Ahmaud Arbery family gets justice, GA redistricting updates, Buckhead cityhood paperwork filed, and other news
The Update - 11/24/2021
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Red Clay News:
1) Travis and Greg McMichael are found guilty of the murder of Ahmaud Arbrey
The Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William Bryan murder trials have officially ended. All 3 defendants have been found guilty in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Travis McMichael, guilty of 9/9 counts, Greg McMichael, guilty of 8/9 counts, excluding Ct.1 Malice Murder. While William Bryan is guilty of 6/9 counts, excluding Ct.1-Malice Murder, Ct.2-Felony Murder, and Ct.7 Aggravated Assault—he was also charged with Simple Assault, Reckless Conduct, and Reckless Driving. All men additionally face additional time due to the 2020 hate crimes law that was passed. All men face multiple life sentences.
This case almost didn’t happen
The case grew in prominence after the push by the family on social media, then local activists, reaching national notoriety in the spring of 2020 by activist Shaun King.
The District Attorney who handled the case is now also charged. Don’t worry smears of Arbrey’s life are still ongoing on Newsmax as we speak. The Arbrey family has a GoFundme that is currently at $17,000+ of a $50,000 goal.
11 Alive has created a YouTube playlist that you can check out highlights of the trial - Death of Ahmaud Arbery: Trial Coverage. While local NPR affiliate WABE 90.1 has a podcast series on the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, Buried Truths: Season 3 - Ahmaud Arbrey, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.
2) Buckhead cityhood update
State Senator Brandon Beach has officially taken on the process to bring to the state legislature in January a bill that would allow voters to decide on Buckhead cityhood. The bill, SB 324 Will likely pass as the Republicans maintain both majority in the House and Senate plus the governor’s office. Setting up an even bigger buffet of items to decide in the 2022 election. 13 Republican lawmakers have already been listed as co-sponsors on the bill.
There are also several other filings by Republican lawmakers for new cities in Cobb including Mableton, East Cobb, Vinings, and Las Mountain. As well as the early formation of a committee in South DeKalb County to form a City of DeKalb.
3) The GOP’s new state maps give them more representation despite demographics
Despite vocal criticism from state Democrats, the Republican-dominated State House and Senate have passed a new decades-long congressional map. This map will reduce overall representation for Democrats statewide. The GOP despite losing in the 2020 elections and the near even 50-50 Dem-GOP statewide split amongst voters, will control at least 65% of all the seats. Despite the historic wins of 2020 and 2021, the Republicans have a near-total advantage in controlling the state. Based on demographics and voter turnout, Georgia’s 14 US Congressional representatives should be around 7-7 each, instead, it’s currently 8 Republicans, 6 Democrats. But because of gerrymandering, the GOP now has a projected near-permanent 9-5 advantage.
According to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, Georgia’s map gets a grade of ‘C’ and ‘F’. Georgia’s new Senate map gives the GOP a 33-23 edge. Due to the new maps, the GOP will effectively have 65% of all seats in the state. The new maps have mostly packed heavily Democratic areas in DeKalb (004), Fulton (005/007), and the city of Atlanta (005) into a handful of districts. While the growing base of Dem voters in Cobb and Gwinnett has been diluted by putting them in new deep GOP districts.
The Republicans have taken revenge against Democrats from winning in 2020 by eliminating a seat between current US congresswoman Carolyn Bordeaux and US congresswoman Lucy McBath. Add in a very contested race against Senator Warnock, the Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Public Service Commissioner, and Governor’s race in 2022, this will likely be the biggest election cycle in the history of Georgia.
The GOP is taking their country back one way or another…
Since the 2020 election, nearly 400 bills related to voting have been crafted across various state legislators across the country. Regardless if they explicitly believed the big lie, the legislators put their power behind it. In addition, several states across the country have enacted new maps which reduce the likelihood of Democrats winning state-wide. Including a drop in the number of competitive races nationwide.
…starting with wedge issues
The GOP is going all-in on wedge issues, including cancel culture, Critical Race Theory, anti-anti-racism, anti-wokeness, attacking school boards, doubling down on the voter fraud lie still, and anti-mask/vaccine mandates to success. Virginia’s Governor’s race is the canary in the coal mine. History doesn’t repeat itself but it does rhyme.
Current Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, who is not seeking re-election in 2022 is going around the state to lay out a path of future GOP success. While Kemp and co, are leaning into culture wars, and sending direct subs to Stacey Abrams in advance.
