Abigail Darnell, Author at The Georgia Republican Assembly

State Court Defies Federal Court in Catoosa GOP Freedom of Association Case

November 8, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Government / Issues

Ringgold, GA — Yesterday, the Judge David K. Smith of the Superior Court of Catoosa County contradicted the Federal 11th Circuit Court decision issued a few months ago, which upheld the Catoosa GOP’s “freedom of association” lawsuit. In 2024, the Catoosa Republican Party attempted to deny four commissioners a place on their primary ballot, due to those commissioners’ reputation for opposing and not implementing core Republican principles — such as supporting low taxes, allowing backyard chickens on private property, protecting medical freedom, and not endorsing Democrats. They set a very low bar of mainstream Republican positions, and politely denied candidates who didn’t meet that minimum standard.

Click to watch the video.

*The attorneys representing the Catoosa GOP.*

“While it is disappointing that the state court decision completely ignores the recent related federal 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that clearly recognizes the constitutional issues at play, we look forward to continued appellate review that accurately recognizes the rights of volunteer-run political parties to enforce their platform on behalf of busy citizens and not be forced by government to cover for insider wealthy interests deceiving voters,” said GRA Chairman Alex Johnson, one of the attorneys representing Catoosa GOP.

Judge Smith is a retired judge from Bartow County who was brought into this case because all four judges over Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit recused themselves.

Judge Smith’s order went so far as to state: “… there was no legal basis for the behavior of the Catoosa Republican Party” and issued a judgment against several members of the Catoosa GOP, requiring them to pay the legal fees of the four County Commissioners.

But this decision flatly contradicts the 11th Circuit Federal Court which stated in Jun e:

“The Supreme Court has explained that the First Amendment’s ‘freedom to join together in furtherance of common political beliefs necessarily presupposes the freedom to identify the people who constitute the association,’ Tashjian v. Republican Party of Conn., 479 U.S. 208, 214 (1986) (internal quotation marks omitted), and ‘to limit the association to those people only,’ Democratic Party of U.S. v. Wisconsin ex rel. La Follette, 450 U.S. 107, 122 (1981). In other words, ‘a corollary of the right to associate is the right not to associate.’ Cal. Democratic Party v. Jones, 530 U.S. 567, 574 (2000).

Regarding the right not to associate, the U.S. Supreme Court “has recognized that the inclusion of persons unaffiliated with a political party may seriously distort its collective decisions—thus impairing the party’s essential functions—and that political parties may accordingly protect themselves from intrusion by those with adverse political principles.” La Follette, 450 U.S. at 122 (quotation marks omitted). And generally “a [s]tate, or a court, may not constitutionally substitute its own judgment for that of the [p]arty.” Id. at 123–24.

We have recognized that a political party’s right to advance the shared political beliefs of its members may include the right not to associate with candidates on a primary ballot. (Underlining added.)
See page 8 of the Federal 11th Circuit Court Opinion.

*Catoosa Republicans activists supporting the freedom of association*

With such overt clarity from the U.S. Supreme Court on this issue, it is shocking that a state level court would issue an order so contradictory to this legal precedent. You know, Stare Decisis and all that.

However, it is not entirely unexpected that the Federal Court might be more neutral and objective about Catoosa GOP’s case, since the Federal judiciary is not beholden to Governor Brian Kemp nor are they as closely connected to some of the state legislators whose political careers might be in jeopardy if the Georgia Republican Party began exercising its freedom of association rights more regularly. Make no mistake – Georgia politicians are watching this case very closely.

*Advocates for Catoosa GOP’s freedom of association exercise on the primary ballot speak to the press.*

The 11th Circuit opinion said:
“…we see no reason why a county-level party, and its constituent members, would not also enjoy the right to freedom of association and the right to identify those who constitute the local party based on political beliefs. See Id. The court also suggested that the Duke cases are different because they involved a presidential primary where the party ‘enjoyed substantial discretionary power’ to select candidates, but Georgia state law ‘provides no discretion for a county party to deny qualification to candidates based on substantive concerns.’ See O.C.G.A. § 21-2-153. That state law may prevent the Catoosa GOP from excluding primary candidates for ideological reasons, though, simply shows that its right to freedom of association has been burdened. It does not negate the right. After all, a political party’s constitutional right to exclude, ‘central to its freedom of association,’ is not derived from state law. Wash. State Grange v. Wash. State Republican Party, 552 U.S. 442, 445 (2008).” (Underlining added.)

The far-left Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper and some Establishment-leaning GOP activists were quick to report on this unfavorable ruling, even though they seemed to ignore the 11th Circuit (Federal) Court’s opinion when it was handed down on June 12th, probably because they didn’t like the outcome of that decision.

Fake Republican politicians don’t like being held accountable to a written platform. Politicians and Debbie Dooley are terrified that grassroots Republicans like you just might click the donate button and enable Catoosa GOP to continue this legal fight where SCOTUS precedent is so clearly on their side.

