by Dave Williams | Jun 23, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Georgia politicians are reacting to President Donald Trump’s weekend decision to bomb Iranian nuclear sites mostly along party lines.
Republicans have rushed to support the president’s action, while Democrats criticized Trump for ordering the bombing without congressional authorization and warned it could drag the U.S. into a lengthy war.
“America can never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” Gov. Brian Kemp posted on social media. “Thank you to President Trump, our service members and intelligence personnel, and administration officials who conducted this successful operation.”
“It’s one of the best operations that I’ve seen in quite a long time,” added Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King, who is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., next year. “The operational security was incredible.”
While praising U.S. troops, Democrats objected to Trump’s decision to move forward with the air strikes without consulting members of Congress.
“I pray for the safety of U.S. military service members deployed around the world and express my admiration for their courage and professionalism,” Ossoff wrote in a prepared statement. “Congress must be fully briefed on (the) operation and consulted on the administration’s strategy.”
“President Trump … has now entered another Middle East conflict,” added Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. “He has not sought congressional approval and has not sufficiently explained why this operation was necessary right now. … And this is not the first time the American people have been told it will end quickly. The people deserve to hear more than they’ve heard so far.”
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, departed from the GOP party line in opposing the U.S. air strikes and warned of dire consequences, echoing concerns among Republican base voters who historically have backed Trump’s “America First” agenda.
“Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in a foreign war,” Greene posted on social media. “This is not our fight.”
Meanwhile, Georgia political leaders at the state level took the partisan positions of their respective camps.
“Iran messed around and found out the hard way – President Trump means business and delivered on his promise of peace through strength,” said state Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas. “Iran must never be able to hold a nuclear arsenal.”
“I am thankful for the safe return of all service members involved in (Saturday) night’s air strikes,” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones, D-Augusta. “(But) I believe, like so many others, that diplomacy is the only way we can truly resolve this crisis.”
by Dave Williams | Jun 23, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Seven Georgians have been indicted in federal court for allegedly conspiring to ship thousands of parcels containing fentanyl and methamphetamine across the country using a dark web vendor account.
While the indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Athens more than a month ago, two of the defendants weren’t arraigned until last week. Myron Ned Stodghill, 31, of Fairburn, and Jabari Ayinde Cooper, 29, of Atlanta, and the other five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The other defendants are Steven Ehizojie Oboite, 32, of Conyers; Eric Xavier Bechet, 31, of Dunwoody; Rashad Cortese Kinloch, 28, of Dunwoody; Reginald Tyrone Douglas, 31, of Dunwoody; and Joshua Jamal Charles, 25, of Atlanta.
Search warrants executed on May 19 at various locations in metro Atlanta turned up about 5 kilograms of fentanyl-based powder, about 1 kilo of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana, about 200 pills, six firearms, a Jeep Wrangler, and a Tesla Model S.
The indictment alleges that a dark web vendor controlled by Oboite and Bechet called WallStreetBets began distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances. They shipped parcels of the illegal drugs from Georgia to many locations within the United States, reporting 2,777 sales on the “Previous Vendor Feedback” section of a dark web market.
The packages shared common characteristics like padded or bubble-wrap lined mailing envelopes, prepaid shipping labels generated by a third-party postage provider that accepted cryptocurrency as payment. The sender’s name was a business that did not exist, and the return address was a seemingly random single-family residence or apartment complex in Georgia.
The packages typically contained pieces of candy in addition to the controlled substances.
The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case with assistance from the IRS, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Athens-Clarke County Police.
by Dave Williams | Jun 19, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Georgia’s unemployment rate fell slightly in April to 3.5%, seven-tenths below the national jobless rate, the state Department of Labor reported Thursday.
“After holding steady at 3.6% for nearly a year – and recent job growth – we’re proving once again that Georgia’s business-friendly environment and competitive workforce deliver results,” Georgia Commissioner of Labor Barbara Rivera Holmes said.
The number of jobs in Georgia increased by 4,900 in May to an all-time high of 4.99 million. The job sectors with the most gains included health care and social assistance, which gained 4,000 jobs; administration and support services, which posted an increase of 2,400 jobs; and accommodation and food services, which grew by 1,900 jobs.
Wholesale trade jobs declined over the month by 1,600 jobs, while the ranks of construction workers decreased by 1,400 jobs.
The state’s labor force fell by 4,111 last month to nearly 5.4 million, as did the number of employed Georgians, which dropped by 1,386 to almost 5.2 million.
On the positive side, unemployment declined by 2,725 to 189,026. The number of first-time jobless claims also was down by 1,901 in May to 19,135.
by Dave Williams | Jun 19, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Four Georgia communities will receive $7.5 million in grants through a state program designed to foster economic development in rural counties.
The OneGeorgia Authority’s Rural Site Development Initiative helps communities identify, assess, and develop new ready-for-development industrial sites. Eligible activities include site studies, land grading, and other infrastructure projects that support site development.
“Georgia offers the workforce, connectivity, and business-friendly environment for companies to be successful in every corner of the state,” Gov. Brian Kemp said late Wednesday. “The Rural Site Development Initiative helps us maintain that competitive edge over other states by empowering communities to build on that success and turn fields of dreams into sources of good-paying jobs for rural Georgians.”
Grants of $2 million each will go to the Development Authority of Milledgeville and Baldwin County, the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority, and the Worth County Economic Development Authority.
The Baldwin County project will include construction of an entry road and other improvements at a 1,500-acre site called Sibley Place.
The Dublin-Laurens County grant will help finance sewage and drainage improvements at a 250-acre site along Georgia 257.
Worth County’s economic development agency will use its $2 million for water, drainage, road, and other infrastructure improvements at the 196-acres Worth County Industrial Complex.
The fourth grant – worth about $1.5 million – will go the Development Authority of Bulloch County for site grading and sewer improvements at the 69-acre Cannady Site.
In each case, the local development agency contributed a share of the financing toward each project.
“The Rural Site Development Initiative empowers communities to proactively shape economic growth that aligns with their long-term goals,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “As we build on years of economic success, investing in new site development ensures we sustain and accelerate that momentum.”
This was the second round of funding under the state program. A first round of $9.3 million in grants to six local development authorities was announced last December.
by Dave Williams | Jun 18, 2025 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Three Georgia communities will receive $6.5 million in grants, the latest round of funding through the Rural Workforce Housing Initiative Gov. Brian Kemp launched more than two years ago.
The money will go toward infrastructure improvements needed to service new housing.
“Every Georgian deserves to be able to live in the community where they work,” Kemp said Wednesday. “Today’s announcement is just the latest reminder of our commitment to that idea.”
The cities of Leesburg and Greensboro each will receive $2.5 million for water, sewer, drainage and road improvements.
The Leesburg project will support the 66-unit first phase of development of a new subdivision on 130 acres. Greensboro will put its grant toward the first phase of a development of 32 homes on a 63-acre site.
The third grant announced on Wednesday – $1.5 million – will help the Joint Development Authority of Gilmer County and the cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay finance infrastructure improvements that will enable the construction of 30 townhomes on 3 acres. The various cities and developers also will contribute financing toward the projects.
After Kemp unveiled the initiative during his 2023 State of the State address, the General Assembly approved $35.7 million in startup funding. Later, lawmakers earmarked another $28 million for the program.
“Through this important initiative, the OneGeorgia Authority continues to come alongside communities committed to growth and opportunity for their citizens,” said Christopher Nunn, commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs. “These communities have shown strong partnership and initiative, and we are proud to continue to help them achieve their vision of a prosperous future.”
