Election Day is Here. Huzzah & Harrumph! Thoughts on a Few Races & Maybe an Endorsement or Two

 What up, GA Piedmont! 

I reckon most folks are like me & have gotten quite sick & tired of all the noise in the system. All the TV & radio spots. All the direct mail pieces. The phone calls. Emails. And especially those damned political texts! 

Well, friends, the good news is that it's just gonna keep on going. I'm thinking we'll see at least two statewide races going to a runoff. 

So the fun's just beginning. 

Great. 

So right off the bat, before I get into the Georgia stuff, a quick note about the race for the 4th US Congressional district of Kentucky. 

Our good friend Josh McKelvey recently did a wonderful write-up on this that I posted here in this space. Josh was able to articulate very well what many of us have been thinking. 

I'm going to take it a step further. If Thomas Massie loses tonight then I think the goose is cooked for the ole U S of A. I really do. And we might be getting to a point where we might not be able to vote our way out of this mess. 

For many years I was thinking the devolution & breakdown of society as we know it would be something that would likely happen in a few decades. I'm starting to think it's going to be more like in a few years. 

It's just been obscene. The most money ever spent on the US Congressional race. The AIPAC/War Machine/Deep State/MAGA Inc coalition going on an all-out blitz to try to remove the most independent & constitutional voice in Congress. 

Remember: TDS cuts both ways. There's Trump Derangement Syndrome as well as Trump Devotion Syndrome. Both are clown shoes, utterly ridiculous & completely devoid of independent thought & logic. 

A prediction on this one? Not sure. Obviously things have really tightened up recently w/ the negative onslaught & smear campaign. It'll be all about the final GOTV push today, which I think does favor Massie, as there is real passion behind his support. 

We shall see...

Georgia On My Mind 

Over the last several years I've usually done a post right near election day in which I give my thoughts on a few races, talk about who I'm planning to vote for , make a endorsement or two & even offer up a few predictions.  

A few folks over the years have reached out to me basically to ask (paraphrasing): "why do you even do this since nobody gives a damn about who you're supporting or voting for, or for that matter, anything else you have to say. "

Yeah, good times. The ole Peanut Gallery, aka, the Playa-Hata crew.  

Well, as I told one of the types once, I know for a fact that at least a couple, two or three do because almost every election cycle people do reach out to ask for my thoughts. 

So there! 

Okay. Here we go. 

Governor: NOTA (None of the Above) 
Lt. Governor: NOTA
AG: NOTA 
Secretary of State: Ted Metz 
US Senate: NOTA 

I'll be voting for the two individuals I've previously endorsed this election cycle: Bret Dunn for GA SD 42 & Brett Mauldin for GA HD 114. 

And I will be voting for the incumbents for the judicial races. 

Will be skipping anything else on my ballot. So it won't take me long to get in & out. 

Come November, I may very well vote GOP on some of the statewide seats & definitely state house & senate. 

Thinking November's gonna be a bloodbath. 

We'll see... 

- MBM 

A Guest Post by Josh McKelvey: Thoughts on Thomas Massie & the Future of the GOP

 *ed. note: this piece by my good friend, as per usual, is spot on. I've watched w/ major concern of how the power elite/AIPAC/MIC/MAGA Inc. crew has gone all-in to try to remove a man - Thomas Massie - whom I believe to be the single best member out of the entire Gang of 535. Josh makes some very good points here. Truly a Must Read!

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If the Party I've voted for since I was 18 is successful in unseating the Congressman responsible for forcing the release of the Epstein files, for forcing a roll call vote on Covid relief funding (lead to predictable inflation), for pushing for a vote on war powers, for attempting to put a check on spying on American citizens, and for voting against budgets that increase spending (more inflation), then I'm out. If you were a fan of the idea of making a stand for things like this in 2024, and you aren't concerned about what's going on in Kentucky right now, then you need to ask yourself "Why?".

Congress is supposed to be a check on power, a voice of the average citizen sent to question decisions being made by our Federal Government, and not to serve as a rubber stamp for a President or what party mega-donors are pushing.

You want to know why GOP voter turnout is so low? A growing number of voters can't tell a difference between the D or R anymore. You still have the over 65 white crowd locked in, just like the Dems have the black and female vote locked in. Who else does the GOP still have locked in?

