(CNN) — A New York judge has found Donald Trump and his adult sons liable for fraud, saying the Trumps provided false financial statements for roughly a decade.

Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling came days before the civil case involving the New York attorney general’s office and the former president was set to go to trial.

Engoron granted Attorney General Letitia James’ motion for summary judgment, finding Trump, his sons, and others “to be liable as a matter of law for persistent violations” of New York state law. He found the financial statements the Trumps provided to lenders and insurers for about a decade to be false and said they repeatedly engaged in fraud.

The decision is a blow to Trump and a complete rejection of his arguments that he didn’t inflate the values of his golf courses, hotels, homes at Mar-a-Lago and Seven Springs on financial statements that were repeatedly used in business.

The attorney general has sought $250 million in damages, a ban on the Trumps from serving as officers of a business in New York, and to stop the company from engaging in business transaction for five years.

Among other things, Trump is accused of inflating the value of his triplex apartment at Trump Tower by three times its size, resulting in an overvaluation of between $114 million to $207 million, Engoron wrote.

“A discrepancy of this order of magnified, by a real estate developer sizing up his own living space of decades, can only be considered fraud,” Engoron wrote.

“Exacerbating defendants’ obstreperous conduct is their continued reliance on bogus arguments, in papers and oral argument,” Engoron wrote. “In defendants’ world: rent regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air; a disclaimer by one party casting responsibility on another party exonerates the other party’s lies …”

The judge added: “That is a fantasy world, not the real world.”

The state supreme court judge likened the Trumps’ legal defense of his fraudulent financial statements to a Chico Marx line in the comedy “Duck Soup”: “Well, who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?”

Trump’s attorney Christopher Kise called the ruling “completely disconnected from the facts and governing law.”

He added: “While the full impact of the decision remains unclear, what is clear is that President Trump and his family will seek all available appellate remedies to rectify this miscarriage of justice.”

In a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Eric Trump said: “Today, I lost all faith in the New York legal system. Never before have I seen such hatred toward one person by a judge – a coordinated effort with the Attorney General to destroy a man’s life, company and accomplishments. We have run an exceptional company – never missing a loan payment, making banks hundreds of millions of dollars, developing some of the most iconic assets in the world. Yet today, the persecution of our family continues…”

James has alleged that Trump, three of his children, his companies and his business executives defrauded lenders, insurers and other entities. (An appeals court dismissed Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka, as a co-defendant from the case in June.)

In the lawsuit, James claims that Trump reaped a “substantial” financial benefit by putting forward faulty information in his financial statements, including $150 million in the form of favorable interest rates he obtained from the banks that the attorney general said his team misled.

In the order, the judge rejected Trump’s deposition testimony in which the former president said that the financial statements were not fraudulent because they contained disclaimers. Trump said the statements contained a “worthless clause” in them warning lenders and others that they shouldn’t be relied on.

Tuesday, the judge said that “the defendants’ reliance on these ‘worthless’ disclaimers is worthless.”

The ruling means the attorney general’s office won on its first two claims and will receive some amount of disgorgement to be determined at trial. The case will still proceed to trial but the attorney general’s office won’t need to prove the financial statements are false as they seek to hold him and his sons liable for insurance fraud and false business records.

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No matter the race, religion, color, creed, where one is born, lives or ultimately dies, we all will suffer loss. How people deal with that loss of life and love is what separates us all. A local and nationally recognized physician and his wife want to make sure there are resources for anyone who needs help dealing with grief and loss.

“This is going to help people,” said Dr. Christopher Edwards about the inaugural EVECE Walk for Life, a 5K walk/run that will take place in Piedmont Park Saturday, Aug. 26. Edwards and his wife, Edrea, who he credits with coming up with the idea for a 5K in celebration of life, are hoping the profits from the event will help people all over the country. Nearly 49,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries in 2021, according to data from the Pew Research Center. The EVECE 5k run/walk wants to help people with access to grief counseling, mental health awareness and support. 

