ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia law enforcement agency would have the authority to initiate investigations of election crimes under the latest voting regulation approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature after former President Donald Trump made repeated, false claims of widespread voter fraud.
Over the objections of Democrats, Republicans in the state House and Senate voted on Monday to give the Georgia Bureau of Investigation authority to start probes of alleged election wrongdoing without a request from an outside official. The alleged violation would have to be significant enough to create doubt about the outcome of an election, and the agency would have the power to issue subpoenas for election documents.
The secretary of state’s office is currently responsible for investigating alleged election violations. The GBI would provide an additional, separate layer of scrutiny.
The measure — passed on the last day of the session — still requires Republican Gov. Brian Kemp's signature to become law. Katie Byrd, a spokeswoman for the governor, said Tuesday that Kemp's office was reviewing all legislation passed by the General Assembly.
Democrats and voting rights advocates said the additional authority for the GBI would intimidate voters and election workers.
“It will not only be used against your voters, but could also be used against organizations and those county election board officials or their workers,” State Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn, said on the...
Turkish base fake news in Armenia For several days, a video has been circulating on social media claiming that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan allegedly signed a “secret agreement” with EU ...