On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" the panel reacts to breaking news. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the state of Colorado, which had removed Donald Trump from its ballot, calling him an insurrectionist. Georgia State University law professor Anthony Michael Kreis takes a first look at how SCOTUS made the decision. Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and Emory University emeritus professor of political science Alan Abramowitz weigh in. Then,...
Mar 04, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, the hosts discuss the top issues that passed out of the Georgia House and Senate on Crossover Day, which ended at midnight last night. Crossover Day hits and misses. Then: Greg, Patricia, and Executive Producer Shane Backler take listeners inside the halls and chambers of the state Capitol for a firsthand look at the buzz of activity that marks Crossover Day. Plus it's Friday. So the hosts answer questions fr...
Mar 01, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, state Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch talks about key measures on how cities enforce immigration law, the rights of parents to determine the books their children have access to in schools, his support for a GOP-sponsored religious rights bill and more. Then: Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves offers his party's concerns about bills Gooch supports. Plus: Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald...
Feb 29, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, the panel looks at the anger, fear and political dynamics that have been sparked by the killing of Laken Riley and charges of murder in the case against a man who authorities say entered the country illegally. Then, the panel looks at the results of the presidential primaries in Michigan. Does the large number of Democrats who voted for “uncommitted” spell trouble for President Joe Biden? What does it mean th...
Feb 28, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut the podcast welcome state Rep Michelle Au to discuss the bills that she’s watching closely as Crossover Day approaches on Thursday. Au believes there’s a slim hope a full expansion of Medicaid might still be in the works. And the hosts ask Au, an anesthesiologist, for her views on the Alabama Supreme Court decision ruling that in vitro embryos have the legal protections of...
Feb 27, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell talk to their colleague Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Shannon McCaffery and Nikki Haley surrogate Eric Tanenblatt. First up, McCaffrey joins the podcast to discuss a new motion from Donald Trump alleging that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and Nathan Wade lied about aspects of their romantic relationship in an effort to combat an attempt to disqu...
Feb 26, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Tia Mitchell, Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein, and Bill Nigut talk to their boss, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman, and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. First up, Congressman Clyburn discusses the presidential race in his home state on the eve of the GOP primary. Then, the hosts look at a breaking Atlanta Journal-Constitution story reporting that attorneys for Donald Trump in the ...
Feb 23, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell and Bill Nigut talk to Rep. Sanford Bishop and candidate Marcus Flowers. First up, the podcast starts with Patricia Murphy’s exclusive interview with Nikki Haley, who tells Patricia she hopes to stay in the race through the March 12 Georgia primary. Then, the hosts talk with U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, the longest-serving member of the Georgia congressional de...
Feb 22, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell talk to The Associated Press’ Meg Kinnard, Georgia Equality’s Jeff Graham and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution colleague Maya Prabhu. Kinnard joins from South Carolina where she is covering the run-up to that state's Republican presidential primary on Saturday. Then, the hosts talk with Statehouse reporter Maya Prabhu and Jeff Graham, longtime director of Georgia Equality, ab...
Feb 21, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein and Bill Nigut talk to Insurance Commissioner John King and attorney Charlie Bailey. King is a native of Mexico with a background in the military and law enforcement, and so he has a unique perspective on the border security debate that has become a top issue in the 2024 election. Then, the hosts talk with Atlanta attorney Charlie Bailey. Bailey worked as a prosecutor in the Fulton County...
Feb 20, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell talk to Georgia African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Reginald Jackson. Bishop Jackson talks about the coalition of churches that is coming together to encourage Black voters to reengage in politics in this election year. Then, Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Nedra Rhone discusses her column in which she described how women, and Black women especially, may have viewed Fan...
Feb 19, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Bill Nigut, Patricia Murphy, and Tia Mitchell talk to Norm Eisen, who served as ethics czar in the Obama administration. Eisen discusses the implications of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ explosive testimony pushing back on defense lawyers who want her severed from the election conspiracy case against former President Donald Trump. Then, the hosts discuss how the Willis hearing may affect ...
Feb 16, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Patricia Murphy, Greg Bluestein and Bill Nigut talk to former State Sen. Jen Jordan and colleague Mark Niesse. Jordan discusses the hearing that could determine whether Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade should be disqualified from the election conspiracy case against former President Donald Trump. Then, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Niesse joins the...
Feb 15, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Politically Georgia" podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell welcome the dynamic duo of Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson. First up, Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pushed for months to have U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas impeached. Now, she’s succeeded with her goal. Georgia’s delegation was split along party lines with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. The final vote was 214-213. Georgi...
Feb 14, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut welcome Republican state Sen. Jason Anavitarte. Anavitarte is the sponsor of a bill the Senate has already passed to create a tax holiday for the purchase of guns and gun safety devices. He also said he approves of Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to send more Georgia National Guard troops to the Texas border to help secure it against illegal crossings, and like Ke...
Feb 13, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, the AJC's Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell talk with state rep. Mary Margaret Oliver about her opposition to a bill broadening crimes requiring cash bail. They also discuss her take on school vouchers, her concerns about the state Senate investigation of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and more. Then, reporter Ernie Suggs joins the podcast to discuss his role in leading coverage of The Atlanta Journal-Co...