This aggressive decision from the Catoosa Superior Court is ripe for appeal, and Catoosa GOP members stand resolute, despite the fear-mongering efforts of their critics. They are bolstered by the knowledge that real, principled, grassroots Republicans across Georgia are behind them.

Will you pitch in $10 or $20 to help the Catoosa GOP team as they trailblaze for all Georgia Republicans? You can donate here to support the Catoosa GOP’s ongoing legal battle for freedom of association:

https://www.givesendgo.com/supportjoannahildreth

Catoosa GOP “RINO Ridding” Case Prevails Against Motion to Dismiss

October 6, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Government / Issues

Rome, GA – On Monday, federal Judge Billy Ray heard arguments related to Catoosa GOP’s “freedom of association” lawsuit, and he did not grant Catoosa County Attorney Chris Harris’s motion to dismiss the case at this time.

This hearing follows a successful appeal to the 11th Circuit Court which recently affirmed the Catoosa GOP’s position, and remanded the case back to federal Judge Billy Ray.

“We are encouraged that multiple claims are definitely moving forward and are hopeful for a positive judicial decision on all the others,” said Alex Johnson, GRA Chairman and volunteer attorney for Catoosa GOP. “We are grateful we do not live in a country where the government can force political parties to associate with people who don’t share their values and principles.”

*Catoosa GOP heroes, heroines and supporters outside the federal courthouse with attorney Alex Johnson in Rome after the hearing*

This lawsuit originated in March 2024 after the Catoosa County Republican Party sought to exercise its constitutional right to freedom of associatio n by denying four commission candidates a place on the Republican primary ballot. The local GOP made this decision because those candidates had previously supported Democrat public policy positions contrary to the Republican Party platform.

Click to watch the video of the background story on the controversy between Catoosa GOP and Catoosa Commissioners

Catoosa County, located on Georgia’s border with Tennessee, voted 77% for Donald Trump in 202 4. In State Senate District 53, Senator Colton Moore received 78% of the vote. These figures underscore the near impossibility of winning office in Catoosa County as a Democrat or third-party candidate. Consequently, control over access to the Republican primary ballot has become a fiercely contested issue.

Like many other deeply conservative counties in Georgia, the real political contest in Catoosa often occurs in the Republican primary rather than the general election.

Despite the local party’s objections, the Catoosa County Board of Elections voted 4–1 to place the four candidates’ names on the Republican primary ballot—over the GOP’s opposition and, the party contends, in violation of state law. The Catoosa GOP has since filed suit against the Board, alleging that its actions infringed upon the party’s constitutional right to freedom of association.

“Any claim related to the freedom of association should be dismissed,” argued Harris.

Attorney Johnson countered that allowing a government entity to dictate who a political party must accept on its primary ballot resembles the practices of countries such as North Korea or Cuba. Such a practice is wholly un-American and unconstitutional.

Judge Billy Ray gave both sides close scrutiny, posing pointed questions to each attorney and testing their arguments as though playing devil’s advocate.

The Ticking Clock and Looming Elections
It was clear that both sides are eager to see this lawsuit resolved swiftly. Attorney Harris noted that the Board of Elections is seeking guidance for future elections, particularly with another primary approaching soon.

The stakes are high and tensions continue to rise, especially as another Catoosa County commissioner, Chuck Harris, faces re-election in 2026. Earlier this year, delegates at the Catoosa GOP County Convention voted to expel and ban him “from qualifying as a candidate of the Catoosa County Republican Party in any capacity.”

This motion (in the form of a resolution) which passed overwhelmingly, also demanded that:

“5. That CHUCK HARRIS is hereby demanded to cease and desist from calling himself a “Republican” or using his false claim of being a “Republican” for personal profit. 6. That CHUCK HARRIS is hereby banned from all property owned, leased, rented or in the control of the Catoosa County Republican Party and all events held by or under the authority of the Catoosa County Republican Party.”

The delegates passed similarly severe motions regarding the other sitting commissioners as wel l.

The Court appeared to recognize the gravity of this case and the precedent it could set for county parties across Georgia.

“If you’re right, you’re right for everybody,” Judge Billy Ray told attorney Alex Johnson during the hearing. This may have been allusion to the pending order from the GA GOP State Convention delegation passed this past summer in a resolution to block Brad Raffensperger from running in the Republican Primary next year.
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One of the questions the court raised was what specific harm could be demonstrated to come from voters seeing candidates’ names on the Republican primary ballot. While that question was not fully addressed in this hearing, the Catoosa GOP maintains that political parties are harmed when donors and grassroots activists withdraw their support—refusing to give, volunteer, or campaign—because of the party’s association with candidates who do not share its principles.

*The 2025 Catoosa GOP Convention ha record-breaking attendance and affirmed the exercise of freedom of association rights*

Many Republicans across Georgia have expressed frustration when they see candidates on the ballot (at the Federal, State, or local level) whose values appear inconsistent with the party’s platform. The damage grows when disillusioned voters, discouraged by the actions or reputations of certain politicians, choose to stay home on Election Day altogether – thereby never laying eyes on the candidates name at the polls.

