Georgia lawmakers were working late on Thursday night as they raced to pass dozens of bills before the end of Crossover Day – a deadline for bills to advance out of at least one chamber of the legislature.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at some of the proposals that did and didn’t make it past this key deadline.

Also on this week’s episode, a massive school safety bill advances out of the House, the debate shifts on bills affecting transgender Georgians and a conversation with Health Reporter Jess Mador on the turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

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This week on Political Breakfast: Georgia reactions to President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance berating Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. That has resulted in Trump pausing all military aid to Ukraine.

Georgia Democrats are calling it a disgraceful spectacle. Republicans are mostly backing Trump.

Ben Burnett of the Ben Burnett Show is filling-in for Republican strategist Brian Robinson. Also joining host Lisa Rayam is Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson. 

Plus, the gang looks ahead to crossover day on March 6th - or the deadline for bills to pass at least one chamber.

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A year ago, President Donald Trump was fighting 13 felony counts in Georgia for trying to overturn the 2020 election. At the time, the prosecutor who charged him, Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis, was seen as a rising star.

Now Trump is back in the White House, immune from prosecution for the next four years, and Willis has been rebuked by the courts and is fighting to keep the case alive.

On this week's episode of "Plugged In," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali look into the reversal of fortunes for Trump and Willis, who began their second terms in office just a few weeks apart.

Plus, Thursday is a big day at the Georgia State Capitol. It's known as Crossover Day, a key deadline for bills to advance out of at least one chamber of the legislature.

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On this week's Political Breakfast: We recorded another live episode in-front of a studio audience here at WABE, roughly six weeks into Donald Trump's second presidency. 

Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson joined host Lisa Rayam to answer questions from some of our loyal listeners. 

We discuss Trump's first 6 weeks in office and the political impact on Georgia. That includes mass layoffs at Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the so-called 'Bromance' between Trump and non-elected billionare Elon Musk. 

Plus, pushback against Republican representatives at recent town halls. And Trump and Governor Brian Kemp's evolving 'relationship.'

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Georgia state lawmakers are now halfway through the 40-day legislative session.

Between former President Jimmy Carter's funeral, the presidential inauguration and a snow storm, the session got of to a slow start. But now some big ticket items are on the move.

On this week's episode of "Plugged In," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali take a closer look at some of those bills, including one that would compel local governments to help with immigration enforcement and a school safety package responding to the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School.

Plus, we take a look at some lower-profile bills and check in on how President Donald Trump's moves to reshape the federal government are continuing to play out here in Georgia.

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This Political Breakfast, the gang dives into a recent New York Times article about Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff -- the state's first Jewish Senator -- losing Jewish support. 

The Times wrote some Democratic donors and Jewish leaders are unhappy with Ossoff's position and criticism of the Israel-Hamas war. A bipartisan group of Jewish leaders even urged Georgia GOP Governor Brian Kemp to run against Ossoff in next year's Senate race. 

Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson tell host Lisa Rayam that Ossoff may be in a pretty tight spot.

Plus, Atlanta Public Schools literacy rates hit a successful milestone post-COVID. 

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On this week's first Political Breakfast, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp responds to Donald Trump's administration firing roughly 13-hundred workers at Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Employees told NPR they wish to remain anonymous, and reported the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency cut about 10 percent of the workforce. 

Meanwhile, is Kemp setting the stage to announce a U.S. Senate run next year? 

Republican strategist Brian Robinson, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam discuss all that, plus Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman announcing he will not run for re-election.

He recently made the announcement on social media, saying he has to focus his time and effort on serious medical challenges within his family.

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Georgia state lawmakers this week started digging into Governor Brian Kemp’s signature policy push this session – overhauling the state’s civil litigation rules, often referred to as tort or lawsuit reform.

On this week’s episode of “Plugged In,” hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali bring listeners into the first committee hearing on the issue, where lawmakers and a packed room of observers got to hear from people on different sides of the debate.

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New candidates are hinting they'll run to replace Georgia Governor Brian Kemp in 2026. 

On this epidose of Political Breakfast, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam discuss two in particular:

GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Democratic State Senator Jason Esteves. 

The team re-visits former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms interest in a possible gubernatorial run, and Governor Kemp possibly running for U.S. Senate. 

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Lawmakers are wrapping up a busy week at the State Capitol as they take their first votes on the budget and banning transgender girls from playing on girls school sports teams.

On this week's episode of "Plugged In: A WABE Politics Podcast," hosts Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali discuss these and other new legislative proposals including on school safety.

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