Independents, libertarians, Lean-R's don't want the far left option, and they have lost enthusiasm for the the GOP that ran on popular ideas less than a year ago. Even hard-R voters like me are thinking about checking out. The scare tactics of "But we'll give control to the other side" isn't effective when voters can't trust they will get what they are being sold on during campaign season. No one that's capable of being honest with themselves is buying that crap any more.

The GAGOP and the RNC aren't giving us anything to get excited about. That's not our fault. I work in sales. When you lose market share, it's irresponsible and disconnected from reality to think that it's someone else's fault that you lost. The recipe to win a deal or an election is simple.

Understand what your customers need.

Deliver a quality product or service consistently that meets the needs of the market.

Operate with integrity and accountability.

Stay humble. Don't assume you are the expert on everything because of a title.

Empower your team to speak up and challenge your decisions.

Work hard. Be relentless in your pursuit of success.

Remember what got you there once successful.

The same coalition that showed up in droves less than a year ago is falling apart. Voters are pissed at the 180 we've seen from the GOP since November '24.

We should be keeping note of every influencer, politician, etc that have chimed in with an opinion against Massie and understand these folks are not the "conservatives" and "fighters" they claim to be. They are a part of the machine.

We don't want cowards that choose future political aspirations over the people they represent. Why keep voting for more of these cherry picked puppets that are just going to do what they are told? We will all have to look our kids and grandkids in the eye one day. I don't want to be the one telling them "I'm sorry I kept falling for it."

The President and AIPAC aren't targeting a congressional seat in a Republican primary in the suburbs of Louisville because a congressman isn't conservative enough. He has some of the highest conservative scores in Congress. Massie has become a target because he's publicly challenged them, and he's been a part of exposing how the system really works. The machine can't keep operating the way it has if members start becoming effective at challenging leadership and are allowed to get away with it, especially, God forbid, if they find common ground from across the aisle. That will only encourage others on the fence to take a stand. This is about snuffing out dissent and nothing else.

I think the outcome of that congressional primary in Kentucky is going to have a bigger impact on future elections than the President's advisors think. You can't have another November '24 without the coalition that got you there. I'm sure the Dems are delighted at what's happening, I think the GOP gets waxed in November, and they will have no one else to blame but themselves. - Josh McKelvey

A Piece by Perrin Lovett: Multipolar Post-Literacy?

 I grew up with books. And one day, I started contributing some words of my own. It’s more than what I do, it’s who I am. Somewhere along the way, I was mildly surprised to learn that many other folks don’t share my level of affection for the written word. Eight years ago, I lamented the new American age of post-literacy. Six years ago, I elegized the remodeling of the elite prep school library—huge spaces, few books. Last year, I was amazed at the results of the Bleak House test, which demonstrated that only 5% of American college English majors are fully literate. The study covered two midwestern universities, but it corresponds with what I've seen or read about at Harvard, Columbia, the University of Georgia, Chicago, U.C. San Diego, and other schools. USA Today just ran a piece about the rise of audiobook bookstores. To me, that’s not the same as book bookstores, but in America, we may have to take what we can get.

(A random book.)

Lately, I’ve read that the trend may have gone international. Writing in the View (translation may be required), Igor Maltsev declared, “We are no longer people of the book.” Upon describing the works he reads, he then asks what his tastes say about him. His answer? “It doesn't matter. [My] children, most likely, will not throw away these books when I die; they are still brought up to respect books. But I won’t risk speaking for my grandchildren. And this, in fact, will happen to everyone. Because that world is over. Forever.” In Russia, the land of Tolstoy, Chekhov, and Dostoevsky! 

One of his readers wrote in a comment: “The author is right, and it's sad, just as it's sad to be an intelligent dinosaur looking at young, fussy, shallow and dull, carnivorous (and ruminant) small mammals. They get under their feet, fuss a lot, know almost nothing and don’t want to know how, but this is their world.” Harsh? Perhaps. Another commenter quickly reminded the first one that the ways of the young have been bemoaned since ancient Greece. That is true; in the 8th century B.C., Hesiod quipped, “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.” Though he died at the temple of Zeus long ago, Greece still exists. Greece has changed, of course, but it and its people are still around. So, by historical comparison, there is hope. Still, we must not let our guard down. 

If reading is at risk in the American and Russian poles, then we might look to other lands for inspiration. In 2023, I wrote about the little bookstore that refuses to die. Samir Mansour’s store in Gaza has been bombed into rubble again and again by the occupying Zionists. But as of this January, despite constant attacks, despite the murder of his readers and the wrecking of his stock, Mansour endures, books in hand.

