Categories
National Headlines

Stacey Abrams Sues Georgia To Gain Unlimited Fundraising Committee Access

Georgia has a lot going on in terms of the 2022 midterm races. Voters have to worry about battling voting passed in April 2021, which has led to an increase of . B, and a ” is on the horizon.

For candidates specifically, it’s the change in campaign finance laws that are making things difficult. Last year, Georgia lawmakers created a “leadership committee” in –allowing certain people and groups to accept unlimited contributions. The governor and lieutenant governor, opposing major party nominees, and both party caucuses in the state House and Senate can form the committees. Limits on how much donors could give to the committees do not apply. There is also no limit on when the committees can raise money.

Democratic candidate is filing suit for access to these special committees, . Right now, Abrams has no opponents in the gubernatorial election. Her campaign and the state are in dispute over whether she qualifies as a nominee before the primary. State Democratic Party Chair Rep. Nikema Williams echoes Abrams’ argument that she is the nominee in a .

Lauren Groh-Wargo, Abrams’s campaign manager, also says this disadvantage is causing :

:

“Early fundraising supports later fundraising by demonstrating a candidate’s political viability and widespread appeal, particularly in a high-dollar statewide election in a swing state like Governor of Georgia,” she wrote.

Abrams also calls the law itself “unconstitutional” and labeled it a “poorly-designed if potent, scheme for incumbency protection” benefiting Kemp.

:

“Plaintiffs thus are competing to raise funds with one hand tied behind their backs compared to Gov. Kemp, who effectively enjoys two campaign committees — one of which can raise funds in unlimited amounts as he looks ahead to a competitive statewide election in the foremost swing state in the nation.”

Executive director of the state Campaign Finance Commission David Emadi “the commission doesn’t determine whether someone is a party’s nominee.” Instead, it’s “the secretary of state in consultation with the Department of Law.”

Gov. Kemp’s Georgians First Leadership Committee In the Republican primary, Gov. Kemp has already been by primary opponent . A judge stated Kemp could not spend any more money from the committee during the primary. However, he could keep taking in cash for the general election.

Source: Stacey Abrams Sues Georgia To Gain Unlimited Fundraising Committee Access

Categories
National Headlines

Will It Ever Happen? Two Senators Halt A Voting Rights Bill

On the latest episode of… “Will We Get Voting Rights Legislation Passed?” Democrats tried a new approach on Thursday. They combined parts of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Freedom to Vote Act into one single bill. On Thursday, it passed along party lines in a 220-203 vote, according to the .

The new combo of legislation contains the Freedom to Vote Act provisions that would expand and protect voter access, reform redistricting and campaign finance and protect against election subversion.

It also includes provisions of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act that would restore elements of the Voting Rights Act gutted by the Supreme Court and include new protections for voting rights in Native American communities. Lastly, it would make Election Day a national holiday and establish online, automatic, and same-day voter registration. Sounds great, right? Well, there’s Sens. Krysten Sinema and Joe Manchin.

In her best John McCain impression, Sinema praised the voting rights bills, but can’t quit her love for the filibuster.

Of course, Senate Republicans who won’t even take the voting rights bills up for argument in the chambers praised her speech according to :

As she spoke, several Republican members sat in the chamber, including those in GOP leadership: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D. Thune at one point nodded at what she said and looked over at a group of his GOP colleagues.

“What she was speaking to is kind of what I think the desired state should be here in the Senate, and it’s hard but it’s, it’s doable. If people of good faith can sit down together,” Thune said.

That’s not all. Sen. Joe Manchin decided that he couldn’t quit the filibuster either and put out a statement backing it yet again:

:

Manchin said Byrd quoted James Madison who argued, “The purpose of the Senate was ‘first, to protect the people against their rulers, secondly, to protect the people against the transient impressions into which they themselves may be led,’ and that the Senate serves as a ‘necessary fence against such danger.’”

“Senator Byrd testified that, ‘the right to filibuster anchors this necessary fence.’ He concluded with, ‘We must never, ever, ever, ever tear down the only wall, the necessary fence, that this nation has against the excesses of the executive branch and the resultant haste and tyranny of the majority,’” Manchin said.

President Joe Biden had a meeting with Senate Democrats to get everybody on board. You can see how visibly frustrated he is:

I’m frustrated, as well as most Americans are. Two people who have this distorted image of bipartisanship continue to hold the line for a party who will step over it if they take back power. There are voting rights restriction bills in Sinema’s own state waiting to get passed. How does she think she would have a chance at re-election? Unfortunately, it looks like we are right back at a stalemate with time running out.

Source: Will It Ever Happen? Two Senators Halt A Voting Rights Bill