The Fulton County Republican Party has initiated a legal battle against several Democratic members of the Fulton County Commission for their refusal to seat two GOP nominees on the county’s elections board, despite a court order compelling them to do so.
The party has filed an emergency motion asking a judge to find Commissioners Robb Pitts, Dana Barrett, Mo Ivory, Marvin S. Arrington, Jr., and Khadijah Abdur-Rahman in both civil and criminal contempt.
This escalating conflict revolves around the contentious appointments to the county elections board, a matter of increasing importance in the wake of recent electoral disputes.
According to Georgia law, the commission is mandated to appoint two individuals from the political parties that received the most votes statewide, which includes both Republicans and Democrats.
However, the commission has resisted appointing Jason Frazier and Julie Adams, the Republican nominees, citing their controversial histories in challenging election results and ballots.
Adams, a former board member, had previously argued that she should have the authority to withhold certification of the county’s election results if she deemed them to be unreliable.
She also refused to certify the results of the May 2024 primary election, drawing significant attention and criticism.
Frazier is known for filing thousands of voter registration challenges in Fulton County, raising alarms among Democrats.
Earlier this month, Senior Superior Court Judge David Emerson ruled in favor of the Republicans, noting that there is no legal basis for the commissioners to veto the nominations of Frazier and Adams.
Despite the court’s directive, the commission has not complied, leading to increased tension and criticism from various political figures.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger expressed his disapproval, stating that the commissioners’ actions undermine public trust by selectively approving appointees.
“Defiance of the rule of law may seem like good politics to some, but it is reckless.
Court orders are not optional — they must be followed.
Our Republic depends on adherence to the rule of law,” Raffensperger asserted.
In its lawsuit, the Fulton County Republican Party is seeking penalties against the commissioners, including fines of up to $1,000 per day and potential jail time of up to 20 days for the commissioners involved.
The party’s legal argument suggests that they had to take further steps after the court of appeals denied the commission’s request for a stay on the initial ruling, and after the commission voted against the nominees.
A portion of the lawsuit states, “Due to Defendants’ bad faith, the Fulton GOP has had to file two separate contempt motions, respond to Defendants’ response to the first motion, and prepare for and attend two hearings on its motions for contempt, all in an effort to bring the Defendants into compliance with Georgia law and this Court’s orders.”
The GOP is also requesting that the court reimburse their legal costs in the matter.
In response, Commissioner Dana Barrett told FOX 5 that she remains steadfast in her decision not to seat Adams or Frazier.
“I’m not going to be changing my vote, so if the board is going to get these two people seated, they are going to have to find four votes without me,” Barrett stated.
She expressed willingness to face any repercussions for her choice.
The Democratic Party of Georgia echoed Barrett’s sentiments, with party chair Charlie Bailey labeling the two nominees as “election deniers.”
Bailey criticized the Republicans’ actions as an attack on democratic processes, stating, “Seeking to punish your political opponents for taking a vote you don’t like is as outrageous, undemocratic, and un-American as it gets.
We stand with the Fulton County Commissioners as they, in turn, stand up for Fulton County voters and the integrity of our elections.”
Looking ahead, the Fulton Republicans have called for a hearing regarding their new filing this Friday.
image source from：fox5atlanta
