Kemp names retired federal judge to Georgia election board

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has named a retired federal decide to chair the State Election Board, filling a place that opened greater than a yr in the past when Kemp signed a brand new election legislation that eliminated Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger as a voting member of the five-person panel.

Kemp on Friday introduced William S. Duffey Jr. for the submit, which is meant to be nonpartisan below the 2021 legislation. The Republican Kemp held off for greater than a yr on making a choose and state lawmakers, who might have crammed the emptiness throughout their 2022 session, additionally selected to not act.

Duffey joins a board with three Republicans and one Democrat. It’s in control of making guidelines for state elections and recommending what ought to be completed about individuals who break guidelines and legal guidelines.

Republican lawmakers included the elimination of Republican Raffensperger in a piece of the sprawling voting legislation, partially as a result of they have been sad with how he ran the 2020 elections. A call to ship out absentee poll functions to all registered voters angered Home Speaker David Ralston, for instance. Kemp went together with the Common Meeting’s choice regardless that each Kemp and Raffensperger have been taking fireplace from former President Donald Trump for not overturning Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia.

Though Raffensperger was faraway from a voting place, his staff proceed to behave because the board’s employees, giving him important affect over board operations.

Kemp stated in an announcement that Duffey “has established himself as a person of integrity who will uphold the very best moral requirements in his utility of the legal guidelines of our state and nation.”

“I’m assured Decide Duffey will probably be a terrific asset to our state and assist guarantee our elections are safe, accessible, and honest,” Kemp stated.

Duffey was nominated as a federal decide in Georgia’s northern district by Republican President George W. Bush in 2004 and served till stepping down from energetic service in 2018. Earlier than that, Duffey was chosen by Bush as U.S. lawyer for a similar district. Duffey was additionally Bush’s Georgia marketing campaign finance chairman.

The legislation says a State Elections Board chairperson can’t actively take part in politics or donate cash to candidates whereas serving, or within the two years earlier than serving.

From 1994 to 1995, Duffey was a deputy to Kenneth Starr investigating Invoice and Hillary Clinton, overseeing the Arkansas a part of the Whitewater investigation. Earlier than and after that, he was a companion with Atlanta-based King & Spalding, the place he labored on points together with inside company investigations.

Duffey stated in an announcement he would “defend the integrity of the election course of as a result of each Georgia voter is entitled to know their vote is safe and that it counts.”