Ballot Questions & Catoosa GOP’s Freedom of Speech

Another element of the lawsuit relates to the party’s free speech rights that were violated when the non-binding ballot questions that Catoosa GOP attempted to place on their primary ballot were denied.

“Is it your position that no matter what the content was, the ballot questions should be allowed?” Judge Ray asked Alex Johnson.

He questioned whether the state should allow questions that perhaps incited violence, or might be considered electioneering with the intent to sway voters. Johnson replied that, if the law allowed that speech, there could still be consequences, since the first amendment prohibits the government from restricting speech, but it doesn’t protect individuals from the consequences of their speech.

Judge Ray acknowledged that the statute says “shall” which doesn’t give the state much latitude. Johnson made the case that if ballot questions on a party’s primary may be denied for simply attempting to sway a voter on an issue, or lead a voter to a specific conclusion, one could argue the general ballot referendum questions have been electioneering for many years.

Catoosa GOP Needs Your Help

Chairwoman Joanna Hildreth and her volunteer team have remained steadfast throughout this battle, even expressing a willingness to face jail time in defense of their community’s right to preserve Republican integrity and resist Democrat-aligned public policy.

There will be another hearing for Catoosa GOP this Friday, October 10th at 9:00am at the Catoosa County Courthouse 7694 Nashville St. Ringgold, GA 30736. Republicans are encouraged to attend and show their support for the resolute leaders of Catoosa GOP.

Judge Ray intends to hand down another decision sometime before 2026 qualifying begins, and GRA members are hopeful that the decision will affirm the Catoosa GOP’s constitutional rights.

If you cannot attend the hearing, please consider donating to the ongoing legal expenses, filing fees, and court costs that Catoosa GOP has sustained. Stay tuned for a link to donate to help.

Prescription to Die – GA Legislators Explore Assisted Suicide

August 28, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Issues

Atlanta, GA – On Monday, Georgia legislators explored a change to state law to allow doctors to write lethal prescriptions to facilitate suicide (instead of employing suicide prevention) for patients who have a terminal diagnosis. This sounded alarm bells for GRA members and pro-life advocates who believe the state should recognize and affirm the value of all innocent human life, including the lives of the elderly, disabled, and terminally ill.

“This is a learning committee meeting,” said Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta) Chairman of the Public Health Committee as she introduced the presenting organizations.

The assisted suicide concept was presented to the committee under the benign-sounding euphemism “Medical Aid in Dying” (MAID), which is misleading since hospice and palliative care are already widely available to provide comfort measures before natural death.

If adopted, the suicide prescription would be limited to victims who are over 18 years old, have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and are capable of administering the drug themself, thus taking their own life with the help of medical professionals.

Currently in Georgia, it is a felony to assist someone to commit suicide per GA Code § 16-5-5 – but MAID would change that.

“[Under MAID] everbody is protected from criminal and civil liabilities,” said Dr. Adrienne Mims, one of the presenters. Dr. Mims was appointed by the governor to the Georgia Older Adults Cabinet and the Georgia Council on Aging.

The committee examined data from Oregon where physician assisted suicide has been legal for many years.

“What we find is, although more than 4,000 prescriptions were written, only 66% of those were used,” said Dr. Mims.

This indicates that one-third of those who requested the suicide pill did not take it. For those who take it, if they change their mind, there is no recourse. “There is no antidote,” said Mims.

Once a patient ingests the lethal cocktail of drugs, they lose consciousness in about 10 minutes and are dead within about an hour. As with any suicide, the family and friends of the victim would be left to mourn the fatal decision, discover the body, and wonder if they were in some way responsible. If you have ever attended the funeral of a suicide victim, you know the shock and trauma it causes for the family. They are often plagued with questions like:

“Was it something I said that led him to this?”

“Should I have done more to reach out and support him?”

“Could I have prevented him making this decision?”

Thankfully, Rep. Scott Hilton (R- Peachtree Corners) raised concerns about the suicide drug to his colleagues calling it “morally abhorrent.”

Loopholes for Murder?

The patient would have to request the deadly prescription in writing, which raises concerns about the possibility of coercion and abuse from one’s caregivers or heirs who might be able to forge the patient’s signature. Once Grandma is sent home with the prescription how would anyone know if she self-administered the lethal drug voluntarily and knowingly or not? If it was concealed in other medications, or if there was a struggle, who would know?

During the meeting it was mentioned that this deadly dose could even come to the victims house through the mail!

Some might argue that potential loopholes are not a big concern in these cases because the patient had a terminal illness, and was going to die anyway. This thinking represents an obvious assault on the sanctity of life, and has led to the creation of organizations like Not Dead Yet that advocate for the rights of patients with a terminal diagnosis.

We believe Georgia law should recognize and protect the lives of terminally ill patients just like anyone else. The GAGOP platform and resolutions passed over the years have repeatedly affirmed the right to life for all innocent human beings. Any loopholes that might provide cover for murder, jeopardizing lives of vulnerable patients should be a massive concern.