In 2024, based on an article I read at IRNA, I looked into a little bookstore in Isfahan, Iran. Dr. Mohammad Shahrestani runs one heck of an operation at the Yara Bookhouse, complete with a snack bar and(!) a philosophy school. His problem, as originally addressed in IRNA, is that big-box discounters and supermarkets undercut the pricing structure for independent bookmen. I suppose that is akin to the Russian conundrum of Ozon and Wildberries hawking titles at bargain-basement prices and the American issue of Amazon killing authors’ profits with ebooks, among other Amazon issues. 

But Iranians love books. The Tehran Book Garden, around the corner from the National Library, is the biggest, craziest bookstore I’ve ever heard of. They carry loads of books in many major languages. There, one will find Haruki Murakami’s novels, for example, and they’ve even had him speak in person. A mall of sorts surrounds the bookshelves, with eateries, amusements, and more. And if that’s not enough, they even have a publication office where patrons can print and bind their own books.

Between Yankee freedom-and-democracy bombing sprees, this year, Ensaf News ran several stories about books as bulwarks against strife. In one, they noted, “In times of crisis, books are a safe haven to escape from bitter realities and a solution to raise awareness and align national ideas.” Hear! Hear! In another one, a report on what Iranians are reading at the moment, it was revealed that the Trumpanyahu war for Greater “Israel” has Iranians learning about the other side of the conflict: “The voluminous book Iran and America by John Qazvinian, which has several translations and editions in the market, attracts attention. Probably, now that we have entered into a face-to-face war with the United States, many people who are not very educated would like to know what happened.” If only Americans could do something like that.

The problems in West Asia stem from economic transitions and outside interference. The issues in Russia are somewhat similar, though they might be more a product of changing tastes in formats, say, from paper to screens. All of it is of concern. And much of it lies behind the American troubles, though those are also products of the decline of the average American IQ and the old American culture. 

Moving forward, readers and writers may need to adopt new strategies for keeping books in circulation. Technology is available to help us if we can make proper use of it. If you write, then keep writing. If you read, then keep it up. If you like a book, then spread the word. Let’s all adopt Samir Mansour’s attitude that nothing can stop the books. Nothing. - Perrin Lovett

Contributing Writer to The Piedmont Chronicles

Perrin Lovett 

Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published author & an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as contributor as well as the former C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs. 

Click here to read Perrin's various writings at TPC. 

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The Piedmont Chronicles

Your Source for the REAL Story

COVERING THE GLORIOUS GEORGIA PIEDMONT

| Covington, GA | Newton Co. |

TPC REAL Politick - Talkin' GOP Primaries for US Senate & GA HD 114

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends
We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside
There behind a glass stands a real blade of grass
Be careful as you pass, move along, move along

- Karn Evil 9 by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greetings, Piedmontians.

We've been expecting you. We've got the chafing dishes all lined up, the Sterno burning, and we're ready to serve you some of that good ole-fashioned GA (GOP edition) REAL Politck. 

GOP Primary for US Senate (for Ossoff's seat) 

Well, this one's been a little bit of a disappointment in terms of the lack of ugliness & dirty politics, though things are starting to ratchet up a bit, so there's that. 

But seriously. 

The odds-on frontrunner for this one is current GA-10 US Congressman Mike Collins. 

The Trucker Mike, Son of Mac

I first met Mike in either late 2013 or early 2014 when he first ran for US Congress. He lost that year. 

I was working a GA State House race campaign that same election cycle for my ole pal AB (A-A-Ron Brooks), so we were at a lot of the same functions & events as Mike & his camp. 

In fact, that's when I first met a young Bret Dunn. Him & his pal Jesse Head headed up the Mike Collins Grassroots Street Team. 

I was impressed w/ both of them young fellas at the time, and I still am. As some of you know, Bret is the presumptive favorite to become the next State Senator of the 42nd district of the GA General Assembly. 

I also got to know Mike pretty well as well. Had the opportunity to speak w/ him multiple times. Can't lie, I really liked him, even though maybe we weren't fully politically aligned. Great conversationalist. Very funny. 

I'll never forget a candidate's forum that a grassroots group I was a part of at the time - the NCLA (Newton Conservative Liberty Alliance) - put on. 

Mike got a question from Jason Pye (IYKYK) in which he was asked about his stances on normalizing relations w/ Cuba & the legalization of marijuana.

