(APN) ATLANTA — On or around August 06, 2014, the Sunlight Foundation, a think tank in Washington, D.C., discovered that Gov. Nathan Deal’s office has been removing executive orders from their website. The Sunlight Foundation is a “nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government globally and uses technology to make government more accountable to all.” […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — In a new twist in the Gov. Nathan Deal ethics scandal, Holly LaBerge, Executive Secretary of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission–who initially was seen as a main player in keeping any investigation of Gov. Deal from coming to the light–has produced a memo showing that she too faced pressure from the Governor’s office. […]
Read moreWith additional reporting by Matthew Charles Cardinale (APN) ATLANTA — Better Georgia’s publicizing on Gov. Nathan Deal’s ethics scandals has upset Republican activists to the point that two Georgia Republicans filed ethics charges against the organization. Cade Joiner of Macon, Georgia, complained on July 08, 2014 that Better Georgia was violating the standards of a 501(c)(4), […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper’s Politifact section, which features a purported “Truth-o-meter,” has in recent months, functioned more as a “Spin-o-meter” when it comes to candidates’ voting records. In two specific “rulings,” Politifact has attempted to cast doubt on progressive Democratic candidates’ claims that their centrist opponents–specifically, former State Rep. Elena Parent (D-Chamblee) and former State […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — The latest reports on the whistleblower suits against Gov. Nathan Deal have him in full-blown denial and even attempting to revise whistleblowers laws, presumably to keep the embarrassment of getting busted from happening again. Critics are none too pleased. As previously reported by Atlanta Progressive News, in April 2014, whistleblower Stacey Kalbermann, former Executive Secretary of […]
Read morePhotograph by Gloria Tatum (APN) DECATUR — On Monday, June 02, 2014, activists held an informational meeting at the North Decatur Presbyterian Church regarding so-called “Ban the Box” policies that prohibit certain employers from questioning job applicants about their arrest and conviction records. The purpose of the policy is so that people can be judged on their qualifications, skills, […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — In a surprise announcement ironically given on Earth Day, April 22, 2014, Environmental Protection Division (EPD) Director Jud Turner issued an order to create a massive rollback to the protections presently used to defend the saltwater marshes in Georgia. The rollback will eliminate the buffers that guard the marshes from pollutants. With no public hearing […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — Georgia’s Primary and Non-partisan Elections were held on Tuesday, May 20, 2014. This overview presents the results in statewide, U.S. House, and Fulton County Commission primary races; and non-partisan judicial races. Georgia election results according to the Secretary of State’s office as of May 21, 2014 at 4:20 PM. Registered voters 5,040,952; ballots cast 984.419 and turnout […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — Atlanta Progressive News has compiled a legislative scorecard for State Representatives and State Senators representing areas wholly or partially in Fulton and/or DeKalb Counties. The Scorecard is available as a Google Spreadsheet here: bit.ly/1kpZ1Bq The Scorecard grades legislators on ten specific votes during the 2014 Legislative Session. APN plans to add to the Scorecard in […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — After the stunning defeat of HB 885 in the Georgia Legislature this year, Gov. Deal announced at a news conference on April 10, 2014, that he plans to pursue clinical trials of cannabis oil at Georgia Regents University in Augusta. The latest plan is to involve GW Pharmaceuticals, a British company, in the U.S. Food […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — HB 837, which would expand authority for private probation companies, was passed by the House (105 to 62) and Senate (35 to 17) and has been sent to the Governor awaiting his signature to become law. Gov. Deal has until April 29 to sign or veto the law; if he does nothing, the bill […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — Last Friday’s jury verdict in favor whistleblower Stacey Kalbermann, former Executive Secretary of the Georgia State Ethics Commission, may be the first crack in the dam that Gov. Nathan Deal, a Republican, built for himself when he took office almost four years ago. Kalbermann blew the whistle on the Georgia Government and Transparency and Campaign Finance […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — On Monday, April 07, 2014, Moral Monday took to the street on exclusive West Paces Ferry Road, across from the Governor’s Mansion. Their mission was to deliver fifty thousand signed petitions from Georgia citizens calling for the Governor to expand Medicaid and to accept his executive responsibility and veto HB 990. As previously reported by […]
Read more(APN) ATLANTA — On Thursday, March 20, 2014, the last day of the Georgia General Assembly, the medicinal cannabis oil bill, HB 885, failed when the Assembly adjourned for the Session without passing the bill. The night was filled with hope for dozens of parents and other activists who lobbied at the Gold Dome, but ended with deep […]
Read moreBy Arit Essien, Special to The Atlanta Progressive News. Photograph courtesy of Sekondi Landry. (APN ATLANTA — In a move that will bring the State of Georgia closer to honoring the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. only steps from his birth home, members of the Georgia Senate voted Wednesday, March 12, 2014, to approve […]
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