Skidaway Island Democrats

2 weeks ago

Okefenokee update

Lawmakers' on-again-off-again attempts to safeguard the Okefenokee from the effects of strip mining produced lots of frustration but no protections this session.

A popular effort to prevent future mining just east of the swamp on Trail Ridge garnered more than 90 representatives' signatures, enough to guarantee passage in the house. But the Okefenokee Protection Act remained stalled in the Natural Resources and Environment Committee.

A compromise bill championed by the Georgia Conservancy offered a 3-year moratorium on processing new dragline mining permits on Trail Ridge. It stalled but was revived by a substitute. The final version of the moratorium needed only an up or down vote in the senate, but was never called.

Meanwhile, the current permitting process continues for Twin Pines Minerals' request to mine nearly 600 acres for titanium dioxide on Trail Ridge. The public comment period for the draft permits closes at 4:30 p.m. April 9. Comments will also be accepted at TwinPines.Comment@dnr.ga.gov. EPD will consider all public comments and may request the applicant make changes to address those comments. EPD will post a response to comments on the EPD website after the official comment period closes.

[source: The Current] ... See MoreSee Less

Skidaway Island Democrats

2 weeks ago

NOT RESIGNING. The embattled first-vice chair of the Georgia GOP told the party’s state committee last night the same thing he told the AJC: he’s not resigning.

The party held an emergency meeting Tuesday as a growing number of conservative figures joined U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, to demand that Brian Pritchard resign.

Those calls started last week after a judge ruled that Pritchard violated state election laws when he voted nine times while serving probation for a felony check forgery sentence.

Pritchard has long falsely claimed Donald Trump won the 2020 election. The revelation that the election denier also cast illegal ballots prompted much criticism from prominent members of both parties.

He told the AJC that he’s “atoned” for what he’s done and his “credibility is intact.” He added: “And now I’m working every single day to help Donald J. Trump be the next president.” [Source: AJC] ... See MoreSee Less

Skidaway Island Democrats

2 weeks ago

In recent times, attacks on judges and threats to their safety have become increasingly concerning. Here are some notable instances:

Donald Trump's Attacks on Judges:
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly targeted judges and their families. When gag orders were imposed on him during various court cases, he responded by verbally attacking not only the prosecutors and judges but also their family members. His attacks are seen as a strategic approach to delegitimizing legal proceedings.
- Justice Juan Merchan, overseeing Trump's Manhattan criminal case, issued an expanded gag order to prevent Trump from attacking the judge's family. The judge emphasized that such attacks interfere with the fair administration of justice and undermine the rule of law.

Threats to Judges' Safety:
- Outside the courtroom, judges have faced persistent threats to their personal safety. These threats include "swatting" calls directed at their homes and racist voicemails threatening violence.
- In 2021, there were over 4,500 threats and potentially dangerous interactions toward judges, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Since 1979, four federal judges have been murdered.
- From fall 2015 through fall 2022, nearly 27,000 threatening and harassing communications targeted federal courts—an unprecedented volume in the Marshals' 234-year history.

Urgent Need to Protect Democracy and the Rule of Law:
- U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly warned that unless democracy is protected, it could be destroyed.
- Ensuring the safety and independence of judges is crucial for upholding justice and maintaining the integrity of legal systems worldwide. ... See MoreSee Less

Skidaway Island Democrats

3 weeks ago

A New York appeals court ruled former President Donald Trump must pay a $175 million bond as he appeals the civil fraud judgment against him, instead of the full $464 million judgment, which was due today. He also was given 10 additional days.

Just like you or I, right? ... See MoreSee Less