Who Benefits from MAID?

Legislation like this begs the question, who stands to benefit from this change?

The official narrative would have you to believe this effort is all about allowing sick people to engage in the ultimate act of autonomy by choosing to die on their own terms in defiance of their Creator. But the reality is that most legislation is driven by money, and behind all the sob stories and compassionate language stands the health insurance companies who could save a ton of money by encouraging suicide instead of natural death.

Someone who believes in eugenics might regard potential loopholes for murder as a feature not a defect in the law since people tend to wrack up their largest medical expenses at the end of life representing high costs for the taxpayer (because medicine has become so heavily socialized) and/or the insurance companies who have an incentive to make suicide easy and attractive to sick people whom they regard as a “drain on the system.” Health insurance companies benefit from milking patients by collecting premiums and government subsidies for decades of the consumer’s life when they don’t need much medical assistance. Then, when they begin to need it, that’s when the industry looks for ways to drop them as a liability.

If physician assisted suicide is legalized in Georgia, might health insurance companies possibly be incentivized to say “we can’t pay for your chemotherapy, but assisted suicide is covered 100%,” thereby encouraging suicide?

These financial incentives are some of the many tragic eventual consequences of socialized medicine. Heartbreaking stories from Canada and Europe have shown us that physician-assisted suicide quickly leads to euthanasia.

Any assistance in suicide would seem to violate the “do no harm” clause in the Hippocratic Oath taken by many physicians and according to the Heritage Foundation, could open the door for the “practice of medicine to be corrupted.”

It comes as no surprise that Chairwoman Cooper, who appears to have initiated this explorative learning session about MAID, receives massive campaign contributions from the healthcare industry (medical groups, individual doctors, Pfizer, etc.)

Rep. Cooper received a failing 37% on her GRA legislative scorecard this year after comparing her voting record to the principles of the Republican Party. Many Cobb County Republicans find it infuriating that, while running on the Republican ticket, Rep. Cooper has not allowed hearings on pro-life and medical freedom legislation, and instead gives priority to extreme ideas like assisted suicide and bills that grow government and benefit Big Pharma. Many find it disturbing that the GA Faith and Freedom Coalition for the last three years has given a perfect score (100% in 2025, 2024 , and 2023) to Rep. Cooper in spite of her record of opposition to public policy positions that Christians and Republicans usually support.

*Misleading campaign literature claiming Cooper is “pro-life.”*

Please join us in emailing the members of the Public Health Committee to let them know your thoughts on physician assisted suicide. Sometimes hearing from constituents can make all the difference. Experience has taught us that politicians need a lot of encouragement to do the right thing, so please also consider sending a message of gratitude and encouragement to Rep. Scott Hilton for his bold opposition to so-called “Medical Aid in Dying.”

Email Rep. Scott Hilton: Scott.Hilton@House.GA.gov

Patriots Urge Legislative Study Committee to Implement Election Reform

July 16, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Government / Issues

Atlanta, GA — On last Tuesday, dozens of election integrity activists (many of whom are GRA members) spoke before the State House’s “Blue Ribbon Study Committee” at the State Capitol, urging legislators to adopt real election integrity reform in Georgia.

“Much like the fable The Emperor’s New Clothes, we continue to hear strong declarations that Georgia’s elections are secure, yet beneath these confident statements of public trust and high turnout, are persistent, well-documented problems that are impossible to ignore for anyone paying attention,” said GRA member Field Searcy, leader of Georgians for Truth, during public comments.

The public speakers included both conservatives and Democrats however the vast majority advocated for hand marked paper ballots.

Georgia House Blue Ribbon Study Committee on Election Integrity

Cheating can also occur using paper ballots, they would be auditable and can be verified with a “paper trail,” unlike the electronic Dominion system.

“We are still voting on the same system we voted on in 2020,” said election integrity leader Sam Carnline, also with Georgians for Truth.

Garland Favorito of VoterG A also spoke and raised concerns that our voter data has been outsourced to a Sales Force cloud and our PII (Personally Identifiable Information) is going to third parties without our consent.

This Study Committee may be an attempt to placate the election integrity patriots without providing any meaningful reform, but if so, it is still a good sign that Georgia legislators felt a need to do so. This is an indication of progress for the election integrity movement. Every meeting gives activists an opportunity to keep pressure on the legislators and make our concerns heard by both legislators and constituents. Hopefully we can break through the noise to awaken the disengaged Republicans who only pay attention on Election Day.

We desperately need your Republican-voting friends, neighbors and church members to help us turn Georgia around by getting politically informed and engaged in between elections. Please encourage your less-engaged Republican friends to take a look at our Legislative Scorecards and sign up for our email newsletter on our website.

We urge all GRA members to consider attending the next Blue Ribbon committee meeting August 8th in Rockmart.

Another opportunity to advance election integrity is coming up at the State Election Board Meeting July 29th-30th at 9AM at the Georgia State Capital – Room 341.

