Georgia governor vows to ‘follow the law’ in response to Trump’s false election claims
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says he will “continue to follow the law” despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to undermine the state’s election results.
Kemp’s office released a statement Monday after the president, who lost Georgia to President-elect Joe Biden by less than 13,000 votes, lashed out at him and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger — both Republicans — during an interview with Fox News, several outlets reported.
Trump blasted Kemp for doing “absolutely nothing,” adding that he was “ashamed” for endorsing Kemp for governor in 2018.
“Georgia law prohibits the Governor from interfering in elections,” a spokesperson for Kemp’s office said in a statement. “The Secretary of State, who is an elected constitutional officer, has oversight over elections that cannot be overridden by executive order. As the Governor has said repeatedly, he will continue to follow the law and encourage the Secretary of State to take reasonable steps — including a sample audit of signatures — to restore trust and address serious issues that have been raised.”
On Monday, Trump continued spouting unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud and election mismanagement in Georgia and called on the “hapless” governor to “use his emergency powers ... to overrule his obstinate Secretary of State, and do a match of signatures on (ballot) envelopes.”
Elections workers across Georgia are counting ballots for a third time after the president’s campaign requested a recount, and after a statewide audit last week affirmed Biden as the winner.
The president recently announced plans to visit Georgia to stump for the state’s two incumbent GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue ahead of a high stakes run-off election in January that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. It’s unclear if Trump plans to meet with the governor during his trip to the Peach State on Dec. 5.
McClatchy News reached out to Kemp’s office for comment on Monday and is awaiting response.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Georgia governor vows to ‘follow the law’ in response to Trump’s false election claims."