It must be awkward for Georgia Republicans right now. On the one hand, most of the fake electors who were part of the Trump coup attempt have agreed to provide truthful testimony in exchange for immunity… and on the other hand, the state legislature just passed— and Governor Brian Kemp just signed— an anti-democracy bill that allows an appointed commission to remove elected local district attorneys. Let’s look at the immunity for coup plotters first. David Shafer, the head of the Georgia Republican Party, has not taken immunity and will likely be charged.
In April, 8 of the bogus electors agreed to testify in the investigation of the coup plot Fulton county district attorney, Fani Willis will bring to a grand jury this summer. “Willis’ office,” reported Danny Hakim, “has spent more than two years investigating whether the former president and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election in Georgia, which Trump narrowly lost to President Biden. A special grand jury that heard evidence in the case for roughly seven months recommended more than a dozen people for indictments, and its forewoman strongly hinted in an interview with the New York Times in February that Trump was among them. Ultimately, it will be up to Willis to decide which charges to seek before a regular grand jury, which she has said she will do after a new jury is seated in mid-July. Her case is focused in part on a plan to create the slate of electors pledged to Trump in the weeks after the 2020 election despite Biden’s victory in Georgia.”
The bill Kemp signed “SB 92, would create ‘an oversight mechanism for district attorneys and solicitors-general across Georgia to ensure accountability in upholding constitution and statutory duties… As hardworking law enforcement officers routinely put their lives on the line to investigate, confront, and arrest criminal offenders, I won’t stand idly by as they’re met with resistance from rogue or incompetent prosecutors who refuse to uphold the law,’ Kemp said in a press release after signing the bill. He added that the creation of the commission ‘will help hold prosecutors driven by out-of-touch politics than commitment to their responsibilities accountable and make our communities safer.’ … Democrats have expressed concerns that commissioners could misuse their authority to punish or remove local prosecutors unnecessarily.”
Fani Willis testified against the bill before the Judiciary Committee of the Georgia Senate, warning that it would be “dangerous” to undo elections and noting that SB 92 is racist and retaliatory. “Republican lawmakers,” reported CNN with a straight face, “have not specifically targeted Willis in the new legislation.” And speaking of reports made with a straight face, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that Kemp has a draft movement urging him to run for president if Trump falters (or dies or winds up in prison).
It’s worth remembering that Trump drafted former Senator David Perdue to run against Kemp in 2022 and Kemp beat him handily— 885,626 (73.7%) to 261,726 (21.8%). Kemp then went on to beat Stacey Abrams in the general election, 2,111,572 (53.4%) to 1,813,673 (45.9). Compare that to Trump’s own defeat in Georgia two years earlier where he lost with just 49.24%, allowing Georgia’s 16 legitimate electors to help Biden win the presidency.