 2021 - The Georgia Republican Assembly

The GRA Calls Out Fulton GOP for Fundraising for Atlanta Democrat

October 13, 2021 by Georgia Republican Assembly in Candidates / events / Issues

“Fulton County GOP corruption strikes again!” The Georgia Republican Assembly has joined with voices of other concerned Republican political activists in metro-Atlanta by expressing their shock and displeasure at yet another new antic of the Fulton GOP.

The Fulton County Republican Party posted on their official Fulton County GOP web site, which is paid for with donations to the Fulton GOP, a brochure advertising a fundraiser for Democrat Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore. Moore is running for Mayor of Atlanta.

*Screenshot of the fundraiser for a Democrat on the Fulton GOP web site*

In addition, the Fulton GOP Chair Trey Kelly and his fellow Fulton GOP officer Ashford Schwall appear on this fundraiser event for the Democrat Atlanta City Council President! In addition to serving as officers of the Fulton GOP, Trey and Ashford are also on the Georgia 11th District Republican Party Commitee along with many members of the Cobb Republican Party, the Bartow Republican Party, and the Cherokee Republican Party. Michelle Carver from Fulton, the wife of 11th District GOP Chair Brad Carver (who was formerly found giving public donations to Democrat candidates) also included her name on the fundraiser event.

Fulton GOP Chair Trey Kelly (left) / Fulton GOP officer Ashford Schwall (right)

This is a clear-cut violation of the bylaws for the 11th District GOP and arguably a violation of GAGOP bylaws that prohibit any Republican officer from providing public support to a Democrat. For example, in the 11th District GOP bylaws, it states under Section 2.07 that officers of the 11th District Committee may be removed “for cause,” and it defines “cause” as, among other things:

“ii. Conduct detrimental to the party.”
“iii. Any public support, including financial support, of any candidate or nominee of an opposition party …”
The Rules of the Eleventh District Republican Committee, § 2.07 (b).

Holding a fundraiser for a candidate who is currently serving in office as a Democrat seems to be conduct “detrimental to the party.”

Members of the Fulton GOP who defended the actions of its officers argued that because Felicia Moore is running for Mayor of Atlanta, and the mayoral race is non-partisan, the rules of the party were not violated. We beg to differ. Both the letter and definitely the spirit of the rules are clearly violated.

Unlike some of the nitpickiness about rules that has been scattered lately in various GAGOP controversies on social media, this is a violation that strikes at the heart of why we have separate party organizations.

The response from those trying to justify the fundraiser also illustrates the disconnect within the group we call “the Establishment,” who care only about political power (rather than the Republican principles) in the Atlanta “swamp”:

Felicia Moore is currently holding office as a Democrat. Whether the particular office she is now running for is partisan or not, we know from the candidate’s political identification, current partisan office, track record, and worldview what the policies are she is going to promote if elected to new office! She is not going to be promoting policies that are consistent with Republican principles; she will be promoting Democrat policies. She will work to advance the Democrat Party in Fulton and squelch the Republican candidates in Fulton. No wonder then there was so many reports of election fraud coming from Fulton last year!

To put it another way: If you rename Atilla the Hun as “Joe Smiley,” it makes him no less dangerous. If you rename a bottle of arsenic as “sleeping potion,” it makes it no less dangerous. And if you rename a Democrat a “non-partisan,” it makes her no less dangerous!

“[E]lecting Democrats (even if they’re calling themselves non-partisan),” wrote GRA President Alex Johnson, “simply helps them [the Democrats] with fundraising and name ID. So then they can donate money to other Democrats (like Stacey Abrams) and their endorsement may sway others. It also gives them a perceived platform to advertise their brand (Democrat governance).”

“The GOP is a brand and a team,” Alex said. “As a brand, imagine it/your brand as Coca-Cola. Does Coca-Cola host events and then serve Pepsi at them, or suggest that people try out Pepsi products? No. What about having Pepsi and Coke both available, but just without labels on them? No again.”

“The Democrat Party,” GRA NFRA Director Nathaniel Darnell added, “stands for agendas that are immoral. Things like murdering the helpless and stealing from others. What Republican doesn’t acknowledge that murder and stealing are evil? Anyone who is a part of that becomes an accessory to that kind of evil activity. How can we in good conscience provide any kind of promotion to political candidates who are part of a party working to advance these kinds of evil statist activities?”

Furthermore, multiple Fulton activists have pointed out that there were one or two candidates who were Republicans also running for Mayor of Atlanta. D evonta “Sully” Sullivan was one candidate running who is reported to be a Republican, but the Fulton GOP and its officers are not throwing support behind any of them, nor are they seeking to recruit any better Republican candidate to run. With moments like this, we find ourselves wondering why the Fulton GOP thinks they exist. “With Republicans like you, who needs Democrats?”

The Cobb County chapter of the GRA initially posted on social media about this issue when the story first broke on Saturday, October 9th. The fundraiser was held on Friday, October 8th.

