Fayetteville, GA—At the GRA State Convention on Saturday, the GRA membership passed a series of strong resolutions addressing several hot-button controversies of the day. Among them was a resolution to “END INDOCTRINATION OF CHILDREN IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.”
The text of the resolution was unique in that it called upon families and parents to take action to solve a societal problem, rather than calling upon anyone in civil government to act. The text of the resolution reads in full:
“WHEREAS, the civil government school system has been the primary promoter of socialistic, anti-Republican ideas in our communities; and
“WHEREAS, the government school has been responsible for countless children from Republican homes turning against the principles that were taught to them by their parents and has led to many graduates voting Democrat; and
“WHEREAS, government schools have proven themselves to be untrustworthy by forbidding prayer and the teaching of the Bible, and promoting Critical Race Theory, cultural Marxism, sexual deviancy, abortion, atheism, evolutionism, mandated vaccination and other false and harmful ideas; and
“WHEREAS, Critical Race Theory is a flagrant attempt to teach unveiled, hard-core Marxism and racism; and
“WHEREAS, the conservative exposure and intervention that prevented certain schools from teaching Critical Race Theory this year in no way guarantees government schools will not attempt this kind of indoctrination again in the future with greater success; and
“WHEREAS, this damaging indoctrination usually occurs before parents are made aware of it or have organized to oppose it; and
“WHEREAS, parental protest and interference at school board meetings has proven to be insufficient at checking the advance and of leftism and has only brought parents under investigation for being “domestic terrorists”; and
“WHEREAS, the sustainability of all conservative victories are at risk if the next generation does not understand and embrace Republican values, which are American values;
“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the GA Republican Assembly calls upon all Republican families to immediately remove their children from these harmful facilities and pursue alternative education options and furthermore suggests that local church leaders and Republicans without school-age children designate a portion of their volunteer time and personal resources to assist struggling families in their community in the pursuit of alternative education options.”
Fayetteville, GA—At the GRA State Convention this year, volunteers from the Gwinnett chapter of the Georgia Republican Assembly received two of our most prestigious awards. We were pleased to bestow for 2021 the “Club of the Year” Award upon the Gwinnett group for their excellent example running their local chapter.
GRA NFRA Director Nathaniel Darnell (left) and GRA President (& NFRA President) Alex Johnson (right) present Gwinnett RA President J. Gregory Howard (center) with the “Chapter of the Year” Award on behalf of his chapter organization.
For many years the Gwinnett chapter been setting a good example for other local chapters in how they have held regular meetings (even during COVID), setting up local membership benefits, and hosting candidate forums and holiday parties that have helped to share useful information and good will in the community! There is a lot we all could benefit from in emulating them in these ways.
In addition, Gwinnett County Republican Assembly officer Mary Gordon was also awarded the “Volunteer of the Year” Award due to all of her hard work (often behind the scenes) helping to run her chapter and helping to organize and host special events for her chapter and GRA events. Mary has been gracious as well as skilled in all her service, demonstrating a sensitivity to others that many would do well to emulate.
Gwinnett’s Mary Gordon is presented with the “Volunteer of the Year” Award by the GRA President Alex Johnson.
We heartily congratulate these good folks from Gwinnett for earning this well-deserved recognition!
Fayetteville, GA—Today GRA members from across the state gathered to elect new Executive Committee officers for the next years.
We wish to congratulate to our new GRA Executive Committee!
Our new elected officers are:
• Alex Johnson: GRA President (& NFRA President) • Nathaniel Darnell: NFRA Director • Catherine Bernard: NFRA Director • Brant Frost V: 1st Vice President • Jim Fernander: 2nd Vice President • Abigail Darnell: 3rd Vice President • Nate Porter: Treasurer • Joanna Hildreth: Secretary • Denise Burns: Assistant Secretary
Members of the GRA Board (left), and members of the GRA Executive Committee (right)
Congratulations also to the Gwinnett Republican Assembly (County Chapter President: Gregory Howard) for winning the “Chapter of the Year” Award, to Philip J Singleton for winning the Legislative Award, and to Mary Gordon for winning “Volunteer of the Year.” Thanks to Derrick E Grayson, Kellie Pollard Austin, Ron Jones, and Zach Procter for offering to serve. We look forward to working with everyone to advance the GRA and get great principles which help all people enacted into law.