If you cannot join in person you can use this Remote link: https://www.youtube.com/@GAStateElectionBoard/streams/.

12 Years of Progress – History of the GRA

July 10, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in events

In January of 2013, at the height of the Tea Party movement, the Georgia Republican Assembly officially chartered as a state chapter of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA). The initial charter included only 25 members, and few could have imagined the 1,000+ member organization the GRA would become.

During the first year, the fledgling organization hosted a debate between candidates running for GAGOP Chair and adopted a model to endorse candidates with a 2/3rds vote (proving strong consensus), a model that is used by NFRA chapters across the country. Initial GRA calls to action encouraged voters to urge their Congressman to defund Obamacare and withdraw from Common Core curriculum.

However, the organization struggled to get off the ground and by September of 2015 Julianne Thompson, the original President, acknowledged that she and the other officers were too busy on campaigns for Ted Cruz and others. She sent an email calling for a reorganization that led to Alex Johnson being elected as President with Kay Godwin and Pat Tippet from South Georgia also being elected among the officers. This is when things began to change. At that time, only six members were reported to be on the organization’s roster.

Alex Johnson had recently concluded his second campaign as an anti-Establishment candidate for state party Chairman, which had given the 30-year old attorney a platform to expose numerous problems in the party. Johnson’s campaign had galvanized an anti-establishment caucus and made him an ideal recruit for the newly created organization.

“The Establishment has always just been horrible,” said Johnson.

GAGOP Delegates Oust Brad Raffensperger Protecting Republican Brand

June 9, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in conventions / Issues

Dalton, GA – On Saturday, an overwhelming majority of delegates at the Georgia Republican Party state convention approved a resolution prohibiting Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger from being allowed to run in a future Republican primary.

The resolution states:

 “It is resolved that the Georgia Republican Party shall not qualify, allow to be qualified, or take any action to allow Brad Raffensperger to qualify as a Republican or run for any elected office unless and until a GAGOP Convention removes this restriction; and,

Be it further resolved that the Georgia Republican Party shall fully defend against any future litigation or legal action taken by Brad Raffensperger or others that in any way claims that the Georgia Republican Party is or can be required to allow Brad Raffensperger to run for public office as a Republican.”
This comes after the Secretary of State has repeatedly opposed and obstructed Republican efforts to establish secure and transparent elections. In addition to the well known Curling v. Raffensperger case which exposed and uncovered massive vulnerabilities in Georgia’s elections, the Dekalb GOP filed a lawsuit against Brad Raffensperger in regard to the encryption keys which were stored in the database in plain text. When this password became public knowledge election integrity activists made t-shirts featuring the password in order to expose the absurd vulnerability of the Dominion voting systems.

“The system is obviously not secure if the system admin password is so readily available,” said Field Searcy leader of Georgians for Truth and GRA Board member.

Some would go so far as to say that the Secretary of State’s actions do not represent incompetence, but rather malfeasance of office. Either way, it is clear Raffensperger did not meet the minimum standard the Republican Party expects from a Republican elected official.

Long Awaited Victory

Back in 2021, at the state convention in Jekyl Island, (the year Brad Raffensperger had been denied election as a Republican delegate in his own precinct) Alex Johnson (then GRA President) proposed a resolution censoring and blocking Brad Raffensperger. The idea was debated on the convention floor where the establishment along with chairman, Randy Evans argued that such an action was not legal, would lead to an expensive lawsuit, and the effort was ultimately not successful.

“After 16 years of Republican Party conventions, this was the most meaningful one in party history,” said Alex Johnson GRA Chairman and President of the NFRA.

While most resolutions merely express the views of the party and educate the public on issues, they usually have no teeth. This resolution was unique in that it gives direction to the party leadership and requires them to abide by it, and even take action to defend the decision from legal challenges. It is important to remember that political parties control ballot access for their primary. The Republican primary ballot doesn’t belong to the government or to the general public, it belongs to the Republican party.

The negative reputation of Georgia’s Secretary of State is well known, and Trump supporting patriots across the country recognize the name Brad Raffensperger due to the nationwide attention Georgia received as a result of the 2020 and 2021 elections.

Raffensperger has been known to threaten local county elections superintendent’s and boards if they feel inclined to change their system to comply with certain election laws.

“Georgia counties don’t follow the election laws because of Raffensperger and his staff,” said Field Searcy.

In Dekalb County, Michelle Long Spears, a Democrat candidate for Commissioner and was shocked to see the election results that showed she received zero votes in her own precinct. She knew she voted for herself, and believed her husband also voted for her. When this concern about the accuracy of the Dekalb election was raised, and election integrity advocates called for a hand recount, the Secretary of State’s office opposed them. They conducted a hand recount anyway, and it completely altered the winner in the race! After the hand recount, instead of being in 3rd place Spears came in first. Advocates of election integrity have not forgotten that Brad Raffensperger attempted to block them from conducting that hand recount.

