NITTY-GRITTY HERE. IN THE AFTERMACT OF THE 2020 ELECTION, GEORGIA BECAME THIS KIND OF BENCHMARK FOR PRINCIPLED REPUBLICANS REFUSING TO GO ALONG WITH IMPROPER, UN-AMERICAN MACHINATIONS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP, BRAD RAFFENSPERGER, TWO VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS, BOTH NEVERTHELESS STOOD UP TO PERSONAL PRESSURE FROM TRUMP TO OVERTURN PRESIDENT BIDEN'S WIN IN GEORGIA. AND OF COURSE, ALL THAT PRESSURE TRUMP BROUGHT TO BEAR ON GEORGIA REPUBLICANS AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THOSE REPUBLICANS RESISTED, THAT FORMED THE BASIS FOR FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FANI WILLIS FILING A HUGE RICO CASE AGAINST TRUMP AND 18 OF HIS CODEFENDANTS IN GEORGIA. THAT'S ONE STORY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA AFTER THE 2020 ELECTION. REPUBLICANS STANDING UP, THE RECORD OF THEM STANDING UP AND WHAT THEY HAD TO STAND UP AGAINST FORMING THE BASIS FOR THIS SPRAWLING, DAMNING CRIMINAL INDICTMENT. THE OTHER STORY OF GEORGIA SINCE THAT ELECTION IS ALL THE WORK THAT PRO-TRUMP REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE TO MAKE SURE NOTHING LIKE THAT EVER HAPPENS AGAIN. TO MAKE SURE NOBODY CAN EVER AGAIN GET IN THE WAY OF TRUMP SEIZING GEORGIA'S 16 ELECTORAL VOTES, NO MATTER WHAT THE VOTES SAY. THE MOST OBVIOUS THING GEORGIA REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE IS USE EVERY TOOL AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO DERAIL FANI WILLIS' PROSECUTION OF TRUMP. IN THE LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN THAT THREE REPUBLICAN APPOINTED JUDGES HAVE JUST PUT THE WHOLE CASE ON HOLD WHILE THEY TAKE THEIR TIME CONSIDERING WHETHER FANI WILLIS SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE CASE. THUS GUARANTEEING THAT THE GEORGIA PROSECUTION WILL DEFINITELY NOT GO FORWARD AGAINST TRUMP BEFORE THE ELECTION. BUT THAT'S ONLY THE START. IN GEORGIA'S MOST POPULOUS COUNTY, FULTON COUNTY, ONE REPUBLICAN ELECTIONS BOARD MEMBER LAST MONTH REFUSED TO CERTIFY THE PRIMARY RESULTS THERE. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS ARE SCARY. WITH THE HELP OF LAWYERS FROM A PRO-TRUMP THINK TANK, SHE HAS NOW FILED A LAWSUIT SEEKING THE POWER TO BLOCK THE CERTIFICATION OF ELECTIONS WHICH WOULD OF COURSE THROW NOVEMBER'S RESULTS IN GEORGIA INTO CHAOS. WHICH IS PRESUMABLY THE POINT. MEANWHILE, JUST NORTH OF FULTON COUNTY, REPUBLICANS RECENTLY STARTED AGITATING TO TAKE OVER AN ELECTIONS BOARD IN CHEROKEE COUNTY. NOW, THE BOARD THERE, LIKE OTHER COUNTIES IN GEORGIA, HAS ALWAYS BEEN EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, BUT REPUBLICANS IN CHEROKEE COUNTY ARE NO LONGER OKAY WITH THAT. THEY WANTED A FULL SCALE REPUBLICAN TAKEOVER, WHEN THAT WAS BLOCKED, THEY COMP WITH AN INGENIOUS NEW PLAN. THEY DECIDED THEY WOULD REPLACE ONE OF THE DEMOCRATIC COMMISSIONERS WHO HAD BEEN NOMINATED WITH THEIR OWN CHOICE. THEIR OWN CHOICE FOR A DEMOCRAT. A NEW GUY THAT NONE OF THE LOCAL DEMOCRATS HAVE EVER HEARD OF. BUT DON'T WORRY, THE REPUBLICANS WHO RUN CHEROKEE COUNTY SWEAR THIS GUY THEY PICKED IS DEFINITELY A