“Whether you’re Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, an independent, whatever, one thing we can all agree on is that people with known mental health disorders shouldn’t have access to a gun,” said Edwards.

Running from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The EVECE walk/run event will bring hundreds of people to the park in honor of life. The purpose of the walk, according to EVECE Walk of Life website is to “give empowerment to express our own emotional survival and support in a mental and physical way, while giving a platform and power to our mission.” 

Edwards told The Atlanta Voice that there isn’t a single day that someone isn’t in need of help, so why not use his resources to help. “This is about light and what we need to be doing about moving forward,” he said. 

The walk/run is being hosted by EVECE Foundation, which was established in 2020. EVECE is a combination of the initials of Erin Victoria Edwards and Christopher Edwards II. The brother and sister duo are the children of Edwards, and the mission of the foundation is to support education in the field of journalism, communications, sports broadcasting and entertainment through scholarships, grants and internships. 

Major brands and businesses like Starbucks, Wells Fargo Advisors and ONYX MS are supporting the event, while entertainment will be provided by acclaimed saxophonist Eric Antoine Giles, Brooke Alford, violinist Brooke Alford, Jerry Cooper, Dominique Sierra and Mya Aldridge.

Local newscaster Karyn Greer will be the event emcee and Ronnel Blackmon, the emcee for this year’s Peachtree Road Race, will be the race/walk emcee.

Registration is open until race day. There was a packet pickup party in Buckhead at Road Runner Sports Saturday, Aug. 19. That isn’t the only time runners/walkers will be able to pick up their bibs, t-shirt, and event swag bag. There will be race day availability as well, according to Edwards.

On dealing with grief and loss in his life Edwards said, “You will never truly get through it. It is not possible, but what you can do is stand.”

The EVECE Foundation is currently in the process of looking for organizations that help people and could use financial resources that the foundation has at its disposal. Edwards mentioned that children are often affected in a major way after gun violence or mental health-related violence (or a combination of both) crosses their paths. 

There are future plans to allow walk/run entrants to participate virtually in order to help even more people. “We are going to make a difference,” Edwards said. 

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RYSE Interactive, Inc. (pronounced “rise”) is pressing forward with their RYSE Creative Village mixed-use development in Southwest Atlanta. The project is an innovative content production studio and development incubator specifically designed for creatives in Georgia’s film, music, arts, gaming, and immersive media industries. The company recently closed on the financing to begin construction on Phase I of the innovative project, with a groundbreaking scheduled for August of 2023. The construction financing was provided by Black-owned Carver State Bank based in Savannah Georgia, along with several of their affiliate institutions.

RYSE Interactive, Inc. acquired the site, a shuttered Atlanta Public School property formerly known as Preston Arkwright Elementary, back in May of 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May of 2021, the company received approval from the City Planning Department for the rezoning of the site, and has since obtained permits to begin construction. 

The innovative project will involve converting the blighted building into a content production studio and developmental incubator for emerging film, music, creative technology and digital media creatives. The property, a 31,000 S.F. facility sitting on over five acres of land, is located in Southwest Atlanta. It has sat vacant for 19 years since closing its doors in 2004 due to declining enrollment. Since that time, the property has served as a site for dumping, criminal and homeless activities.

Phase I of the redeveloped will include acoustically-engineered production studio space for film, music, photography and podcasting, along with a virtual reality/ gaming center, a screening theater, meeting/ event space, a creative co-working space and an onsite café, with a commercial shared kitchen space. Members will also have access to other developmental resources; such as, workshops, trainings and lectures featuring industry veterans. Phase I is expected to be open by Summer 2024. A later phase will include the new construction of a 91-unit, co-living, affordable housing development on an adjacent parcel, also owned by the company. Total project costs are estimated to be around $25 Million across all phases of the project.

