WASHINGTON,
D.C. – The Republican National Committee (RNC) stands with Fulton
County GOP for calling on the Georgia Supreme Court to enforce Georgia law
requiring the seating of Republican nominees on the Fulton County Board of
Elections.
The case
stems from the Fulton County Board of Commissioners’ refusal to appoint two
Republican nominees while moving forward with Democrat reappointments, which a
Georgia court held violated Georgia law. When the Commissioners still refused
to comply with the court's order, the court held the Board in contempt and
imposed a $10,000-per-day fine.
“Democrats
in Fulton County can ignore the law and stall all they want, but we’re not
going anywhere,” said Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters and Georgia
Republican Party (GAGOP) Chairman Josh McKoon in a joint statement. “We
will keep fighting until they are held accountable and forced to follow the
law, and we will not stop until Republican nominees are given the equal
representation they are entitled to under Georgia law.”
Background:
- Last night, the Fulton County
GOP filed
a petition asking the Georgia Supreme Court to review the
case involving appointments to the Fulton County Board of Elections,
following a recent decision from the Georgia Court of Appeals.
- The dispute
began when the Fulton
County GOP challenged the Fulton County Board of
Commissioners after it refused to appoint two Republican nominees to the
county Board of Elections, despite state law requiring bipartisan
representation.
- Previously, the
Democrat-controlled Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted 5–2 to
indefinitely table the appointments of Republican nominees Julie Adams and
Jason Frazier, while simultaneously approving two Democrat reappointments.
Commissioners cited the GOP nominees’ political affiliations and past
legal work as reasons for delay, with some describing them as “on the far
right,” even though Julie Adams served on the Board.
- The Fulton County GOP argued
that Georgia law requires the Board of Commissioners to appoint the
party’s nominees to ensure bipartisan representation on the Board of
Elections.
- A Georgia trial court agreed
with the Fulton County GOP, ruling that the Commissioners were required to
appoint the Republican nominees and ordering that they be seated.
- Despite that ruling, the Fulton
County Board of Commissioners refused to comply, leading the court to
impose a $10,000
per day fine.
- Following continued
noncompliance and further proceedings, the Georgia Court of Appeals
reversed the trial court’s merits decision and contempt order.
- In response, the Fulton County
GOP is now asking the Georgia Supreme Court to review the case and resolve
the legal questions at issue regarding the Board’s obligation to seat
bipartisan nominees and the consequences of defying court orders.
- The Fulton County GOP maintains
that the Board’s refusal to seat Republican nominees violates its legal
obligation to ensure bipartisan representation on the Fulton County Board
of Elections.
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