GA GOP Responsive to Republican Voters

The results of the non-binding ballot questions on the 2024 Republican primary ballot voters made it clear that election integrity is a major concern for Republican voters. 64% of Republican primary voters wanted hand marked paper ballots, and 80% wanted clean voter rolls requiring registered voters to renew their registration every four years. The Georgia Republican Party delegates responded.

This Resolution was a last resort after Republican activists have tried every possible way to express their concerns and work with the SOS to establish secure, transparent elections, and have received intense opposition instead of assistance.

The delegates on Saturday collectively said “enough is enough” and cut all ties with Georgia’s current Secretary of State. Raffensperger remains free to run for office as a Democrat or an Independent or join a third party, if they will have him. They concluded that we need to protect the reputation of the Georgia Republican party from an elected official who doesn’t share our commitment to election integrity.

There were 1,713 Republican delegates in attendance Saturday not counting the alternates and guests observing in the back. The Raffensperger resolution was one of several included in a package that was submitted to the body by the resolutions committee under the leadership of Suzi Voyles and with strong support from state Rep. Noel Kahaian.

Getting the party to implement a minimum standard, requiring candidates to share a minimum level of adherence to the GOP platform has been a goal of the GRA for several years. Delegates visiting the GRA vendor table at the convention were eager to sign the GRA petition to block Raffensperger, who is arguably the most distrusted Republican politician in the state.

GRA members and supporters are excited about this massive victory and believe the GAGOP will be stronger and better able to engage and recruit new party members as a result of this action protecting the GOP brand.

This is an example of the GAGOP exercising their constitutional right to the freedom of association.

“The government cannot force a Baptist church to ordain a Hindu or a Muslim as their minister,” said Nathaniel Darnell, GRA President, “and they can’t force the Republican Party to associate with Brad Raffensperger when he relentlessly acts contrary to Republican beliefs and objectives.”

This resolution has the same effect as the Accountability Rule the GRA proposed at the 2023 GOP Convention, and the same effect as the actions taken by the Catoosa GOP in 2024.

While some argue that anyone and everyone should be allowed to claim the label “Republican” regardless of what they believe or how they act, we believe the Republican primary should be reserved for only those candidates who embrace at least a minimum number of the Republican principles outlined in our platform.

“This resolution serves as a warning to all Republican elected officials in Georgia who like to utilize the resources and volunteers in the Republican Party, while simultaneously stomping all over our platform and dismissing the legitimate policy concerns of party activists. We are grateful to all the delegates who voted in favor of the resolution and look forward to assisting the party in implementing other accountability measures to protect the Republican brand and protect Georgians who are being harmed by RINO public policy,” said Darnell.

Kemp Rejects Pleas to Veto SB 144, Fake Republicans Make Pesticide Manufacturers Immune from Lawsuits

May 20, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Government / Issues

Last week, despite receiving many calls and emails from concerned Georgians urging him to veto the bill, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law an appalling, unjust, anti-Republican bill, SB 144 which gives pesticide makers immunity from lawsuits if their products harm consumers. Pesticide producer Monsanto/Bayer has faced more than 150,000 lawsuits over Roundup.

“It is shocking that in the wake of the MAHA movement (“Make America Healthy Again”) our Republican state legislators would be so tone deaf as to give special immunity to Bayer/Monsanto,” said Nathaniel Darnell, GRA President.

Reuters reported that Monsanto/Bayer “has paid about $10 billion to settle disputed claims that Roundup, based on the herbicide glyphosate, causes cancer.”

“We are exploring every possibility to end this litigation,” said Bayer.

Which Republican Legislators Voted for SB 144 and helped them avoid accountability in the courtroom?

Catoosa Republicans Re-Elect Pro-Accountability Leaders: Victory for Freedom of Association

March 20, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in conventions

Ringgold, GA — On Tuesday evening, the Republican delegates of the Catoosa County Republican Convention elected a full pro-accountability slate of officers in spite of heavy opposition from the rejected RINO Catoosa County Commissioners and other government employees.

The fake Republican commissioners, who sued the local pa rty after being denied a place on the Republicans primary ballot last year, but were forced on by a local judg e, mounted a force of nearly 100 people at the county convention of 214 to attempt to take over the party and neutralize any future accountability efforts. The stakes were high for both sides. If successful in seizing the Catoosa Republican Party leadership, the Commissioners could have ended the “freedom of association” lawsuit which is currently pending in the federal 11th Circuit Court. But the commissioners plans were thwarted by the accountability oriented local patriots who showed up in greater numbers.

“It was a victory for the grassroots and the Republicans that worked so hard to elect President Trump and J.D. Vance,” Chairwoman Joanna Hildreth told The Chattanooga Times Free Press. “I’m just thrilled that we had a victory tonight, because it just reinforces all the hard work that they’ve done and they’re ready to keep doing.”

*Joanna Hildreth celebrating with GRA President Nathaniel Darnell*

The patriot activists at the Catoosa Precinct Caucus a month earlier had successfully blocked one of the rejected RINO commissioner candidates from being a delegate, but the other four commissioners were among the delegates leading the attempted take over.

