(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) The Georgia state Supreme Court blocked the State Election Board’s attempts to secure election integrity in a Tuesday ruling that upheld the decision of activist Fulton County judges who said the state could not require an official hand count of the total number of ballots cast, among other things, CNN reported.
Republicans on the board tried to push a slate of new election rules that would require that election officials complete due diligence before certifying the election results. It passed in August, 3-2.
Appeal filed in bogus case to stop common sense election transparency rules. ✅ #gapol #gagop pic.twitter.com/PjXR628yRp
— GAGOP (@GaRepublicans) October 18, 2024
Among the slate of rules would have been included the mandatory hand counting of ballots, as well as increased after hours surveillance of ballot drop boxes scattered throughout the state.
But it was not to be. On Tuesday, the Georgia Supreme Court temporarily stayed the State Election Board’s decision, siding with an anti-integrity activist group, Eternal Vigilance Action.
The result of the court’s ruling is that the board cannot enforce the new policies until the dispute is fully litigated.
Despite a recent détente between Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former President Donald Trump—two Republican leaders whose relationship turned acrimonious after Kemp’s refusal to investigate concerns of fraud following the 2020 election—the plaintiffs who brought the challenge against the board were NeverTrump RINOs with ties to Kemp, the National Pulse reported.
Scot Turner, a former Republican state legislator who serves as the executive director of Eternal Vigilance Action, said that the decision “should erase any doubt about the merits of our arguments.”
Turner framed himself as a defender of the constitutional order in the face of attempts to usurp power.
“I’m a Republican and this is a conservative policy organization,” he claimed in a statement. “I do not like fighting my friends, but in this instance, fealty to the Georgia Constitution demands it.”
We just beat @GaRepublicans bogus appeal.
We will continue to fight for the Constitution, separation of powers, and traditional conservative values, like not having unelected appointees make new law.
I hate fighting my friends, but will when required. https://t.co/9issqWTBvQ
— Scot Turner (@Scot23) October 22, 2024
Turner’s sentiments were echoed in a statement released jointly by the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Party of Georgia and the Kamala Harris campaign.
“After more than 1 million Georgians have already voted, today’s ruling means millions more will be able to do so knowing that Trump won’t be able to interfere with the election results when he loses again,” the statement said.
