by Dave Williams | Jul 3, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Two participants in what has come to be known as the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War in Northwest Georgia are being awarded Medals of Honor posthumously Wednesday at a White House ceremony.
Pvts. George D. Wilson and Philip G. Shadrach were among 22 volunteers from the Union Army who commandeered a Confederate locomotive outside of Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) on April 12, 1862, and took it northward toward Chattanooga, Tenn.
The raiders tore up as much of the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad line as they could before running out of fuel near Ringgold and abandoning the train. The men scattered into the woods before being captured by Confederate troops.
Civilian scout James Andrews, the leader of the raid, and seven of the raiders -Wilson and Shadrach among them – were hanged on June 18 of that year in Atlanta, while the others were held as prisoners of war and exchanged for Confederate prisoners the following year.
Six of the raiders were awarded the United States’ first Medals of Honor in March 1863, and eventually 19 were similarly honored. As a civilian, Andrews was not eligible for the award. Wilson and Shadrach were not honored until now.
Descendants of both men will be on hand at the White House as President Joe Biden awards the medals.
by Dave Williams | Jul 2, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is asking the Justice Department (DOJ) and the FBI to make sure they’re taking steps to protect election workers this year and ensure the efficient administration of elections.
In a letter dated Tuesday, Ossoff requested that the agencies detail their processes for receiving and responding to threats, the steps they’re taking to make sure staffing needs are met, and how they plan to enforce laws aimed at protecting election workers..
“Protecting the integrity of our elections depends on protecting those who run them,” Ossoff wrote. “Yet over the last several years, election workers in Georgia and across the country have reported increased intimidation, harassment, and threats of violence.
“(The) DOJ must ensure the safety of election workers across the country in order to protect free and fair elections. I urge the DOJ and FBI to prioritize efforts to protect our election workers and to investigate any such threats expeditiously.”
Ossoff went on to cite a survey of election officials earlier this year in which 38% of the respondents reported experiencing harassment or abuse in their role.
In February, Ossoff joined Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., chair of the Senate Rules Committee, in pushing for significant funding in the federal budget to maintain and improve election infrastructure, keep up with emerging technology including artificial intelligence, and improve cybersecurity capabilities to combat new threats. Klobuchar’s committee has oversight authority over federal elections.
by Dave Williams | Jul 1, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Limits on donations to a state tax credit that supports foster children aging out of the system were eliminated effective Monday.
The General Assembly created the foster-care tax credit last year with a $20 million cap. In its first year, the program raised almost $11.6 million.
About 700 young Georgians age out of the foster care system each year, most with no family to return to after they leave the system. Data from numerous studies shows most who leave foster care end up homeless, in chronic poverty, in jail, or become victims of human trafficking.
Taxpayers wishing to contribute to the program can receive dollar-for-dollar state income tax credits for up to $2,500 per year, while married couples filing jointly can receive up to $5,000. Corporate donations are limited to 10% of the company’s annual tax liability.
“Every Georgia taxpayer ,,, whether a business or an individual … should see this as a no-brainer to either eliminate or greatly reduce their state income taxes,” said Heidi Carr, executive director of Fostering Success Act Inc., (FSA) one of the foster-care support organizations authorized by the state to work with these young people.
“At the same time, their tax credit donation will not only save lives but save more tax dollars in the long run by keeping these youth off the streets, out of jail, and out of poverty.”
FSA and other nonprofits use the proceeds from donations to the program to provide foster youth who age out of the system medical care, counseling, food, car repairs and housing, as well as aid for high-school GED programs and tuition to pay for vocational or college courses needed to complete their education.