The commissioners’ contingent included the county manager, the clerk, the county C.F.O., 4 of the 5 school board members, the school superintendent, the Mayor of Fort Oglethorpe, a city council member, various appointed county board members, a couple of lobbyists including former State Senator Jeff Mullis (whom Sen. Colton Moore replaced). Not to mention a judge’s wife and another judge’s executive director. These government employees know that it is nigh impossible to get elected to local office unless they qualify as a Republican on the ballot in rural counties like Catoosa. These people, along with their families, composed a pretty formidable crowd. The battle lines were drawn disctinctly between fed up tax-payers and tax-dollar recipients who work for the local civil government in some capacity. It was truly “the swamp” versus the people.

“Today the Republican voters of Catoosa County declared that they support the GOP holding politicians accountable, by re-electing GRA-member Joanna Hildreth and members of her team!” said Nathaniel Darnell, GRA President. “This convention provides demonstrable proof that the majority of Republican voters support their local party leadership acting on their behalf and exercising the right to freedom of association.”

Long lines filled the hallways of the small town event center as delegates got credentialed, with wait times resembling the GOP conventions of much larger counties like Cobb or Cherokee due to the sheer volume.

The tension in the room was thick from the beginning and peaked when it came time to elect a convention chairman. The 14th District GOP Chairwoman Denise Burns (also a GRA member) was nominated, followed by Jeremy Jones, a public defender attorney on the payroll of the government, and the previous Catoosa County Party Chairman. Both sides knew that this vote was a microcosm for the entire convention and would reflect the voting strength of the two sides.

*Denise Burns taking the gavel to chair the convention*

A standing vote was called, and Denise Burns squeaked out ahead with a vote of 111 to 103 — an eight vote lead!

This proved that the community engagement and brave example of the Catoosa GOP leadership had grown the party and inspired many new members. The Catoosa GOP’s bold opposition to tax increases, cronyism and the tyrannical chicken ordinance had attracted and informed more and more voters who were united by their shared principles and their intense opposition to the tyranny they had experienced from their local government.

Chairwoman Joanna Hildreth reported that in 2023 the Catoosa GOP set an all time record for the highest attendance at their county convention, and this year’s precinct caucus exceeded that record!

*GRA member & Whitfield County GOP Chairman Eddie Caldwell served as the Parliamentarian.*

After the vote to elect Denise Burns as convention chairman, members from the government employees group, realizing they didn’t have the numbers, tried to make a motion to adjourn. That motion was ruled out of order, and the supporters of the RINO commissioners, who had been somewhat racous and disorderly all along, got angry and stormed out of the convention hall following the new convention Chairwoman’s refusal to recognize the outburst of an enraged delegate ranting from the floor.

They were done. A crowd of 50 or more people all vacated their seats and gathered in the hallway outside the convention hall to rant and perhaps regroup. But most never returned to their seats, giving an easy victory to Joanna Hildreth and her slate, as the business of the convention continued without them. This rash emotional decision to leave left no opposition to the nominating committee’s slate of officers, the slate of delegates to the District and State conventions, and no opposition to the 14 resolutions — five of which banned and censured the RINO commissioners by name!

Click here to read the 14 Resolutions that passed in Catoosa.

*The newly elected Executive Committee officers of the Catoosa County GOP*

These resolutions articulated the citizens’ grievances with the un-Republicans’ policies and the actions of past Commissioners Steven Henry, Chuck Harris, Jeff Long, Vanita Hullander, and Larry Black, and officially “expelled” them from the party — banning them from qualifying as candidates of the Catoosa County Republican Party in any capacity. The resolution also demands that the commissioners “cease and desist” from calling themselves a “Republican.” This was not a decision of the party leadership but of the entire delegation at the county convention, and they were met with thunderous applause.

Other resolutions included one that condemned and censured the local Catoosa civil government for taking away personal property rights of citizens who want to raise chickens on their private property. Another resolved to block from qualifying any legislator who votes in favor of Sen. Ed Setzler’s (R-Cobb) S.B. 15 or any other legislation to make local partisan races non-partisan. This legislation appears to be a direct attack on the Republican Party, an attempt to shield legislators from any accountability, and an attempt to conceal from voters the ideological leaning of candidates.

County Republican Party organizations receive a significant amount of income from candidates when they pay their qualifying fee. Making local races non-partisan would also cut off that income from the local party and instead give any fees to the government.

This is just another example of the disdain, disloyalty and hostility elected officials have shown to the GOP, the party of which they claim to be a member.

GRA members at the Catoosa County GOP Convention

If the commissioners and their supporters at the Catoosa Convention hadn’t been so heated and emotional, they might could have still accomplished some of their agenda. If one member of their group had attended a GRA Convention training, they might have known how to succeed.

It is remarkable that, with so many commissioners and school board members in the room, they were not more adept at knowing the appropriate motions to achieve the outcome they desired.