4) Because of gerrymandering, Democrat congresswomen Lucy McBath and Carolyn Bourdeaux will face off against each other in 2022
One of the first fallouts of the GOP striking back against the Democrats has been the announcement of current Gwinnett-Cobb rep Lucy McBath now running in the new majority Gwinnett district against likely fellow Democrat Carolyn Bordeaux. As a result, the Democrats will likely lose McBath's new seat to a Republican, likely Rich McCormick, who lost to Bordeaux in 2020 to run in the newly redrawn district.
5) Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-14) has found that she now has Dems in her ruby-red district
QAnon Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has also come into the crosshairs of the state GOP as her super red northwest Georgia district will come with a decent amount of West Cobb Democratic voters included in the district. Greene will likely still win her election but will have to run with a serious challenge in the years ahead. Current lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan had words on Twitter about Marjorie Taylor Greene not being happy that she has Democrats now in her district.
6) Recent polling has two different leaders in the race for Atlanta’s next mayor
According to a recent poll by the AJC, Atlanta City Councilman Andre Dickens has taken the lead of would-be voters against Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore. While according to a recent 11 Alive poll, Felicia Moore is ahead. Voters have next Tuesday, November 30th to decide.
Other red clay news:
State Rep Angelika Kausche (D-50, Johns Creek) is not running for re-election setting up a renewed push for both parties to take up a race for the suburbs again in 2022.
A new 143 unit affordable housing development from T.I. will open next year.
Construction in Atlanta is up in October 2021 compared to 2020.
A US Marshal and a Clayton County police officer have been indicted for the 2016 shooting death of Jamarion Robinson. Robinson was shot 76 times.
Gwinnett County commissioners have rejected the decriminalization of marijuana.
The Vogtle Power Plant has now officially doubled to $28.5 billion.
There is now a Barack Obama Boulevard in Valdosta.
Glady’s Knight’s son owes $1 million in back taxes for his Georgia restaurants.
Columbus has reached the 60th homicide of the year.
Poultry manufacturer is Koch Foods is expanding in Gainesville.
Hall County has also set aside $4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds for local non-profits.
A new initiative, ‘Read In Color’ is looking to establish 20 free community libraries.
Tickets have opened up for a January 2022 debut of the Obama portraits at the High Museum.
National News:
1. Kyle Rittenhouse was already on Tucker Carlson and visited President Trump
Kyle Rittenhouse, the Kenosha, Wisconsin shooter who murdered two white Black Lives Matter protestors last summer but was found not guilty last week is already making the rounds. Rittenhouse’s not guilty verdict is a Rorschach test of American politics. First, he did a stop on Tucker Carlson’s show to explain himself. Critics have drawn criticism of Tucker Carlson‘s camera team being with Rittenhouse for the beginning of the trial.
In the interview he says he “supports BLM”, and “peaceful protests” the use of peaceful protests and phrasing BLM is a small red flag as activists and local orgs state the name in full, Black Lives Matter, or directly refer to the initial incident, which was the unjust shooting of Jacob Blake. BLM has been used ad nauseam by far-right shitposters since the protests last summer. Black Lives Matter has made it clear, they do not support him.
Second, Rittenhouse was offered an internship by three US congressmen. Madison Cawthorne (R-NC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Paul Gosar (R-AZ). Rittenhouse was also seen today visiting former President Trump and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Verified by a photo that was uploaded by Donald Trump Jr. to Instagram.
1B. Andrew Coffee IV is found not guilty but here’s what is/isn’t the same about Kyle Rittenhouse verdict
Another verdict has come down in the case of Andrew Coffee IV. Coffee was hit with a series of charges after the police broke into his home and he shot back. Coffee was found not guilty but unlike many in the MAGAsphere have been stating, this is different in a few ways. The first is that Coffee himself will still face a new set of charges. Also, Coffee did not go to a protest armed, nor did he kill any innocent, unarmed person.
2. Julius Jones execution is halted, but he now serves life in prison
Julius Jones, a man whose case has become a national cry for exoneration has seen the stay of his execution by the governor of Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt. But despite the cries for his dismissal, the governor has decided that he must still serve the rest of his life in prison. Jones has stated that he is not the person responsible. The person who did plant the weapon at Jones's home has confessed to the crime but Jones has still not been released.
Governor Stitt, a heartland conservative still believes that Jones has done it regardless of the evidence presented and will not recognize it. Jones has also been recommended for immediate parole by the state parole board because of evidence in the case.