On October 22nd the Buckhead Young Republicans announced they are following the example of their elder peers and also hosting an event to promote an Atlanta Democrat running for Mayor. However, the Buckhead YRs would be giving attention to Felicia Moore’s opponent, the former incumbent Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. One significant difference between the events, however, is that the Fulton GOP event was specifically described as a fundraiser, while the Buckhead YR event appears listed as only a candidate speaking forum. Since the Fulton GOP has already made clear that they regard this race as an “anything goes” because the candidates are “non-partisan,” it appears they have no basis to complain against their youthful counterparts supporting this opponent to their preferred candidate.

GRA President Alex Johnson Elected President of the NFRA

October 11, 2021 by Georgia Republican Assembly in conventions / Election

Scottsdale, Arizona—Over the weekend, Republican Assembly leaders and delegates from all over the country met for the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA) Convention. Attendees heard from elected officials such as House Freedom Caucus Chairman Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ), candidates such as Mark Finchem for Arizona Secretary of State, and spokesmen and educators such as Charlie Kirk with Turning Point USA.

*A portion of the GRA delegation attending the 2021 NFRA Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona*

On the final day of the convention, participating members of the NFRA Board voted to elect a new President for the national organization. Mr. Willes Lee (originally from Hawaii, but more recently moved to Virgina) has served as the NFRA President for the last four years, and has been a noted board member as well of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

When the tally of the ballots was reported, the Georgia Republican Assembly’s President Alex Johnson was announced to have won the election. GRA NFRA Directors Debra Williams and Nathaniel Darnell were both present to vote for Alex, who won by three votes. In addition to working as an attorney from DeKalb, Alex has helped to revitalize and rebuild the GRA over the last six years.

Watch Alex Johnson’s speech for his candidacy at the 2021 NFRA Convention.

In addition, GRA member James Jordan, CPA was elected as the NFRA Treasurer when his opponent decided to drop out of the race at the last moment.

“The NFRA will now become the organization it is meant to be,” said GRA NFRA Director Debra Williams. “Look forward to see great things happen!”

“Alex has built a great team, set a fine example, and spear-headed relentlessly over the last several years to build the GRA,” said GRA NFRA Director Nathaniel Darnell. “We know he’ll do a great job taking that same success to the national Republican Assembly organization.”

The NFRA announces Alex Johnson as the winner of the election.

Do Politicians Serve You, or Do You Serve Them?

October 4, 2021 by Alex Johnson in events / Issues

Fellow Republican,

What is the easiest way to kill a volunteer political organization?

Try to silence the voice of volunteers and refuse to take a stand for accountability of politicians/elected employees.

The Republican Party in Georgia is better equipped to fight than it has been for years. As discussed previously (link) many, many new people have joined the GOP in Georgia to demand accountability and principled candidates for office, and a loud, toxic minority in the GOP , mostly who think that the rest of us should blindly follow their “expertise” are doing whatever they can to stop it.

Cobb GOP Resolutions Critiquing Governor Brian Kemp Last Week Stir Controversy

October 2, 2021 by Nathaniel Darnell in Candidates / events

Last week the official Cobb County Republican Party Committee created something of a stir when they met last Thursday and passed several resolutions critiquing and “censuring” (a better word might have been “reprimanding”) Governor Brian Kemp, and calling for protections at all levels of civil government of medical freedom for citizens. The resolutions addressed time-sensitive subjects. The critiques of Governor Kemp concerned his handling of the allegations of election fraud and revisions to the voting system to ensure accuracy, the illegal immigration, and the indiscriminate admission of Afghan refugees.

Cobb RA member Michael Opitz was appointed as the Resolutions Committee Chairman of the Cobb County Republican Party and orally presented the resolutions, some of which were revisions of earlier drafts presented at a previous committee meeting. Supporters of Governor Kemp protested the resolutions on technical grounds, but the resolutions passed the committee overwhelmingly.

The GRA commends the GOP for holding elected officials accountable to Republican principles at all times. If Republicans do not promote their stated objectives, then the Republican Party becomes meaningless. While we have commended Governor Kemp’s performance in certain instances, we have also offered a critique of some of his actions as well. Such critiques are not endorsements of primary opponents, but instructive for all concerned and provide officials such as Governor Kemp the opportunity to correct their missteps before the next election. If Republican officials expect the grassroots activists to get out the vote for them during campaign season, they have a responsibility to listen to their concerns.

However, the Cobb YRs put out an email on Saturday condemning the Cobb GOP for passing the resolutions. Cobb RA member Nathan Adams called the author of the message on behalf of the Cobb YRs a “lobbyist, posing as a grassroots leader, tell[ing] you that you can’t hold your elected officials accountable …”. GRA President Alex Johnson added that actually most of the board members for the Cobb YRs have a conflict of interest: “One would think and assume that a YR group is ‘grassroots’. But simply look at the composition of their Board of Directors posted on their website: of the 4 board members listed, one of them works for a politician (a Congressman), and two of the others have businesses tied to lobbying that require politicians to like/support them.”

The GRA disagrees with the Cobb YRs about holding elected officials accountable, and our Board today passed a resolution supporting GOP organizations that have held officials accountable. Accountability helps motivate people to campaign and vote with the assurance that our candidates will do what they profess.

Members of the Cobb RA Executive Committee did, however, urge the Cobb GOP Resolutions Committee to provide copies of any proposed resolutions in advance with the Call of the Meeting in the future, and encouraged any party rules to be changed to ensure such a reasonable practice would be followed.