WASHINGTON
D.C. – Republican
National Committee (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters and Georgia Republican
Party (GAGOP) Chairman Josh McKoon released the following statement
after a Georgia court fined the Democrat-run Fulton County Board of
Commissioners a minimum of $10,000 a day for refusing to obey an order
requiring the confirmation of Republican appointments to the Board
of Elections:
“Democrats on the Fulton County Board of
Commissioners broke the law by blocking the lawful appointment of
Republican nominees to the Board of Elections, and now, after defying
the Court’s order, they’ve been fined for it,” said RNC Chairman
Gruters and GAGOP Chairman McKoon. “This penalty is a clear rebuke of their partisan obstruction.
It’s time Democrats in Fulton County stop wasting taxpayer dollars
playing political games, follow the law, and seat the GOP’s nominees as
required.”
Background:
- A Georgia court ruled in favor of
the Fulton County GOP in its challenge to the Fulton County Board
of Commissioners’ rejection of two Republican nominees to the county Board of
Elections.
- The Fulton County GOP argued that
state law requires the Board of Commissioners to appoint the
party’s nominees.
- Despite approving the Democrat
nominees, the Board refused to seat the Republican selections —
prompting the legal challenge.
- The court agreed with the Fulton
County GOP and ordered the Commissioners to appoint the Republican
nominees, but the Democrat-run Fulton County Board of
Commissioners refused to obey the court order – prompting
the court to impose a $10,000 fine per day on the Fulton County
Board of Commissioners starting at 12:00pm on Friday, August 29.
- The fine will be paid to the State
of Georgia and will accrue each day the Fulton County Board of
Commissioners refuses to appoint the Fulton County GOP’s nominees
to the Board of Elections.
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