Just minutes away from Tyler Perry Studios, the development team plans for RYSE Creative Village to serve as a pipeline for diverse, local talent to access opportunities for work on larger production projects taking place within the market. “Obviously, there is no shortage of large-scale studios in Georgia for major film and television productions. These productions will always need access to talent, not to mention, the numerous opportunities that exist in the digital and emerging media landscape for content creators. We see RYSE Creative Village as a resource for curating and cultivating local, diverse creatives; helping them to get connected to some of the larger opportunities.” says Jay Jackson, Founder of RYSE Interactive, Inc., who envisions RYSE Creative Village as being part of a much larger ecosystem of resources for local creatives, similar to what accelerator programs have done in fostering the development of tech start-ups founders.

The RYSE Creative Village project has already begun getting commitments from industry companies seeking to pre-lease space within the community of creatives, including several production companies, and a national cable network that plans to use RYSE Creative Village for its Atlanta-based offices and digital-media productions.

RYSE Creative Village’s project team includes Richard Dunn, an Atlanta native whose family founded the Atlanta Voice Newspaper. Dunn has long been a part of the city’s entertainment scene. “The landscape of Atlanta is rapidly changing due to new developments putting Atlanta’s secret sauce ‘the Creative Community’ at risk.  RYSE Creative Village will ensure that Atlanta’s creative economy will be preserved and protected.” Says Dunn, speaking on the proposed impact of the project. Other institutional supporters include, the Georgia Minority Business Development Agency, Georgia Tech, and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

For more information about RYSE Creative Village or to coordinate an interview with the development team, feel free to get in touch.

About RYSE:

RYSE is a minority-owned media and marketing company committed to helping their clients authentically connecting with the hearts and minds of niche audiences. Since 2011, their seasoned team of storytellers, creatives and strategists have worked with some of the nation’s most notable brands to develop highly targeted media and marketing campaigns that reach an emerging market of consumers who are rapidly transitioning away from traditional forms of media.

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Tributes have continued to pour in for the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who announced on July 14 his retirement as President and CEO of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the influential civil rights organization he started decades ago to carry on the struggle for equality and justice that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought heroically.

The organization said Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III will succeed Jackson.

“The promise of America is that we are all created equal in the image of God and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. While we’ve never fully lived up to that promise, we’ve never fully walked away from it because of extraordinary leaders like Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.,” President Joe Biden stated.

“Throughout our decades of friendship and partnership, I’ve seen how Reverend Jackson has helped lead our nation forward through tumult and triumph.”

The President continued:

“Whether on the campaign trail, on the march for equality, or in the room advocating for what is right and just, I’ve seen him as history will remember him: a man of God and of the people; determined, strategic, and unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our nation.”

One of Jackson’s comrades in the civil rights struggle, National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., echoed Biden’s remarks.

“On behalf of the NNPA, representing the Black Press of America, I am so pleased to issue the NNPA’s highest regards and respect to the Honorable Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.,” Chavis remarked.

“I have known and worked with the Rev. Jackson all of my adult life as a fellow freedom fighter in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, NAACP, Rainbow PUSH, United Church of Christ Commission for Racial Justice, and the National African American Leadership Summit.”

Chavis continued:

“Rev. Jackson’s transformative ‘Run Jesse Run’ presidential campaigns in the 1980s irreversibly changed America for the better.

“The Black Press resolutely salutes Jesse Jackson’s outstanding national and global leadership, and we pledge to keep fighting for freedom, justice, equality, and equity.”

Jackson, a renowned figure in the fight for civil rights, founded PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) in 1971 and established the National Rainbow Coalition in 1984.

In 1996, the two organizations merged to form the powerful and influential Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Organization officials said Dr. Haynes, a Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc. co-chair, has exemplified the same passion and commitment to global racial justice that characterizes Jackson’s legacy.

As a co-founder of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference (SDPC), Inc., Haynes has been a guiding force for over two decades, upholding the mission and ministry of the organization.

“This nation has entered a new era of struggle against racial injustices, hate speech, new forms of institutional oppression against the poor, people of color, and those marginalized due to religion or sexual orientation,” said Dr. Iva Carruthers, general secretary, and co-founder of the SDPC.

Bishop Leah Daughtry, co-chair of the SDPC, highlighted the necessity for collaboration between national and local organizations during what he called critical times.