Feb 12, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, the AJC's Tia Mitchell, Bill Nigut, Greg Bluestein and Patricia murphy discuss reaction from Georgia Democrats to special counsel Robert Hur’s characterization of President Joe Biden as having “diminished faculties in advancing age.” Although Hur said Biden wouldn’t face charges for holding on to classified documents, his comments troubled Democrats who worry that the observations about age reinforce those who ...
Feb 09, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on former President Donald Trump’s ballot case. On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether former President Donald Trump should be kicked off the 2024 ballot. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled to remove Trump from that state’s ballot. The argument was based on the insurrectionist clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Right here in Georgia, there is a...
Feb 08, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell welcome DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and Georgia State University professor Anthony Michael Kreis to the show. First up, the hosts go over the failed effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. There were four Republican “no” votes on impeachment, but none from Georgia. The Georgia delegation voted along party lines. Then, over in the Senate, it appe...
Feb 07, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Vice President Kamala Harris vists Savannah today as part of her multi-stop "Reproductive Freedoms" tour. On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and Bill Nigut welcome state Sen. Derek Mallow to talk about Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Savannah. The hosts ask Mallow how Chatham County voters will respond to the Biden-Harris campaign’s focus on a woman’s right to choose as a top election issue. Greg and ...
Feb 06, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators has reached a hard-fought agreement on border security measures. Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell introduce Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie and immigration attorney Charles Kuck to dig deeper into what’s in the border security measure and discuss the fact that the bill gives Republicans much of what they’ve asked for, even as House GOP leaders say it w...
Feb 05, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia," the podcast welcomes state Rep. Esther Panitch. She was a co-sponsor of the measure that created a legal definition for antisemitism, which would enshrine it as part of the state’s hate crimes law. After Pantich worked two years on the bill, it passed and was signed into law this week by Gov. Brian Kemp. Then, a conversation with new The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Macon Bureau Chief Joe Kovac Jr., who was the only reporter in t...
Feb 02, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast New allegations against District Attorney Fani Willis energize critics of Fulton County's election-interference case against former President Donald Trump. On this encore episode of the AJC's Politically Georgia podcast, hosts Bill Nigut and Tia Mitchell talk with professors Anthony Michael Kreis and Fred Smith about the latest legal headlines. First up, no evidence has yet emerged supporting a motion filed in Fulton County Superior Court alleging an inappropriate relationship between Willis and...
Feb 01, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia," the hosts talk about President Joe Biden’s emotional phone conversation - reported exclusively by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – with the parents of Kennedy Sanders, one of the three Georgia Army reservists killed in a drone attack in Jordan. The president tells Shawn and Oneida Oliver-Sanders that he is bestowing on their daughter a posthumous promotion to the rank of sergeant. Then, the hosts discuss the long road to passag...
Jan 31, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia," Greg Bluestein, Bill Nigut, and Greg Bluestein talk to journalists Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman join the podcast to discuss their new book, “Find me the Votes: A Hard-Charging Prosecutor, a Rogue President and the Plot to Steal an Election.” The authors take an in-depth look at how Georgia became the focus of Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election, and how Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ investiga...
Jan 30, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia," Greg Bluestein, Bill Nigut, and Tia Mitchell talks with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin. After serving 14 years in the Senate, Manchin has announced he won’t run for another term and is the subject of speculation he may launch an independent bid for president. Manchin came to Atlanta as part of a “listening tour” that he says will give him a better feel for how Georgians and voters in other states he’s visiting are feeling about politics t...
Jan 29, 2024•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Summary: Today on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s “Politically Georgia," Greg Bluestein moderates a live town hall with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin at Georgia State University. In this wide-ranging and exclusive interview, the duo discusses Manchin’s decision not to run for reelection this year. Bluestein also asks for updates as Manchin considers a third-party run. Plus, Manchin also spoke about various foreign policy issues related to Ukraine, Russia and the Israel-Hamas conflict. And, Manchin fi...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s "Politically Georgia", hosts Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell and Bill Nigut talk to their editor-in-chief, Leroy Chapman. First up, they get Chapman’s take on the South Carolina primary. He walks us through where Democrats and Republicans stand as a native of the Palmetto State. Then, the crew pivots to the Legislature as a bill condemning antisemitism passes in both chambers. The trio also talks about the renewed effort to legalize sports be...
Jan 26, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s "Politically Georgia" representatives of the secretary of state’s office to talk about the battles Brad Raffensperger is fighting on two fronts. The Legislature is making a second effort to give the State Election Board the responsibility to oversee the operations of the secretary of state’s office in managing elections. And the office is now in federal court defending itself in a lawsuit filed by a liberal voting rights group that alleges...
Jan 25, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s "Politically Georgia" podcast, Greg Bluestein makes his way home from New Hampshire. Bluestein discusses Donald Trump’s convincing win in New Hampshire. Bluestein describes Nikki Haley’s response to finishing a distant second. What will she do next? AJC Washington correspondent Tia Mitchell, AP politics reporter Meg Kinnard and political analyst Rick Dent join the discussion. Then, President Joe Biden’s write-in campaign carried him to fir...
Jan 24, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
