Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has openly spurned and refused to support a special probe into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her election subversion investigation that resulted in a criminal indictment against former President Donald Trump and several of his allies and supporters.
After discussing the latest developments on Hurricane Idalia and the storm’s effects on the state during a press conference on Thursday, Kemp took the time to “speak to some history that’s trying to repeat itself over the last few days here in Georgia” as he put it.
The governor highlighted how he repeatedly rejected calls for a special session to gather the state’s lawmakers and overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results “because such an action would have been unconstitutional.”
“Fast forward to today, nearly three years later, memories are fading fast. There have been calls by one individual in the General Assembly and outside of these walls by the former president for a special session that would ignore current Georgia law and directly interfere with the proceedings of a separate, but equal branch of government,” Kemp said of the election interference indictment launched by Willis.
Kemp also cited his past and present concerns with Willis’ management of the case, pointing to the “distrust” that “highly charged indictments and trials” would sow within opponents of the proceedings.
However, he underscored that there has been no proof of any unethical behavior that impeached Willis’ conduct or handing of this indictment.
“But let me be clear. We have a law in the state of Georgia that clearly outlines the legal steps that can be taken if constituents believe their local prosecutors are violating their oath by engaging in unethical or illegal behavior. Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis’ actions or lack thereof warrant action by the Prosecuting Attorney Oversight Commission,” Kemp remarked. “Regardless in my mind, a special session of the General Assembly to run around this law is not feasible and may ultimately prove to be unconstitutional.”
Kemp also addressed a question posed about state Sen. Colton Moore’s efforts to launch a special session to impeach and defund Fani Willis, which has gathered some staunch support among the state’s GOP legislators.
The governor let it be known that defunding Willis means enacting a measure that would defund all district attorneys in the state, but what’s drawing the most attention is his reproach to Moore’s efforts, calling them “a grifter scam.”
“These are the distractions that get you to lose elections. Last time we were talking about special sessions here in the state of Georgia, just a few weeks later, the Republican majority lost two U.S. Senate races. As long as I’m governor, we are going to stay focused on the issues that help all Georgians,” Kemp said before listing off state-run efforts that he says have aided citizens during his tenure. “That’s what helps people fight through Joe Biden’s 40-year high inflation, not focusing on the past or some grifter scam that somebody’s doing to help them raise a few dollars into their campaign account.”
People online are taking Kemp’s criticisms positively, noting how he isn’t giving in to the whims of his fellow GOP politicians. However, the efforts that disenfranchised many Black voters during the gubernatorial election in 2016 between him and Stacey Abrams isn’t lost on several people.
“He is not letting the cowardly GOP push him around. Good on him,” one person wrote on the platform, X.
“You gotta respect the fact that the man has principles,” another person commented.
Trump is maintaining his assault on Willis and recently condemned Kemp for refusing to support impeachment efforts against the Georgia prosecutor.
“Governor Kemp of Georgia is fighting hard against the impeachment of the crooked, incompetent & highly partisan D.A. of Fulton County, Fani Willis, who has allowed murder and other violent crime to MASSIVELY ESCALATE,” the former president wrote Aug. 21 on his Truth Social platform. “Crime in Atlanta is WORST IN NATION. She should be impeached for many reasons, not just the Witch Hunt (I did nothing wrong!)”
“In Georgia, we will not be engaging in political theater that only inflames the emotions of the moment,” Kemp concluded. “We will do what is right, we will uphold our oaths as public servants. It is my belief that our state will be better off for it.”
