Georgia
Georgia senators file new legislation to enact prosecutor oversight commission
ATLANTA — A pair of Georgia Senate leaders promised to continue efforts to enact a prosecutor oversight commission after a recent decision by Georgia justices put the commission with little room to maneuver, causing lawmakers to adjust their approach to enacting the oversight body.
In November, the Georgia Supreme Court declined to decide what rules the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission could operate under, effectively putting the commission itself on hiatus due to how lawmakers created the body.
As previously reported by Channel 2 Action News, the justices said they lacked jurisdictional power to decide how the commission could proceed, due to the state’s constitutional separation of powers. Justices said that, in the legislators’ own writing, they could not decide because the legislation required judicial approval of rules for the commission to operate.
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The Georgia Supreme Court said they were unable to decide if those rules were able to be approved, saying “Because we are under no legal directive to take action, the most prudent course for us is to decline to take action without conclusively deciding any constitutional question,” the court said in its decision.
Now, Sens. Randy Roberts, (R-Cataula), and John F. Kennedy, (R-Macon), have filed new legislation to address the court’s decision about the standards.
According to a release from the two senators, they filed the bill for the coming legislative session to follow similar rules for other state commissions, with the home that the “simple remedy will allow the Commission to commence its important work.”
The PAQC was created by Senate Bill 92, which was signed into law in May 2023 by Gov. Brian Kemp.
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According to its supporters, the bill is intended to ensure accountability for what some call “rogue prosecutors.”
“We have seen theatrics take hold in Georgia over the safety and welfare of our communities as some prosecutors promise ‘reform’ and then deliver nothing but ineffectiveness and blatant disregard of the law,” Robertson, the chief sponsor of SB 92, said in a statement. “Most of the state’s prosecutors follow the law, adhere to their duties, and their communities remain safe and prosperous, and those individuals should be celebrated. On the other hand, you have a few rogue prosecutors that refuse to prosecute violent criminals, lead defunct and understaffed offices, and impose blanket policies for non-prosecution of crimes.”
Several Georgia district attorneys have sued to block the legislation and commission, including some from the metro Atlanta area, and not restricted to political party lines.
Channel 2 Action News has previously reported that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit include three Democrats and one Republican. Jonathan Adams, the Republican district attorney for Butts, Lamar and Monroe counties, opposes the legislation, saying it strips prosecutors of their discretion and independence.
“Although I may disagree with the D.A.’s decisions in other communities, I believe it’s their right to make those decisions and to represent their communities and constituents,” Adams said previously.
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Georgia
No. 4 Georgia dominates Charlotte behind Bo Walker’s breakout performance
ATHENS, Ga. – Freshman Bo Walker ran for his first three career touchdowns, Nate Frazier added two scoring runs, and No. 4 Georgia cruised to a 35-3 victory over underdog Charlotte on Saturday, strengthening its position in the College Football Playoff race.
What we know:
Georgia (10-1) entered the game looking to protect its No. 4 CFP ranking and secure a first-round playoff bye. The Bulldogs overwhelmed Charlotte (1-10) for their seventh straight win, while the 49ers dropped their eighth consecutive game.
One week after Gunner Stockton threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 35-10 win over then-No. 10 Texas, the Bulldogs leaned heavily on their ground game, rushing for 192 yards and outgaining Charlotte 449-169.
Senior running back Cash Jones made his first start in his final home regular-season game, but Georgia’s offense found more rhythm with Frazier and Walker leading the rushing attack.
Frazier scored on runs of 2 and 7 yards in the first quarter. Walker followed with touchdown runs of 15 and 12 yards in the second quarter to extend the lead to 28-0.
Walker capped his breakout day with a 3-yard touchdown on Georgia’s first drive of the second half, set up by Stockton’s completions of 11 and 38 yards to Noah Thomas.
Georgia maintained focus despite a sparse crowd at Sanford Stadium, scoring the first 28 points and never being threatened. The convincing win should solidify the Bulldogs’ standing in both the AP Top 25 and CFP rankings.