Join us as we hear from some of the most Conservative Political Leaders fighting for Georgia at the local, state, and national level.
Guest Speakers: Garland Favorito, Voter GA
We’ll hear what Favorito and the Voter GA organization has learned and are fighting for in Georgia’s court system regarding the Georgia 2020 elections. He’ll share what the Voter GA organization has done, is doing, results, and where we can get involved to make a difference.
Additional Invited Guest (not confirmed to date) Marjorie Taylor-Greene, U.S. House Rep. for GA Congressional District 14.
Matt Gurtler, Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie, and former GA House Rep. for District 8.
Additional Speakers to be announced.
ELECTIONS FOR GRA EXECUTIVE BOARD
• President, NFRA National Director 1, NFRA National Director 2, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, 3rd Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer.
(If you are interested in running for any of the above mentioned positions, please submit your experience and political resume to Debra Williams at: debrapio@bellsouth.net, or call for any questions at 770-789-7017).
If you would like more information on serving on any of the following Committee(s) for the GRA, please contact Debra Williams at: 770-789-7017. (Flyers and sign-up will be available at Convention as well.)
• Federal Committee, Chapter Relations, Membership, New Member, Newsletter, Legislative, Events, Public Relations, Speaker’s Bureau, Coalition of Leaders, State/GOP Vetting
Registration, Chick-Fil-A boxed Meal, Vender/Candidate Table can be purchased through Eventbrite.
Registration: $35 Boxed Meal $10 (Must be pre-ordered)
Beverages and Snacks available for purchase.
Vender/Candidate Tables $50 (Contact Debra Williams @ 770-789-7017 for questions).
Northwest GA—On Tuesday, voters in Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe, and Catoosa County all overwhelmingly rejected a controversial Redevelopment Powers proposal on the ballot that would have given the local municipalities the authority to create “Tax Allocation Districts” (TADs) and provide Tax Increment Financing for redevelopment.
These redevelopment powers operate on the premise that “blight makes right”! That is, any part of the community which the local government agency deems to be “blighted” can become a “project area” and be artificially stimulated by tax dollars through corporate welfare to developers. A similar measure was defeated earlier this year in Whitfield County.
One of the concerns expressed by voters was the permanence of this proposal, if adopted. Like many additional or emergency powers, when once surrendered by the people and seized by the civil government, they have no expiration date and power thus surrendered is not easily restored.
Joanna Hildreth
Joanna Hildreth wears many hats as an activist in the area. In addition to serving on the GRA Executive Committee, Joanna was elected this year as the Catoosa County GOP Chair, and she serves as the Vice President of the Northwest GA Republican Assembly chapter. She was very pleased with the outcome of the vote on Tuesday: “I opposed the referendum because at the root it increases the government’s power. I believe in small government, and this was a step in the other direction. We can’t trust that every county board in the future will wield these additional powers wisely. If the referendum had passed, the people would never be able to vote to end it. Only the governor has that authority.”
The Catoosa GOP voted to publicly oppose the Redevelopment Powers—in opposition to their state legislator and fellow Republicans State Rep. Dewayne Hill (R-Ringgold) [who has an “F” on his GRA Voting Scorecard, by the way] and Rep. Steve Tarvin (R-Chickamauga) who together co-authored HB 778, HB 764, and HB 766, the legislation that put the Redevelopment Powers question on the ballots in the first place. “The GOP precinct chairs were instrumental in calling voters, door-knocking, and sign-waving,” Hildreth explained. “Mitchell Horner, Ringgold precinct chairman of the Catoosa GOP and chair of our policy committee, started the Committee on Catoosa Taxation to raise money and purchase signs.”
State Rep. Steve Tarvin (left) / State Rep. Dewayne Hill (right)
The Catoosa GOP partnered with other groups like the Northwest GA Republican Assembly and also utilized social media, radio and television interviews.
Liberty activist Nick Ware attended the October 4th Town Hall meeting about Redevelopment Powers that was held at the Colonnade. “After I heard that presentation I knew I had to push forward,” he said. “I wan’t going to let the ‘powers that be’ have power forever and not stand up!” With that inspiration, Nick decided to put his liberty convictions in action and prepared a presentation about the potential danger of this measure and began spreading the word in the County. Ware and many Catoosa voters believed this measure was problematic for various reasons: it’s interference with the free market, the indebtedness it would create, the lack of accountability, and the special favors and deals it would allow to be given to the political elite and their friends.
