Political Rewind

Wednesday on Political Rewind: Following its decision to pull the All-Star Game from Atlanta, MLB announced yesterday it will hold the event at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. The move has led analysts to note the differences between Georgia's new election law, which creates hurdles for voting by mail, and Colorado’s laws, which sends absentee ballot applications to every legal voter.

Meanwhile, Cobb County officials said local businesses could lose out on approximately $100 million in revenues in the county. 

Also, Republicans in Georgia and Washington, D.C., are warning Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola and other companies that that they will pay a price for their outspoken criticism of the new voting law.

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Politics Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Meagan Hanson — Attorney and Former State Representative (R)

Kyle Hayes — Founder and Host, PeachPod: A Georgia Politics Podcast

Nabilah Islam — Democratic Strategist

Tuesday on Political Rewind: The partisan fight to define Georgia’s new election law continues. SB 202 shapes how ballots are cast, votes are processed and who oversees the state’s elections. 

Republicans insist the law establishes a consistent electoral framework across the state and raise voter confidence in elections. Dissenters call the bill an overt effort to suppress the votes of a growing, diverse Democratic electorate in the state.

It is not surprising the 98-page GOP bill, filed at the last minute in the 2021 session, might lead Georgians to wonder just how lawmakers have reshaped elections.

Our panel attempts to answer your questions while digging into the weeds of the bill.

Rep. Teri Anulewicz — State Representative (D-Smyrna)

Leo Smith — Political Consultant and President, Engaged Futures Group

Tamar Hallerman — Senior Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday on Political Rewind: Georgia is in the middle of a national political storm as the country debates sweeping changes Republicans made to the state’s voting laws. The decision by Major League Baseball to pull the All-Star game from Atlanta was a stinging rebuke. Other corporations, including Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines have also issued reprimands against Georgia's new election law.

In response, Gov. Brian Kemp launched heavy criticism at Major League Baseball, saying the league caved in to fear, political opportunism and media lies about the new law.

Several Democrats voiced regrets over the harm the state economy could face with the loss of the All-Star game.

Panelists:

Sen. John Kennedy — State Senator (R-Macon)

Rep. Bee Nguyen — State Representative (D-Atlanta)

Maya Prabhu — Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jim Galloway — Former Political Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday on Political Rewind: As legislators brought the 2021 General Assembly session to an end late last night, they faced an onslaught of harsh criticism from corporate leaders over the controversial election measures now law in Georgia. Activists opposing the bills are asking why business executives from Coca-Cola, Delta and Microsoft waited to speak until after the laws were passed.

Yesterday, Gov. Brian Kemp defended the new law, insisting it expands opportunities to vote in Georgia and is being intentionally misrepresented by critics.

Also: a scorecard of how unresolved and high-profile bills faired in the last hours of the session.

Panelists:

Donna Lowry — Host, GPB’s Lawmakers

Stephen Fowler — Politics Reporter, GPB News

Dr. Amy Steigerwalt — Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday on Political Rewind: On the final day of the Georgia legislative session, key bills remain unresolved. Will the overhaul of the state’s citizen’s arrest law — sparked by the 2020 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery — win final approval? Will cities and counties be banned from cutting their police budgets by 5%? And are legislators likely to approve a measure that would give voters the chance to cast ballots on legalizing sports betting?

Plus, a district court judge has opened the door making it easier for third party candidates to run for federal office in Georgia. What does that mean for expanding your choices on election day?

Panelists:

Dr. Alan Abramowitz — Professor of Political Science, Emory University

Fred Smith — Professor of Constitutional Law, Emory University

Patricia Murphy — Political Reporter and Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Greg Bluestein — Politics Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Fallout from the arrest of Georgia state Rep. Park Cannon continues. The representative from Atlanta returned to the state Capitol yesterday. Cannon was arrested last Thursday after knocking on Gov. Brian Kemp’s private office while he was delivering remarks about the state’s new election restrictions.

