Georgia
Georgia Sen. Moore defies ban, receives warm welcome post-arrest
Rally for Georgia senator thrown out of State Capitol
Embattled Georgia Sen. Colton Moore had words for House Speaker Joe Burns who had him banned from the State Capitol over controversial remarks he made.
ATLANTA – Republican Georgia state Senator Colton Moore received a hero’s welcome at the State Capitol Tuesday following his arrest there a few weeks ago.
Who is Georgia Senator Colton Moore?
What we know:
Georgia state Senator Colton Moore is a Republican senator representing Georgia’s 53rd Senate District, which includes Dade, Catoosa, Walker and Chattooga Counties along with a portion of Floyd County.
Moore was elected to the Senate in 2022.
Why was Senator Moore arrested?
The backstory:
Georgia State Troopers arrested Moore on Jan. 16 when he tried to defy an order banning him from the House Chamber.
House Speaker Jon Burns banned Moore over controversial remarks he made about late House Speaker David Ralston.
State senator arrested at Georgia Capitol
State Sen. Colton Moore was arrested while trying to get into the House chamber before Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State.
Speaker Burns lifted the ban the day after Moore’s arrest, clearing the way for the Senator to attend the State of the Judiciary Address on Tuesday.
Moore entered the House Chamber without incident.
Does Sen. Moore face charges?
Sen. Moore was charged with willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer, a misdemeanor.
How did his constituents respond to his arrest?
What they’re saying:
Dozens of Moore’s supporters rallied at the State Capitol on Tuesday.
One supporter said, “Cronyism is not what we need. We need every voice to be heard.”
Another supporter told FOX 5, “What happened to him and us as his constituents is completely wrong.”
How did Sen. Moore react to the show of support?
What we know:
Moore thanked supporters and told reporters, “These are just concerned citizens from all over the state.”
Sen. Moore insists his rights were violated. He had the following harsh words for Speaker Burns:
“This is the first time in our history we’ve ever seen this type of thing. It’s absolutely rogue. We burnt the Constitution to the ground last week. We have to make sure an example is set so that never happens again.”
The Source: This article is based on an original report by FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Deidra Dukes.