Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024
Good morning … and Happy Halloween 🎃
In this week’s newsletter, we look at a rash of new attack ads and outside money spent on Chatham County’s most contentious races, a lawsuit filed by the Brunswick-area district attorney over Glynn County allegedly underfunding his office, and a recap of the appeal for a new trial in the Ahmaud Arbery murder.
Questions, comments or story ideas? You can reach us at staff@thecurrentga.org.
NEWS: ELECTIONS
Public safety races see ad influx
Outside political action committees have paid nearly a quarter of a million dollars in attack ads and campaign support in two of Chatham County’s most-closely watched races.
As Tuesday’s election approaches, the infusions supporting and opposing Chatham County District Attorney Shalena Cook Jones and fellow Democrat Richard Coleman, who is a first-time candidate running for sheriff, represent the competing interests about law and order issues in Chatham County.
Cook Jones is running for a second term against Republican challenger Andre Pretorius. Coleman is seeking to unseat veteran Chatham County Sheriff John Wilcher.
Georgia law mandates PACs disclose spending by Oct. 25, although a grace period is in effect until Nov. 1.
NEWS: COURTS, GOVERNING
District attorney sues over underfunding
The Brunswick-area district attorney filed a lawsuit against Glynn County elected leaders this week over what he alleges is a failure to do their jobs and fund the prosecutorial agency.
This marks the latest escalation in a budget fight between Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins and the Glynn County Board of Commissioners.
The conflict bloomed from Higgins’ revelation in July that his agency was over-budget by $880,000 due to an accounting error. Commissioners and the district attorney have been communicating back and forth in terse letters, as commissioners sought repayment and to charge fees for processing payroll for his staff prosecutors.
The issue came to a head, according to Higgins’ suit, in September, as the county has withheld around $785,0000 in payroll funding and begun charging the district attorney “overhead expenses.” The situation has made his office unable to function and unable to prosecute crimes, he alleges. He filed the writ of mandamus suit on Monday in Glynn County Superior Court.
Higgins declined to comment to The Current. His agency was forced to cease prosecuting cases in Glynn County Juvenile Court last month, due to the deficit fight.
NEWS: COURTS
ICYMI: McMichaels, Bryan back in court
The three Brunswick men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery returned from prisons across the state to Glynn County to appeal for a new trial last week.
Lawyers for Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and former neighbor William Bryan argued in front of Chatham County Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley, who sentenced the men to life in prison after their 2021 trial.
Travis McMichael’s attorney, Pete Donaldson, told the judge that a juror concealed bias in favor of Arbery’s family before they were selected, according to CNN. Bryan’s lawyer argued in a written motion that his client had ineffective counsel.
A court clerk told The Current that the McMichaels’ and Bryan’s lawyers have 20 days after the hearing’s transcript is filed to send in briefs to Walmsley. After that, the state has 10 days to respond to those briefs. Only then will the judge rule on the new trial motion.
Attack ads fly in final days of Chatham district attorney, sheriff races
Outside political action committees pay quarter of a million to influence Chatham County sheriff and district attorney races ahead of November 5 election.
As Nov. 5 approaches, a scramble for votes in Glynn County
In deeply red Glynn County, a group called Black MAGA GA stumped for Trump. The crowd, however, was mostly white.
Energy and climate: Where do Harris and Trump stand?
Climate change is getting less attention in 2024 than in the last presidential election, but it’s still a critical issue.
Georgia Democrats try to get closer to a majority as they contest legislative seats
Democrats are campaigning on overturning Georgia’s abortion restrictions, doing more to limit guns, and expanding the Medicaid program to more low-income adults. Republicans tout their support for low taxes, police and school vouchers.
Chatham Commission chair: Who best to manage growth?
The candidates competing to lead Chatham County differ on their vision of how economic development should be balanced with population growth.
More monarch butterflies are dying on their migration to Mexico. It’s unclear why
Scientists suggest Georgians plant more fall blooming plants to assist declining monarch butterflies.
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