We, however, are grateful that in God’s kind providence, good leadership will continue in Catoosa — as will the lawsuit to protect the GOP’s “freedom of association” provided for in the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Mom Turns Activist for Chicken Freedom

March 7, 2025 by Abigail Darnell in Issues

“I didn’t want to start a war. I just wanted to keep chickens.”

Bobbi Wilkey is a homeschool mom who found herself in the crosshairs of a battle with three of the four notorious Commissioners of Catoosa County who were denied a place on the Republican ballot last year due to their un-Republican behavior.

Bobbi moved to Tunnel Hill with her husband in 2020 to escape the harmful leftist policies destroying California. They are refugees seeking a more free, simple, family-friendly life.

Bobbi has five school-aged children. She spends her days around the kitchen table in their suburban Catoosa County home, teaching her children and feeding them nutritious food. When she is not there, she is usually by the side of birthing women, working as a doula or teaching roller skating.

“We were super excited to live where there were lots of conservative people,” Bobbi said.

Bobbi knew nothing about the Catoosa County commissioners, and didn’t set out to be any kind of political activist or culture warrior. The war came to her – to her front door.

On April 19th 2022 Bobbi was anxiously awaiting a violation notice from the Catoosa County government. It was 8:00 am and she had just learned from a neighbor that a zoning official was on his way to give notice of a violation to the Wilkey family regarding their backyard chickens.

Bobbi sprang into action.

By 8:30 she had all the chickens packed up and removed from the house to a big dog kennel on a friend’s farm. Then she and her children waited in the homeschool room with bated breath, uncertain about the fate of their pets.

Then it happened. But there was no inspection, no altercation. Just a slip of paper silently taped to the door that charged them with having “Non-domesticated animals in a residential zone” and a handwritten addition “chickens”.

“Our chickens had to be removed in 10 days or we would have a $1,000 fine for every day we kept them. But they didn’t even inspect to see if we had chickens!”

The Wilkey’s backyard looked like it belonged to the quintessential suburban family. Completely fenced off with a play set, a couple garden boxes, and a small chicken coop. It was half an acre and the property was zoned residential, but bordered a 100 acre cow pasture.

They later learned that the violation notice was the result of one complaint email being sent to the Catoosa County zoning authorities.

“It was just one angry lady, and I had never had a bad interaction with her,” said Bobbi.

One of the children had accidentally left the door of the chicken coop ajar, and a chicken temporarily escaped the coop and was quickly returned, but not before being observed by a neighbor.

Unlike a nuisance ordinance, which requires three people to sign affidavits to warrant someone coming out to your house to give a warning, the Wilkey’s lost their chickens and got entangled in this controversy as a result of one email.

“I was completely blind-sided. Before buying chickens, we had asked all our direct neighbors if it would bother them if we got chickens. They were fine with it.”

THE COMMISSIONERS

“That’s when I went to my first Commissioners meeting.”

Bobbi brought her family and explained that she didn’t even have chickens on her property at the time the violation was issued. Furthermore, she argued that chicken ownership is objectively good. It is not criminal or immoral. Families have raised yard fowl on their private property for thousands of years. It gives children chores by which they can contribute to the family economy, and it teaches them responsibility. It helps with pests and provides fertilizer.

Producing your own food is a fundamental human freedom and one would think the benefits would be apparent, especially to commissioners who claimed to be Republicans. Isn’t that the party of freedom, capitalism, and family values?

“I have five small children. Inflation has hit our family so hard. Food is expensive to feed our children, and we would really love to have a few backyard chickens.”

Even Bobbi’s children spoke before the commissioners.

Fact Check: Amber Thurman’s Death Was Not Due to Pro-Life State Laws

September 26, 2024 by Abigail Darnell in Issues

Over the last week, the Democrat Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been making a big to-do, alleging that state laws that protect some children from abortion murder are to blame for the death of Amber Thurman. However, fact-checking reveals the following:

The 2022 Amber Thurman story is a case of medical malpractice.
The treatment Amber needed, a dilation & curettage (D&C), to remove the body of her murdered twin babies, was and remains completely legal under Georgia’s current “Heartbeat” law.
Amber died two years ago in 2022. The only reason we are just now hearing about her story (two years later) is because it is an election year and the pro-abortion Left is exploiting her death for political purposes.
Amber died of a known risk listed on the abortion drug’s black box warning — a risk the pro-life community frequently warns people about.
Leftists falsely claim “abortion is safer than Tylenol” but 1 in 25 women go to the emergency room with complications after taking the abortion pill!

Therefore, the real blame for Amber Thurman’s death should be put upon those who are touting these abortion murder pills as safe for the health of the mother.

For more information, here is an article from a malpractice attorney stating what the medical industry did wrong and why her death was not due to pro-life laws: https://www.liveaction.org/news/amber-thurman-pro-abortion-state-keisha-atkins/

Also, see another fact-check from Live Action: https://www.liveaction.org/news/fact-check-georgia-law-second-woman-abortion-pill/

Finally, read GRTL’s statement on the Deadly Reality of Abortion Pills: https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/983669/132950076542682518