Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp fired back at his 2018 Democratic opponent, ex-Georgia State Rep. Stacey Abrams, who has led the charge against the Peach State’s new election law.
Kemp told “The Story” that Abrams, D-Fulton, is appearing to have buyer’s remorse after watching Major League Baseball (MLB) decide to pull the lucrative All-Star Game out of Cobb County, and a flood of boycott promises from liberal voters and activists.
Last week, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Jr., announced he would be pulling the All-Star Game out of the state in response to Kemp signing the law, which prohibits electioneering within several dozen feet of a poll, expands some early voting and institutes stronger identification requirements for Georgians seeking to vote absentee.
Atlanta’s Coca-Cola, led by CEO James Quincey, and Delta Airlines — the state’s largest private employer — led by CEO Edward Bastian, also slammed the bill, causing in turn conservative voters and activists to threaten their own boycotts of the corporate behemoths.
Kemp said Manfred “doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about” when it comes to the alleged racism and inequities of the new law.
“You know, they’re referencing no specific points in the legislation. I’m glad to talk through any of those [CEO’s], by the way. You know, it’s the biggest lie that has been out there,” said Kemp.
“Obviously [MLB] didn’t care what was said because they folded to the pressure. President Biden’s handlers couldn’t even get him a note card that told him what this bill did. Somebody is lying to you. It’s not me. You can read the bill and prove that out.” In that regard, host Martha MacCallum pointed to comments from Abrams, a high-profile Democrat in the state:
“Black, Latino, AAPI and Native American voters that are the most suppressed over [the new law] are the most likely to be hurt by potential boycotts of Georgia. To our friends, please do not boycott us. To my fellow Georgians, stay and fight, stay and vote,” Abrams said.
Kemp accused Abrams of “profiting millions off of this” politicking.
“People need to follow the money and see why they’re doing this and so effective and, quite honestly why they’re working so hard at this. It has nothing to do with the merits of the bill. It’s political pressure from a minority group of people, the cancel culture. They’re shaking people down for a long time,” he said.
He added that it is also likely a “distraction” for Democrats to use to keep Americans’ mind off of President Biden’s border crisis and the “unconstitutional power grab” of H.R. 1, the 880-page election bill sponsored by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md.
“I think just the contrary [of Abrams’ remarks],” said Kemp. “I think people are ready to double down and get the truth out there.”
“You know, that is the biggest flip-flop since John Kerry I have ever seen. For someone that has been pressuring these corporations, pressuring Major League Baseball to now come out after the fact and say don’t boycott? People are getting screwed in this, Martha.”
Kerry, Biden’s climate ‘czar’ and the Democrats’ 2004 presidential nominee, was accused of being a “flip-flopper” on almost every major issue from the economy to the Iraq War during his campaign against President Bush.
Kemp said that the Democrats’ now-successful calls for boycotts and relocations are hurting “hardworking” “small business people in Cobb County” and the Atlanta area — as the All-Star Game was supposed to be played at the home of the Atlanta Braves.
He said baseball fans and youth that dream of playing major league sports will also be hurt because the games are being “politicized.”
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“People should be scared to death that it’s going to come to their neighborhood, to their state, to their ball game, to their college, to their business,”
In response to MLB’s pull-out from Atlanta, several other cities are now vying to be Manfred’s chosen replacement.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., is urging the MLB to move the game to his state, as the New York Mets have a stadium in Flushing, N.Y., and the Yankees in the South Bronx.