3. Kevin McCarthy (R) gave the longest filibuster in history
US Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), an ardent Trump loyalist gave the longest filibuster in history at eight hours and 32 minutes in an attempt to stop the house vote on the Build Back Better bill. McCarthy notably was OK with the 2017 Trump tax cuts which could cost up to $10 trillion by some estimates. Or the rise in an additional $7.8 trillion in debt accumulated under the Trump administration.
A hallmark of the Biden administration on the campaign trail, the bill makes its way to the Senate where another round of will-they-wont-they by Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema awaits. Both Sinema and Manchin are under more scrutiny for their campaign donations from big business interests and typical GOP donors. As well as for their attempts to be perceived as more ‘moderate’ at the behest of their own political party—stalling the Dems attempts and sinking their popularity.
4) Wisconsin man drives into parade killing 6, injuring 40+
A Waukesha Wisconsin man has been arrested after plowing his SUV deliberately into a parade. He has killed six so far and injured over 40. The man was out on bond who according to a preliminary report, was driving away after a knife fight.
Police are still investigating why the man decided to drive deliberately into the parade. Many right-wingers have been falsely attempting to make this man a member of the Black Lives Matter organization, plus are trying to attribute his crimes as a form of retaliatory violence for the Rittenhouse. The man in question Darrell, Brooks has a criminal record dating back to 1999, including a history of domestic violence. He is also a local rapper who has done several music videos, not regarding policing, but one that was anti-Trump. None of which have Brooks has posted several anti-cop and anti-police brutality posts on his personal Facebook page. Both his posts and his music videos are now being caught up in a new tsunami of misinformation campaigns by the usual far-right suspects, its lead disinformation spreaders are at it again, and the alt-right media ecosystem at large.
While NFL star JJ Watt has announced that he is paying for the funeral of the six people killed. Watt himself is from that hometown.
5) Jeff Bezos gives the Obama foundation $100 million
Former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has given a $100 million dollar donation to the Barack Obama Foundation. The gift comes as Bezos has begun a slow move into philanthropy. Bezos’s gift is with the stipulation that the plaza be named in honor of John Lewis, who passed in 2020. Bezos has also given Van Jones $100 million dollars back in July. Jones will be dispersing to other nonprofit and community organizations.
6) Let’s Go, Brandon
Let’s Go, Brandon, a fuck Joe Biden mantra has engulfed the MAGAsphere including a deluge of songs on iTunes and other streaming services. Including Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert who wore a Let’s Go Brandon dress during a recent visit with former President Trump. The phrase began during a NASCAR event in which a reporter while interviewing a driver misinterpreted the crowd’s chance of fuck Joe Biden as ‘let’s go, Brandon’.
Since then far-right and more mainstream conservatives have begun a movement to produce dozens of rap and country songs, a slew of merchandise, online memes, gifs, hashtags, a festival, a rallying cry, and a Washington Post op-ed. While some on the left have tried to use a Twitter hashtag of #ThankYouBrandon, it hasn’t taken on the same life.
Other national news:
Beto O’Rourke has announced that he is running for Governor of Texas in 2022.
The Dollar Store in 2022 is raising all prices to $1.25, the company has not raised prices since 1986.
Newly elected NYC Mayor Eric Adams wants his first three checks in bitcoin.
New York City is suing a woman for $1,000,000 dollars for continually operating illegal Airbnb’s for years.
Airbnb has recreated The Carrie Bradshaw apartment for a special promotion in New York City.
LA County is paying $2.5 million to the four victims’ families whose photos were leaked after the deadly Kobe Bryant crash. This is happening while Vanessa Bryant is being ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation by the LAPD in an attempt to avoid a payout.
Google has quietly tweaked its image search results after long complaints about beauty standards professional hairstyles, search results on women, and skin tone.
The CEO of gaming juggernaut Activision Blizzard asks for a 99.9% pay cut to address workplace problems.
The Bumblebee is disappearing in the US.
The Hamptons could be wiped out because of climate change.
The FCC will be cracking down on unwanted scam texts.
A controversial police endeavor, the First Responders Bureau in Arizona has been disbanded after being outed for being responsible for false protest charges.
A man who sued over diversity has been awarded $10 million.
The families of the 2015 Charleston Church mass shooting have been awarded $88 million.
International News:
Princess Mako, the niece of 61-year-old Emperor Naruhito, has renounced her royal status to marry a lawyer.
Prince William blames overpopulation for the loss of wildlife in Africa.
More Chinese electric cars are hitting the streets of Europe.
Two Black-owned British companies have made the ‘unicorn status’ of being valued at $1 billion or more dollars. The first, Zepz, a money-transfer company was valued at $5 billion USD in August, while the second Marshmallow, was valued at $1.25 billion.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!