Also, after winning approval from the state Senate, an overhaul of Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law is one step closer to final approval. The law drew scrutiny last year when a south Georgia prosecutor insisted it protected the men who shot 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery outside of Brunswick, Ga.

Meanwhile, as Kemp prepares to lift all coronavirus restrictions, the director of CDC says she fears a new surge is on the horizon as states relax their rules.

Panelists:

Sen. Jen Jordan — State Senator (D-Atlanta)

Tamar Hallerman — Senior Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Kurt Young — Chairman of the Political Science Department, Clark Atlanta University

Heath Garrett — Republican Political Consultant

Monday on Political Rewind: Criticism of the new election bill continued over the weekend as the measure, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday evening, receives nationwide attention.

Democrats in Congress say the Georgia bill highlights the need for H.R. 1., the federal election bill currently awaiting action in the U.S. Senate. The "For the People Act," passed by the U.S. House in early March, is sweeping legislation that would set a federal standard for voter access across the states while attempting to limit the influence of money in politics.

In other news, Kemp signaled he will soon lift most of Georgia's coronavirus restrictions. Is his decision based on the advice of his public health team? New reporting attempts to shed light into the decision-making process behind state's public health guidance during the pandemic. Our panel weighed in.

Meanwhile, the legislature winds down to its final days this week. A bill expanding the rights of gun owners is still on the table, even as critics call for action for new new gun control measures in the aftermath of the massage business shootings.

Panelists:

Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham — Mayor of East Point, Ga.

Brian Robinson — GOP Political Consultant & President, Robinson Republic

Rene Alegria — President & CEO, Mundo Hispanico

Jim Galloway — Former Political Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: A contentious GOP election law passed along partisan lines in the General Assembly yesterday. The omnibus bill changes many aspect of Georgia elections, and includes stricter identification requirements for absentee voting and a more narrower window to request an absentee ballot.

The State House approved SB 202 early Thursday with a 100-75 party-line vote, and the Senate voted to agree with the House changes 34-20 on a party-line vote as well.

Hours later, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law from the state Capitol. During the ceremony, Democratic House member Park Cannon, a representative from Atlanta, was arrested and led from the Capitol building in handcuffs after attempting to attend the signing.

Panelists:

Donna Lowry — Host, GPB's Lawmakers

Patricia Murphy — Political Reporter and Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rana Cash — Executive Editor, Savannah Morning News

Chuck Williams — Reporter, WRBL-TV

Thursday on Political Rewind: The coronavirus pandemic dominated headlines this past year. But the news this week returned to a different public health crisis: the massive toll of gun violence in the United States.

The killing of 18 people in Georgia and Colorado in the past week prompted renewed calls for change. In Congress, lawmakers are calling for stricter gun control measures, including increased background checks on potential purchasers. Meanwhile in Georgia's state Capitol, similar measures jockey for space with bills expanding the freedom of gun owners to open carry.

On today's show, we speak to Dr. Mark Rosenberg, a former CDC official and a longtime advocate of using scientific research to stem gun violence. The panel is also joined by Betty Dickey, the former chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court and an ally in the push for more gun violence research.

Panelists:

Betty Dickey — Former Chief Justice, Arkansas Supreme Court

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Mark Rosenberg — Former President and CEO, Task Force for Global Health

Wednesday on Political Rewind: All adults in Georgia will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. Gov. Brian Kemp said the dramatic expansion is the state’s return ticket to normalcy.

In the state Capitol, voter restrictions bills proposed by Republican lawmakers continue to change. A measure restricting Sunday voting is now off the table, but legislation mandating stricter voter identification and a restriction of ballot boxes are still present in debate.

Also, Democrats in the U.S. Senate are citing the shooting sprees in Colorado and Georgia as proof the Senate should act on bills to establish background checks for nearly all gun purchases among other measures. But observers say there’s little chance the bills will pass the Senate.

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Politics Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Riley Bunch — CNHI Statehouse Reporter

Jeremiah Olney — Democratic Strategist

Julie Smith — Mayor of Tifton, Ga.