Dig deeper:
Stockton, a fourth-year junior, participated in Georgia’s Senior Day ceremony, possibly signaling his intention to enter the NFL draft — though some fourth-year players take part and still return for another season.
What’s next:
Georgia will face No. 15 Georgia Tech on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Georgia
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s 14th Georgia district remains solidly GOP
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Northwest Georgia’s 14th congressional district took center stage in American politics late Friday night with the astonishing news that U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is resigning.
Citing a disillusionment with the nation’s current political climate after a stunning break with President Donald Trump, Greene said her resignation would take effect Jan. 5, 2026.
READ: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s full statement
Georgia’s 14th congressional district stretches from the Chattanooga, Tennessee, metropolitan area in an east/south arc toward toward metro Atlanta’s outlying suburbs.
The district’s major population centers are Dalton (Whitfield County); Rome (Floyd County); Cartersville (Bartow County area near Paulding County); and portions of Paulding County (Dallas).
The district includes most, if not all, of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker, Whitfield, and part of Pickens counties.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: This Sunday’s On The Record With Atlanta News First will feature an in-depth look at Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resignation and its impact on Georgia and the nation. Watch On The Record With Atlanta News First at 11 a.m.
While mostly white, the district has notable Hispanic populations concentrated around Dalton with its carpet-industry workforce.
Its economy is centering around manufacturing (particularly in Dalton’s carpet/rug industry); agriculture, and small business.
The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district solidly Republican, as does Ballotpedia. Historically GOP, it was represented by Tom Graves before his retirement in 2020.
Greene won the district initially in that election, winning a crowded GOP primary in a runoff before winning outright in November 2020.
She won reelection in 2022 – again, facing several GOP challengers – and 2024, where no Republican opposed her in the primary.
Arguably once President Trump’s staunchest ally in Congress, Greene’s relationship with the now-47th U.S. president has been deteriorating in recent weeks.
Georgia’s nationally watched midterms in the 2026 primary is May 19, 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp may decide to call for a special election before that date, or could simply let the seat remain vacant until the state’s primary rolls around.
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Georgia
Pitt and Georgia Tech squaring off in primetime with College Football Playoff implications
A shot at the College Football Playoff is on the line for both No. 15 Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh ahead of a prime-time matchup Saturday night.
The Yellow Jackets (9-1, 6-1) will clinch a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game on Dec. 6 if they beat Pitt (7-3, 5-1), while a Panthers’ victory would keep them alive for the same goal heading into their regular-season finale against No. 14 Miami.
“This is a championship game in its own right,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said Tuesday. “That’s the way we’re viewing it, that’s the way we’re approaching it. It’s on everybody to get the job done.”
Regardless of the outcome, the ACC standings remain in flux. No. 19 Virginia, SMU, Miami and Duke are all in the mix for the title game, but Georgia Tech is the only team completely in control of its destiny.
Key said simply put, games this time of year are “different,” and he doesn’t “shy away from that.”
Georgia Tech trailed Boston College (1-10, 0-7) 28-17 late in its game last week, but rallied to escape with a 36-34 victory. Still, the scare against the conference cellar dweller coupled with a Nov. 1 loss at N.C. State has created an uneasy feeling around the Yellow Jackets, particularly with their struggling defense.
Georgia Tech leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in total offense, but resides near the bottom of 136 teams in total defense.
“I got after them pretty good,” Key said of his defense. “But it’s telling them, ‘You’re good. Let’s fix it and go play that way.’”
Pitt is coming off a disappointing game in its own right, albeit one with no bearing on ACC positioning. The Panthers stepped out of conference play and fell flat in a 37-15 defeat against No. 9 Notre Dame, but still would reach the conference title game with wins in their final two games plus one loss by either Virginia or SMU.
“We just take it one game at a time,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “We treat everything the same. The word pressure is bad. Our guys know what they’ve got to do. They’ve got to go out and win one football game.”
Pitt is seeking its third trip to the ACC title game under Narduzzi and first since 2021, while Georgia Tech is aiming for its first appearance since 2014.
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