He replied w/ the following (paraphrasing): "well, Cuba's communist & weed's illegal, so there you go." 

I knew at the time I was witnessing what could only be described as political greatness. 

Okay, enough w/ the reminiscing. 

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Collins is definitely the frontrunner for this one. By how much depends on what poll you're looking at. Of the five done over the past month, if we take out the outliers, it looks like Mike has about a 10% lead over SE Georgian Buddy Carter. Most polls have shown the other main candidate - Derek Dooley - at a not-entirely-too-distant third. 

Of course, just like every other statewide primary going on, the "Undecideds" are still surprisingly high, so this is very much a fluid situation. 

Regardless, it does seem likely that this one's heading to runoff & that Mike is a lock for that runoff. 

GA State House District 114 

Two Morganites square off in this one: Brett Mauldin & Wendell McNeal. 

I've previously posted here in the space as well on social media that I've endorsed & fully support Brett in this one. I've got one of his signs in my yard & that's who I'll be voting for. 



With that said, I've actually had two different folks the past couple of weeks ask me: 

"Hey, didn't you actually support Wendell McNeal when he ran in 2022?" 

Well, yeah, I did. Hell, he was running against Fleming! What, I was gonna support Lil' Timmy? Come on, man! 


What's the old saying? Enemy of an enemy is a friend & all. 

And not that I consider Wendell an enemy. I actually met up w/ him at the Walnut Grove Waffle House in early 2022 & had about an hour-long conversation over breakfast w/ him. We certainly align on some issues. But, I just truly think Brett's the guy that we need representing our interests under the Gold Dome. 

There has been some Dirty Politics apparently in this one (and a quick note: as some of you may know, I have an inclination for hyperbole & certainly w/ national & statewide races, there is an expectation of things being done a certain way, but it becomes more off-putting as you go down the line).  

In terms of what has transpired is nothing that I'm really going to get into at this point in time,  but it does seem that a certain group of individuals in Morgan Co were putting out lies & half-truths about the wife of Mauldin, who, by the way, seems like a wonderful lady. 

It definitely made the rounds on social media a while back so perhaps some of you are familiar w/ the backstory. 

I have a dear, old friend who supports Wendell in this one & she reached out to me to let me know that she was positive, based on what she knows & what he's told her, that McNeal was not involved w/ it; however, it does seem that these characters are supporting him, so...

I think it would've looked a lot better if McNeal had come out publicly & stated that he had no involvement w/ this, and also spoke to how inappropriate & nasty that type of behavior is, but as far as I know, that was never done. 

Regardless, it's the consensus view of many that Brett's most likely going to win the primary & though he'll technically be facing a Dem in November, given the numbers of this district, it'd likely just be a matter of formality that he will be our new representation in The People's House of the GA General Assembly. 

Future posts will cover the Covington City Council and the Newton Co BOC 2 & 4 races. 

'Til next time, 

- MBM 

ULTRA HEAVY by Tim Kirby: A Review by Perrin Lovett

*editor's note: our old friend & my former Terry College of Business (UGA) classmate, Mr Perrin Lovett, has graciously returned to lend his literary talents to the ole site. These days Perrin's writings are mainly concentrated on fiction as he's written two very good novels over the last few years. He's not writing as much in terms of political commentary, but he is doing a good number of book reviews these days (I'm going to post another one he did a while back fairly soon) & that's what his first column back at TPC is. As always, thx for reading - MBM 

ULTRA HEAVY by Tim Kirby A Review by Perrin Lovett

Today, dear readers, we examine something a little different: a Sci-fi novel. Having grown up in the 70s and 80s, your reviewer supposes that he should have been more attuned to the genre, yet that has not exactly been the case. However, the right book can do wonders for anyone, and Ultra Heavy by Tim Kirby is one of the few that caught and held my attention. Here follows a brief overview of this new and very interesting tale of future imperial reach, rebellion, and, yes, even coherent philosophy. 

(© Multipolar Press)

Kirby, Tim, Ultra Heavy: Book 1: Edge of Empire, Multipolar Press, 2026 (Kindle Ed.).

Born in the United States, Tim Kirby lives and works in Russia. Popularly known as the “most Russian American,” he has worked for RT, is a champion of the “American Village” outside of Moscow, regularly makes sense of the collision between postmodern Westernisms and sovereign traditions, and educates interested Westerners about the Russian civilizational state. Find him on Telegram. Ultra Heavy, edited by the esteemed Constantin von Hoffmeister, is available from Amazon.