“I utilized as many tools as I could to educate the voters,” said Ware.
Threat of Eminent Domain Prompts Emotional Response
Catoosa homeowners were also concerned about the threat of property seizure through eminent domain under this proposal.
“Supporters say if you keep your property looking tidy, you have nothing to worry about. But what about the elderly and disabled who can’t keep their house tidy?” said Nick Ware.
Nick expressed concern for people like the elderly couple who live and operate a small fruit stand on Boynton Road against whom a complaint had recently been filed or the woman overcome with worry and brought nigh to tears because her property borders an area intended to be developed. “I advised her to just hold out and see how the vote goes”, he said, “and she was very happy to hear about the outcome.”
Originally, eminent domain required proof that a property was being taken for “public use” such as the widening of a road, but in 2017 Georgia law was amended to allow local governments to use eminent domain to condemn blighted property and transfer it to a private developer for purposes of economic development. Of course, the original property owner is still entitled to receive what the civil government officials deem “just compensation,” but what is that to the owner of his childhood home or the property that has been passed down through family generations?
Not all Catoosa citizens share these concerns, however. John Pless, the Public Information Officer for Catoosa County told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, “What this would have done is essentially leverage the power of government to redevelop blighted areas. This was not a tax increase, and it was absolutely not a land grab.”
The referendum question was only narrowly defeated in the City of Fort Oglethorpe with only 51.05% voting “No” to Redevelopment Powers, and in the City of Ringgold 60.29% voted “No.” However, in Catoosa County voters rejected it by a staggering 82.55 percent! The fact that the measure failed in all three districts, to the local GRA and liberty activists, is a triumph worth celebrating. Voter turnout was remarkably low with only 4,927 ballots cast for the entire County, a mere fraction of the 32,099 votes cast in Catoosa in the 2020 Presidential election. Some voters have suspicions that controversial measures like these are intentionally put forward in election years where voter participation is expected to be low in order to increase their chances. But the vigilance and community organization of grass roots activists were able to win the day in spite of the low turnout.
George Bettersby protested the TAD in the public comments portion of the October 21 Catoosa Board of Commissioners Meeting. He said, “The county has a horrible reputation for conflicts of interest… The County has had so much problems trying to explain the TAD to taxpayers, they even brought in an expert from Atlanta to try and explain it to us old rednecks. Certainly the devil is in the details. However, one thing you can bank on: the local builders, developers will get richer on the aching backs of our taxpayers young and old.”
While some voters may not fully understand Redevelopment Powers, Tuesdays polling showed they were nonetheless skeptical and may have reasoned intuitively that, if government officials were not asking for more money and more power, they wouldn’t have to get voters permission with a new ballot referendum.
An Ideological Ballot Question
The proposal was very broad and generic in nature and did not specify a certain area or a private developer that would benefit from it. This means the underlying question put to the voters was ideological:
Should local government have the power to artificially stimulate or develop an area that the free market has rejected and is therefore not developing organically?
Should the government provide enhancements that were not merited in the free market?
Should local government have the power to seize private property, against the will of the property owners in order to accomplish the community enhancements that elected officials deem beneficial?
The triple rejection of this proposal by the Cities of Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe and Catoosa County is likely an indication of voters core worldview and fundamental beliefs about the role of government in the lives of the citizenry. A belief that would appear to differ from their elected representatives Dewayne Hill (R-Ringgold) and Steve Tarvin (R-Chickamauga) who sponsored the legislation.
“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.
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. Devonta “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.
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.
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.
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.
GRA President Alex Johnson
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.
The GRA was honored and pleased to have Republican hero Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) as our keynote speaker at this year’s GRA President’s Dinner on September 11th. We hope more Republican elected officials will learn from and follow Massie’s example of commitment to Republican principles, even when it is temporarily unpopular, for the long-term health of the United States. For those who missed his excellent speech, or for those who would like to watch it again, now you can view it from the GRA’s YouTube Channel:
We appreciate those Georgia Congressmen who have joined with Congressman Thomas Massie in his recently proposed legislation to protect our U.S. soldiers from being forced to be vaccinated. Georgia Republican Congressmen Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, and Andrew Clyde have each signed onto this legislation. No one should be forced to wear masks or be vaccinated. We do believe in Medical Freedom for all.