“Collaboration between national and local organizations is ever more needed at this time,” he said in a news release.

According to his official biography, Jackson was born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina.

He graduated from the public schools in Greenville and then enrolled in the University of Illinois on a football scholarship.

Jackson later transferred to North Carolina A&T State University and graduated in 1964.

He began his theological studies at Chicago Theological Seminary but, according to his bio, deferred his studies when he started working full-time in the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. King.

Ordained by Rev. Clay Evans on June 30, 1968, Jackson received his Master of Divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.

For his work in human and civil rights and nonviolent social change, Jackson has received over 40 honorary doctorate degrees and frequently lectures at major colleges and universities, including Howard, Yale, Princeton, Morehouse, Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, and Hampton.

He was made an Honorary Fellow of Regents Park College at Oxford University in the UK in November 2007 and received an Honorary Fellowship from Edge Hill University in Liverpool, England.

In March 2010, Jackson earned induction into England’s prestigious Cambridge Union Society.

In April 2010, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

In October 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Jackson as Special Envoy of the President and Secretary of State for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa.

“Jill and I are grateful to Rev. Jackson for his lifetime of dedicated service and extend our appreciation to the entire Jackson family,” Biden added.

“We look forward to working with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition as he hands the torch to the next generation of leadership, just as we will continue to cherish the counsel and wisdom that we draw from him.”

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“I couldn’t think of anything that I could compare it to. The film is ambitious, which makes me excited about it. I want to do the stuff that will be remembered 30 years from now. The stuff That is not out there yet,”

Film producer Stephen Love explains why The Cloned Tyron was a project he couldn’t say no to. The film is Netflix’s next summer blockbuster. It contains a fantastic cast led by a promising Black director and an entertaining approach to government conspiracy theories. Love elaborates that Netflix subscribers will get something they have never seen before with this movie.

“People should see they cloned Tyrone because they have never seen anything like it. If they don’t see it. We may never get another Black movie with a big budget that gives you Sci-fi, mystery, and comedy,”

They Cloned Tyrone premiers on Netflix on July 21. A screening of the film took place At the American Black Film Festival on Wednesday, June 14, in Miami Beach. The film stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parrish, and Jamie Foxx. The film is directed by Juel Taylor and produced by Stephen Love. They Cloned Tyrone is about three people who discover the government is doing mind control experiments on their neighborhood and has been doing it for a long time. The film follows the three lead characters as they peel back the layers to reveal what the government was doing to the public.

According to Love, the cast was magical together, as he saw terrific performances from everyone on set. The Cloned Tyron was shot in the Fall of 2020, there was a limited amount of people to be on set while shooting, but those times brought great moments from the leads and supporting actors.

“Teyona, I think, for the first time, had an opportunity to let loose and be funny for the entire movie. The first day I saw Teyonah and Jamie Foxx go at it performance-wise, I was like, Oh, this is going to be dope,” said Love

“Foxx is an established talent. Seeing a young talent like Teyonah go toe to toe with him is amazing. Then you Have John Boyega come in with the opposite energy of their banter, and it plays so well on screen,'” said Love.

Netfilix believes in They Cloned Tyrone. The streaming platform releases plenty of shows and movies throughout the year, but they put more momentum behind this film. Love breaks down how Netflix aims to be a space to elevate new filmmakers.

“Netflix will get behind you if you have something to prove. They also want to prove they can launch a big new voice of a filmmaker in Joel. Universal launched Jordan Peele with Get Out. Other studios have a history of launching careers. Netflix has been known for attracting talent already launched. Still, now I feel like they want to elevate groundbreaking filmmakers like Joel,” said Love.

They Cloned Tyrone poses the right components to captivate Netflix subscribers this summer. 

Love and the rest of the team behind They Cloned Tyrone intends to deliver a message through the film. The film producer describes his type of filmmaking as medicine in the candy. Love says you will leave full after watching the movie.