Set roughly 2,000 years in the future, Ultra Heavy finds a reinvigorated Russian Empire building and maintaining artificially terraformed colonies around the Solar System. An unusual soldier requests a mission from an unusual Tsar, and both have specific goals for the undertaking. Accordingly, an investigatory expedition is launched to Titan, Saturn’s moon, discoveries are made, ideologies are probed, and a battle takes place. For a book styling itself as “Hyper Masculine” and “Turbo Violent,” which is true, it also comes with a fair dose of erudition and contemplation. And, all that aside, it’s a fine story to boot.

Ultra Heavy moves ultra fast. One will note that it is styled as the first in a series; that is excellent because when one is finished with it, and it is a quick read, one will invariably want to see more. It has a distinctive style containing various subparts. Ala Dracula by Bram Stoker, Ultra Heavy proceeds from a partial epistolary format: there is a series of techno updates and notes that move the sequences along while also providing some backdrop and commentary. Immediately, the reader is presented with a certain depth via assorted terms and phenomena placed without explanation. For example, one may wonder what “the Curse” is. But these elements only serve to deepen Kirby’s world, eventually being defined or, otherwise, becoming self-explanatory. 

The book is essentially the story of a very old knight, permanently shrouded in custom and honor, who must contend with societal changes and rank, no-gray-about-it evil. He is a bit heavy-handed, though he comes off as stoic, respectable, and even endearing. Not many protagonists are merely known by a number. Kirby’s hero earns a name at the end, and his new moniker is deeply Russo-Slavic, whether considered in literary, cultural, or historical terms. He also gets a girl, as Kirby integrates a rather manly romance within his action thriller. Few books come with their own built-in, appropriate summaries, but Ultra Heavy is one of them: from page 94, it is something “like The Master and Margarita but with a horrific and gory ending.” The ending, should one wonder, is action-packed, unusual, but also happy. Kirby has a style somewhat reminiscent of Bulgakov and Lovecraft, and he honors many of the older, grittier authors of science fiction past. Your reviewer found elements of the classic Western throughout the story, which was a pleasant finding.

There’s a spirit at work in Ultra Heavy, one deeply Russian and laced with the tenets of Orthodox Christianity. This Christianity is muscular; one will enjoy the good priest’s battle cry on page 124. It also dispenses with the inversion that, when confronted with evil, hate is not a Christian value. It is, and on page 113, Kirby reminds readers of Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” There is another form of correction afoot, one that takes aim at the meaningless and surrender too common in modern science fiction. One may recall that in his interview with Tucker Carlson, Professor Alexander Dugin mentioned that so much of futuristic fiction is dystopian by design. Kirby’s work leans in that direction, though it is exceptional in that chaos and nihilism present as things to be resisted and defeated. 

Kirby also includes a few political truisms, which the reader should find, like the observations of H.L. Mencken, suitable, perhaps alarming, but also amusing. For instance, on page 20, Kirby addresses the perpetual naivety of those who think authority, under any political system, is always the answer: “The populace … are absolutely sure that every wrong can be righted by complaining incoherently to power, but this has never been and never will be the case.” If that were the case, the bereft residents of Titan could amenably appeal to their self-instated tyrant, the villain of the book. He is of the old forked-tongue school, promising nebulous liberty and delivering slavery. Kirby’s hero is no saint, but compared to his wicked adversary, he comes off like a Christian warrior-philosopher dealing with a demon-possessed toddler. Kirby uses his antagonist to paint a novel yet powerful example of blasphemy (see page 129), and he demonstrates the proper response to such distasteful affronting. Behind Icon by Georgia Briggs, Ultra Heavy is the second Orthodox-grounded novel I have read in the past few years that subtly confronts an American champion of transcendental do-as-thou-wiltism. Astute readers will catch that on page 130. There’s a lot to catch in this novel, so perhaps one might want to give it a go, say, this weekend.

If one is looking for a hardcore action novel, tempered by unabashed masculinity, yet presented with thoughtful vigor and even humor, then Ultra Heavy fits the bill. I highly recommend readers, both of science fiction specifically and fiction in general, consider it a most worthy candidate for their immersive enjoyment. And I thank Tim Kirby for writing it.

*TPC exclusive! Tim Kirby also rocks the O line for the Moscow Spartans professional (American-style) football team.

- Perrin Lovett 

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