The Georgia Hour, episode 56: Full Segment - April 7, 2025

Chaos and Corruption: Georgia Legislative Session Ends with Election Integrity Failures and GOP Ballot Manipulation

The Georgia legislative session’s Sine Die on Friday, marking the 40th day, where a $38 billion budget passed, with $250 rebates to hardworking Georgians, but election integrity bills HB397 and SB214 failed. Despite hopes of exiting the ERIC voter system and adopting paper ballots, Governor Brian Kemp and Speaker Jon Burns are accused of blocking progress, with the GA House opting for a study committee instead of voting on reforms. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s influence, bolstered by the Curling vs. Raffensperger dismissal, is cited as a key factor, alongside his refusal to share voter rolls.
Internally, GA GOP chair Josh McKoon faces backlash for allegedly rigging ballot access, barring Lisa Pierce and Kylie Kremer from running while favoring Salleigh Grubbs. Colton Moore’s video exposing this sparked panic, forcing endorsement retractions and leaving dark money operative Debbie Dooley scrambling. Critics claim McKoon, Kemp, and Burns undermined election security efforts tied to President Trump, with the GA GOP accused of fake support for reform. The session’s end marks the first year since 2020 without election law changes, fueling calls to “drain the swamp” within the party.