“They Cloned Tyrone is a signature project because it embodies everything else on my slate. We may explore a societal issue at the center of it or a life lesson, or even a nugget of wisdom. Still, we’re going to drape it in genre and entertainment heavily. It won’t feel like work to take it in, but you will feel fed,” said Love.

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(CNN) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to enter the 2024 GOP presidential race next week, two Republicans familiar with the matter told CNN, initiating his much-anticipated bid to wrestle the future of the party from former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis will file paperwork declaring his candidacy next week with the Federal Election Commission, one Republican said, with a formal announcement expected the following week in his Florida hometown of Dunedin. DeSantis is likely to soft-launch the campaign as early as Wednesday to coincide with the filing of the paperwork, according to a Republican consultant close to the governor’s political team.

However, another source cautioned that the planning remains a moving target, and DeSantis is known to surprise even his closest allies and advisers with last-minute changes. DeSantis, who often boasts that he runs an operation free of leaks, may be further motivated to throw out the script to vex the media outlets who have preempted his announcement, the source said.

“With him, it’s always a possibility,” the source added.

But the machinery for a launch is already in motion as dozens of his top fundraisers and donors have been summoned to South Florida under the assumption they will be asked to begin building up a war chest for a DeSantis presidential campaign. By officially submitting his paperwork, his supporters can begin soliciting donations on his behalf.

About 100 hotel rooms have been reserved at the Four Seasons in Miami, which will host receptions for donors, briefings with DeSantis’ political team and sessions where attendees will dial for dollars, according to two sources familiar with the details. The goal is for each fundraiser to bring in between $100,000 and $150,000.

A spokesman for DeSantis’ political operation did not respond to a request for comment.

An announcement around the Memorial Day weekend is on the earlier side of the timeline that the governor’s political operation had targeted six months ago when it eyed a launch after Florida’s legislative session. This suggests DeSantis is responding to donors and supporters anxious to see him get in the race and more directly challenge Trump. Polling shows the former president remains firmly in the lead while DeSantis has lost some momentum during the belabored rollout of his expected campaign, which has included a book release and tour, a dozen appearances at local GOP fundraisers, an international trip, the creation of a super PAC, a donor retreat near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and a blitz through conservative media.

Along the way, DeSantis has stumbled at times, drawing poor reviews for his oscillating takes on the Russia-Ukraine war, prolonging his clash with Disney into a second year and getting caught flat-footed as Trump unveiled endorsements from Florida Republicans in Congress just before the governor visited Washington to build support.

However, DeSantis’ allies believe the trajectory of the race will change significantly once he is officially a candidate and responds to Trump’s broadsides and more vigorously shares his vision for the country.

According to The New York Times, DeSantis told donors and supporters during a call Thursday that there were only three credible candidates in the race – himself, President Joe Biden and Trump – and that only he and Biden had a chance of winning the general election.

DeSantis said on the call, which was organized by Never Back Down, a super PAC closely aligned with the governor, that data from swing states was “not great for the former president and probably insurmountable because people aren’t going to change their view of him,” the Times reported.

DeSantis has spent the last couple of weeks tying up loose ends – rapidly signing dozens of bills that have reached his desk, meeting with donors in Tallahassee and South Florida, and shoring up endorsements to boost his launch. He spent Saturday in Iowa, where he appeared to one-up Trump, making an unannounced visit to a BBQ joint in Des Moines – minutes from where the former president had canceled a rally due to threat of weather. While in the state, DeSantis laid the framework for his case against Trump.

“If we make 2024 a referendum on Joe Biden and his failures and we provide a positive alternative for the future of this country, Republicans will win across the board,” DeSantis told Iowa caucus voters in Sioux Center. “If we do not do that, if we get distracted, if we focus on the election in the past or on other side issues, then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again, and I think it will be very difficult to recover from that defeat.”

On Friday, DeSantis will travel to another early nominating state, New Hampshire, to meet with state lawmakers – many of whom endorsed him earlier this week – for a policy round table, according to three sources familiar with the planning.

