Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has responded to Democratic Party of Georgia claims that his office had “attracted the interest” of the federal Justice Department with a barb aimed at department. “The Department of Justice is like a yo-yo. Now they’re against something that they previously approved,” Kemp said Thursday in response to a request from The Albany Herald to comment on the Democratic Party’s statement. Kemp’s office drew the interest of Justice when that federal agency was asked to look into alleged violations of the National Voter Registration and Help America Vote acts by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. The charges centered on what the state Democratic Party claims is a purging of legitimate voters from Georgia’s voter rolls.
… The state’s Democratic Party has challenged Kemp’s ruling in the House District 151 race, in which presumed Democratic qualifier James Williams, a former Albany police officer, was disqualified after a challenge by incumbent Republican Rep. Gerald Greene of Cuthbert. Greene, who is the only Republican representative in the state House who represents a majority (53 percent) African-American district, challenged Williams’ candidacy based on his residency.
Greene contended, and Kemp’s office agreed, that redistricting based on the 2010 census placed Williams in House District 154. The Democratic Party accused the Secretary of State’s Office of contacting the Dougherty County Elections office after Greene’s challenge and ordering that Williams’ voting district be changed. Dougherty Elections Supervisor Ginger Nickerson has declined to comment on those charges.
Full Article: Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp responds to Justice Dept. interest | Local News | albanyherald.com.