TPC REAL Politick: GA GOP Edition - Talkin' GOV & Secretary of State

 Welcome back to the program, friends, and we hope this post finds you well. 

Alright, let's get at it. 

GA GOP Governor's Race 

Man, it's pretty much been everything I was hoping it'd be but maybe not quite at the level of dirtiness & vitriol as expected. 

Sad, I know. But now that early voting has commenced, we might see things turned up to the proverbial 11. 

There's been some real humdingers w/ the radio & TV spots that both the Action Jackson & Burt "Truck Stop" Jones camps (or affiliated or "non-affiliated" PACs) have been running. 

But certainly the Chef's Kiss goes to the ad calling out Truck Stop's Daddy's gas stations selling the Chinese vapes. What makes it is the Chinese Restaurant oriental music playing in the background! 

It's just good stuff. 

Recent polling is still showing both Jackson & Jones as the frontrunners for this thing w/ ole Judas Raffensperger polling a bit higher than he'd previously been. Kemp Boi Carr does certainly seem to be the also-ran for this one. 

However, after Monday's debate, that might very well change. 

Say what you will, but our current Secretary of State did come off looking much better than the two frontrunners. And man, what a gaffe by Action w/ the "I don't know" response about whether illegals had ever worked for him. 

Yeah, I get it. He was thinking that possibly some employees of contractors he'd hired may very well had been undocumented, but you've got to think like a politician when you're under the bright lights - Deny! Deny! Deny! 

I've said previously possibly either Judas or Kemp Boi could possibly find a lane to the runoff. I think that's still a possibility. 

The Custodian of the Great Seal of Georgia, AKA: GA Secretary of State 

So we've got a local tie-in for this one. Our old pal Tim "Lil' Timmy" Fleming. 

As a few of you may remember, I really went after Fleming back in 2022 when he first ran for State House. 

I did a series of write-ups over on my Substack (at that time I'd made the decision to house my political stuff over there vs here at TPC), all backed by documentation & facts, that really painted Tim in a bad light. 

Here's a link to my 5th piece of a series-of-five that included links to the previous pieces. 

So, there was this "worst best-kept secret" about him in 2020. 

Here's some additional context from a recent comment I made on a friend's FB post: 

An Atlanta Politico I was talking to when I was researching Tim in 2022 told me this whole thing was the “worst best kept secret in GA politics” at the time. 

I was directed by the aforementioned politico towards a source who had direct, first-hand knowledge about whatever it was that went down in 2020 that led to Lil' Timmy's "resignation."

This gentleman was someone who was directly affected by the purported questionable actions of Fleming w/ that alleged PPE scandal.

I actually spoke w/ him on the phone for about 20 minutes. This was 2022. He wouldn't say anything, even off the record, because he said (paraphrasing):

this was all on Fleming, and Kemp took care of it. I don't want this to have an adverse impact on Kemp's chances of getting elected. We need him to win

You have to remember - this was in the height of the 2022 campaign in which Kemp was in a heated election vs Abrams.

I've got that guy's contact info in a file somewhere. I need to try to put my hands on that file so I can reach out again & maybe he'd be willing to talk more now.

But here's the kicker:

If this info is making the rounds in GOP & Independent circles, then you know it's most likely on the radar of the Dems.

If Tim gets the GOP nod, then this is something that could hand Team Blue the W in the general.

The story goes that Kemp went to Fleming & said that he could resign today or get fired tomorrow.

So, there's that... 

I'll have another piece hitting soon covering the GOP primaries for US Senate & GA HD 114. 

And after that, an article about Dysfunction Junction, aka: The City of Covington Council (and more specifically - several of their recent meetings) 

Very Sincerely Yours, 

- MBM  

Copy of Email sent by TPC Editor MB McCart to the City of Covington Regarding Madam Mayor

 Greetings, friends, and welcome back to the fun house. 

So here's a copy of the email I sent to the Attorney, Clerk, Council, Manager & Mayor of the City of Covington, GA: 

Hello.

Marshall McCart from Covington, GA here.

I am writing this email today to share some concerns I have concerning Covington Mayor Fleeta Baggett as well as some of her recent actions & activities.

Fleeta has had me blocked on Facebook (FB) for a few years now. As I’ve come to find out, she has also blocked several others & has been documented deleting & removing comments in posts in which she appears to be acting in her role as Mayor of Covington.

I’ve consulted w/ multiple people & there seems to be a consensus view of the following:

Per the GA Open Records Act (Title 50, Chapter 18, Sections 70 to 77 of the Official Code of GA), social media posts of government officials discussing government-related issues are considered to be public record & have to be compliant w/ the law.

Now, the point of contention for some was that since it was Fleeta's personal Facebook page, then this would be exempt.

There was some ambiguity concerning that concept until March 15, 2024 when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled unanimously in Lindke v. Freed that if a government official is utilizing their own personal social media account in their role as a government official then it would then be considered a "public forum" in which full compliance w/ all relevant laws would be required.

In the opinion of some - myself included - Fleeta's use of her personal FB page has met that threshold & that she has now possibly placed herself as well as the city in an actionable position.

As an aside, there has also been widespread documentation of Fleeta posting & interacting on social media in a way that is rather unbecoming of an elected official, especially that of Mayor of our beloved home city.

On a final note, I just want to express that this is something that I’m really not personally concerned with, Fleeta being Fleeta & all; however, it’s the principle of the matter & also the fact that the law is the law. To avoid potential litigation under 42 USC Section 1983, Mayor Fleeta Baggett needs to unblock everybody, or at a very minimum, cease using her personal FB profile in a governmental capacity.

- MBM

Possibly Seeking Legal Remedy Against Fleeta: A Cause Célèbre; or, at a Minimum - A Cause Du Jour

 Greetings, friends, and I hope this post finds you well. 

So I came across a FB post yesterday in which the poster was complaining about Fleeta Baggett - who uses her personal page on FB in her capacity as Mayor of Covington, GA - deleting posts & blocking multiple people (for no legitimate, legal reason) that she doesn't like. 

I commented on this post w/ the following: 

I've been blocked by Fleeta for years. 

Two different attorneys have confirmed she's in violation since she does often use her personal page in her role as Mayor. 

I've had multiple folks tell me I should pursue it but it just hasn't been high on my priority list. 

But things change. I think I will pursue it. At a minimum it'll piss her off. 

 

Madam Mayor Fleeta

I'm very much ready now to pursue this. The law's the law & Fleeta has been openly flaunting it for years, proudly, in fact, to anyone who will listen to her. 

I'm about to send an email to Sister Mayor, the City Clerk & City Attorney of Covington, as well as CC'ing all six members of the Covington Council (I'll also BCC several including some you maybe reading this) giving notice of my intent to pursue this. 

After all, as some of you know, I am a Cause Guy (whether Célèbre or Du Jour). 

Looking forward to it. I think I need this. I'll keep y'all posted. 

Here's to the road ahead! 

- MBM