Never Back Down has in recent weeks rolled out dozens of key endorsements for the governor in Iowa and New Hampshire. On Wednesday, the super PAC also announced endorsements from 99 Florida lawmakers – a show of force from the rank-and-file Republicans who helped push DeSantis’ agenda through the state legislature this spring.

“Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature have worked together to achieve historic results and produce conservative victories for the people of Florida – turning the state into a beacon of freedom and the fastest growing state in the nation,” Never Back Down spokeswoman Erin Perrine said.

Trump’s campaign dismissed the Florida endorsements as politically motivated, noting that DeSantis had not yet signed the state budget, for which he has line-item veto power over the pet projects of state lawmakers.

“There are some brave legislators who have stood up to DeSantis’ Swamp-like behavior and resisted his intimidation tactics in order to do what is right for Florida and the country,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said. “Those who he can’t control – including almost the entirety of the Florida federal congressional delegation – have endorsed President Trump because he’s the only candidate who can beat Joe Biden and take back the White House.”

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 (CNN) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has a message for his fellow Republicans looking to win back the White House: “We cannot get distracted.”

“We have to tell people, No. 1, what we’re for. No. 2, that we’re going to be focused on the future and what we’re going to do for the voters in our state or the American people. And then, No. 3, we have to do a simple thing: We have to win,” Kemp told CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday on “State of the Union.”

The governor’s remarks came a day after he’d told donors at a Republican National Committee retreat in Nashville that the GOP needed to move on from the 2020 presidential election. In his speech, Kemp offered a thinly veiled dig at former President Donald Trump and his continued election grievances, without naming him, saying, “Not a single swing voter will vote for our nominee if they choose to talk about the 2020 election being stolen.”

Trump, currently seen as the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has repeatedly argued since leaving office that Republicans cannot succeed — either at the ballot box or legislatively — if they turn a blind eye to the past. But candidates who backed his false election claims did poorly in the midterm elections last fall in key swing states Trump will need to win back the White House in 2024.

Trump is also under a cloud of legal woes. In New York, a hush money payment to an adult-film star shortly before the 2016 election has resulted in his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury over his alleged role in the scheme. And in Atlanta, a select grand jury has investigated efforts by Trump and allies to overturn his election loss in Georgia in 2020.

“I can’t control what the judicial branch is doing or what a local prosecutor is doing in many ways, but what we can control … is what we’re focused on,” Kemp said Sunday.

“If we get distracted and talk about other things that the Democrats want to talk about, like these investigations — regardless of what you think about the politics of those — if we get distracted every day and let the media just talk about that, that only helps Joe Biden,” he added. “It does not give us a path for Republicans to win.”

Asked by Tapper if Trump was unelectable nationwide, Kemp demurred.

“That’s for the people to decide,” he said.

Tension between Trump and Kemp has been simmering for years. When Kemp refused to overturn Biden’s 2020 win in Georgia, Trump made the governor his No. 1 enemy, publicly railing against him throughout 2021 and recruiting former US Sen. David Perdue to challenge Kemp in a GOP primary. Through it all, Trump failed to draw Kemp into a fight, and the governor won his 2022 primary overwhelmingly before handily defeating Democratic opponent Stacey Abrams in the November general election.

Kemp said Sunday that Republicans will need to draw a distinction with what he referred to as “the disaster of the Biden administration” to win next year, pointing to border security, high inflation and energy policy.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of good candidates that, if they focus on those things, we have got a great chance of winning the White House in 2024,” the governor said.

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ATLANTA – Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Tuesday a bill that increases the penalties for business owners who fail to post required notices about resources for human trafficking victims.  

Kemp was joined by his wife, Marty Kemp, who has used her time as first lady to work on stopping human trafficking in Georgia and assisting victims of the crime.  

The new law increases the penalty for business owners who fail to post notices that explain how victims of human trafficking can reach national and state hotlines to get help.  

“This common-sense measure imposes minimum fines for failing to post required notices by public entrances, where they will be easily seen by the public, and in restrooms where victims of trafficking may be able to see the notice while away from their trafficker,” Marty Kemp said at a bill signing ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.  

“It may not sound like much, but the reality is this simple step could save lives if the notice reaches the right person. This is especially critical in busy areas where traffickers often hide in plain sight.” 

Business owners who fail to post the notices in both English and Spanish can be fined $500 to $1,000 for a first conviction and from $1,000 to $5,000 for a second conviction. The law allows business owners up to 30 days to post the notices after being notified by law enforcement that they are in violation of the law. 

Georgia law requires the notices to be posted in certain types of businesses, including truck stops, bars, adult entertainment businesses, hospitals, airports, rail and bus stations, hotels, and government buildings.  

State Sen. Mike Hodges, R-Brunswick, sponsored the bill and it was carried in the House of Representatives by Rep. Will Wade, R-Dawsonville. Both served as floor leaders for Kemp during the 2023 legislative session and attended the bill signing along with other GOP legislators. 

The measure passed with only one “no” vote in the state Senate and unanimously in the House of Representatives.  

The bill signing ceremony was preceded by a meeting of the GRACE Commission, which is chaired by Marty Kemp. The commission is made up of government and business leaders as well as representatives of non-profit and faith groups that work to end human trafficking and help victims of the crime.  

Attorney General Chris Carr is a member of the commission and has made fighting human trafficking a priority. His office assisted 116 victims, led or assisted 33 investigations, and secured six convictions in 2022, Carr said during the meeting.  

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Georgia House Minority Leader James Beverly called a press conference Friday afternoon as the Democratic Caucus spoke out in support of three Democrats, Tennessee State Representatives Justin Jones of Nashville, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, and Justin J. Pearson of Memphis. Jones and Pearson were two of three Representatives that were expelled from the House because they protested the immediate inactions of the Republican supermajority in the aftermath of the mass shooting on March 27th that resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including three nine-year-old children at The Covenant School in Nashville.

Beverly opened the call proclaiming Georgia’s House Democrats and Senate Democrats stand united with the fellow Democrats in Tennessee, saying “we absolutely refuse to sit idly by and watch this injustice prevail.”

Joining House Minority Leader Beverly were fellow Georgia State Representatives Michelle Au, Omari Crawford, Inga Willis, Kim Schofield as they delivered public remarks decrying the racist actions of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus.

“It is silencing the voices of those who elected them and it leaves thousands of voters without representation,” said Georgia State Senator Nikki Merritt. “I am further disturbed, but I’m surprised as a result of the votes expelled to Black members who were singled out and allowing the one White member to remain. The continuous oppression of Black voices when it comes to critical issues that disproportionately affect their community needs to stop. This is a shameful moment of overt racism on display by the Tennessee legislature.”

Representative Inga Willis, D-Atlanta, added that the Georgia State Capitol is the people’s house and all citizens are welcomed to speak their mind regarding the issues as potential laws are being changed, created and debated. Furthermore, Willis categorized the actions by the Tennessee House Republicans as, “the fruit of a systemic issue of racism.”

“The phrase that I have coined for the remainder of this chapter is, “No Justins, No Peace,” because these brothers have been expelled,” Willis explained. “They have also articulated, reiterated and edified ever so eloquently and calmly, that this is the fruit of a systemic issue of racism that many of us face in our states in our legislators. And in our houses. These are the people’s houses.”

On Monday, April 3rd, motions were filed to expel Tennessee State Representatives Jones, Pearson and Johnson after they led protests on the House Floor. During the protests, hundreds of students and concerned citizens were outside the chamber and the Tennessee State Capitol lobbied for various gun reforms. After their protests, the three were admonished by their Democratic colleagues and the Speaker of the House, Republican Cameron Sexton. However, at that moment it was unclear whether the ‘Tennessee Three’ as they have become known, would face harsher judgment or retribution.

Representatives Jones and Johnson were stripped of House committees Monday. Representative Pearson was just seated and had no committee assignments. Additionally, the trio had their ID badges to get into the Tennessee legislature turned off.

All three Democratic legislators who faced the expulsion said it was “racially motivated” that Pearson and Jones were expelled as young Black men and that Johnson did not as a white woman. After the votes, protesters held a “die-in” at the legislature, laying down on the floor for 14 minutes to represent the moments of the aforementioned mass shooting in Nashville on March 27th. 

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Beverly said he is working to establish conversation with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee after the expulsion of Representatives Jones and Pearson, coupled with the actions of Tennessee Republicans inside Capitol Hill in Nashville. Beverly acknowledged what happened in Nashville could very well happen here in Georgia’s state house. 

“As you guys know, a few years ago, we had Representative Park Cannon who was aggrieved by the decision of the Governor,” Beverly explained. “She knocked on the door and they had her arrested. It was horrible. It was horrendous and that’s the overreach of power that we find ourselves in in the state of Georgia. The most important thing I can say to anybody who’s listening is one word, one word you can do: Vote. As Georgia changes, and more importantly, the people of Georgia will become more active with the representatives that you sent up here.”

The Georgia Democrats on the call universally disagreed with the actions taken by the Tennessee Republicans. They agreed there are levels of discipline that must be administered when it comes to a displayed lack of decorum while the chamber is in session before expulsion can be considered as a remedy.

Additionally, House Minority Leader Beverly said he has not made contact with Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns. 

“Speaker Burns, and I certainly will talk this week. This will never happen to Georgia, not under our watch. Not anyone on this call, not under our watch. This will not happen.”

The post Georgia Democrats stand with the Tennessee Three appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

The Development Authority of Fulton County (DAFC) recently announced former Congressman and Atlanta City Council Member Kwanza Hall has joined the Authority’s Board of Directors. Hall will work with other notable business leaders, community members, and current and former elected officials to ensure that equitable and progressive economic development remains at the forefront of projects supported by the Authority. Hall will also be responsible for working with Authority partners, including Chairman Michel “Marty” Turpeau, Vice Chair and Chair of the Georgia Senate’s Economic Development & Tourism Committee, Senator Brandon Beach, Treasurer Mike Bodker, Secretary Kyle Lamont, Erica Long, Dr. Mike Looney, Tom Tidwell, and Pinky Cole.

“Congressman Hall brings a wealth of economic development, business, and political leadership. He truly cares about our neighborhoods and communities and will play a vital role in ensuring DAFC continues to bring quality economic development opportunities to cities throughout Fulton County,” said Chairman Marty Turpeau in a written statement. “I look forward to working with him to incentivize the creation of jobs, continue positive economic impact, and upward mobility to Fulton County residents.”

Hall attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is an alumnus of Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta; he dedicated the first half of his life to public service in various capacities. For 15 years, Hall served as an elected official on the Atlanta City Council and the Atlanta School Board and represented the city’s most socially and economically diverse council district. As Councilman for the 2nd District, Hall was recognized for leadership in many arenas, including economic inclusion, workforce development, urban design, and arts and culture.

In the spirit of continuing the legacy of leadership and activism passed down from Ambassador Andrew Young and Congressman Lewis, Hall introduced six pieces of legislation requesting $55 million for transit-oriented development on Atlanta’s Southside, co-sponsored 14 additional bills and voted for more than $3 trillion in the combined COVID relief, omnibus, and military budgets. The hallmark of his service centered on being a bridge for the next generation of leaders in social justice, job creation, and equal economic opportunity for all. Hall currently leads a government affairs and consulting firm connecting the public and private sectors on economic growth.

Prior to his election to the Atlanta City Council, Hall served as Vice Chair of the Audit Committee for the Atlanta Board of Education and appointee to the Atlanta Development Authority. Most recently, Hall served as the United States Representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, completing the late Congressman John Lewis’ term. Although he served briefly, many historians have said this period is one of the most significant in U.S. history.

In addition to his notable career in public service, Hall is the son of the late Leon W. Hall, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s youngest lieutenant.

The post Former U.S. Congressman Kwanza Hall joins Development Authority of Fulton County Board of Directors appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.