DEMOCRAT. THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION REPORTED THAT THE REPUBLICAN CHEROKEE COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN, QUOTE, ASSURED THE BOARD THAT THE NEW MEMBER IS A DEMOCRAT, EVEN IF THE LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS UNFAMILIAR WITH HIM. I ASSURE YOU, HE'S DEFINITELY ON YOUR TEAM. I KNOW YOU HAVE NEVER MET AND I PICKED HIM, BUT TRUST ME. PINKY PROMISE. MEANWHILE, AT THE STATE ELECTIONS BOARD IN GEORGIA, REPUBLICANS THERE JUST STARTED WRITING A NEW RULE THAT WOULD ALLOW COUNTY ELECTIONS BOARDS TO CONDUCT A, QUOTE, REASONABLE INQUIRY BEFORE THEY CERTIFY ANY ELECTION RESULTS. SO INSTEAD OF SIGNING OFF ON ELECTION RESULTS AS COUNTY ELECTION BOARDS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO DO BY LAW, THEY WOULD BE EMPOWERED INSTEAD TO INVESTIGATE THOSE RESULTS AS THEY SEE FIT. THE JOURNAL CONSTITUTION NOTES THAT, QUOTE, THE PROPOSED RULE DOESN'T SAY WHAT A REASONABLE INQUIRY WOULD ENTAIL BEFORE CERTIFYING AN ELECTION. YEAH, WHY WOULD YOU SPECIFY THAT? YOU WANT EVERY ELECTION DENYING REPUBLICAN COUNTY ELECTIONS BOARD MEMBER IN GEORGIA JUST MAKING IT UP AS THEY GO ALONG, CALLING THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR REASONABLE. WHILE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION POTENTIALLY HANGS IN THE BALANCE. SPEAKING OF THAT STATE ELECTIONS BOARD, ONE OF ITS REPUBLICAN MEMBERS WAS OUSTED LAST MONTH, ONE OF ITS REPUBLICAN MEMBERS WAS OUSTED, AFTER TRUMP REPORTEDLY SPENT MONTHS CALLING GEORGIA REPUBLICANS INSISTING THAT THAT ELECTION BOARD MEMBER HAD TO GO. BECAUSE THAT PERSON WAS NOT BACKING TRUMP'S LIES ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION. AND SO OF COURSE, THE GUY HAD TO GO. TRUMP'S PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN REMAKING THE GEORGIA STATE ELECTIONS BOARD IS JUST ONE OF THE REVELATIONS IN NEW REPORTING FROM ROLLING STONE. THEIR NEW PIECE IS HEADLINED GEORGIA IS OUR LABORATORY. INSIDE TRUMP'S PLAN TO RIG 2024. IT DETAILS HOW TRUMP'S ALLIES ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THERE WILL NOT BE A STRAIGHTFORWARD ELECTION RESULT IN GEORGIA THIS YEAR, . >>> THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IS THE VOTER. THE SECRETARY OF STATE WAS RE-ELECTED BY THE VOTERS OF THE STATE BY A LARGER MARGIN THAN ANY OTHER -- EXCUSE ME. >> ORDER. ORDER. >> BY A LARGER MARGIN THAN ANY OTHER STATE-WIDE OFFICE. THE VOTERS -- >> ORDER. >> -- HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR FAITH AND THEREFORE I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT AT PRESENT, WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERSEE OR INVESTIGATE THE SECRETARY OF STATE. >> GEORGIA'S BOARD OF ELECTIONS GATHERED TO DISCUSS LARGING AN INVESTIGATION INTO GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE BRAD RAFFENSPERGER WHO HAD THE CHIMERTY TO SAY NO WHEN DONALD TRUMP INSISTED HE FLIP THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION. THE LONE DEMOCRAT SPOKE OUT AGAINST DOING THIS UNPRECEDENTED INVESTIGATION. SHE WAS LOUDLY SHOUTED DOWN. IN A NEW ARTICLE TITLED GEORGIA IS OUR LABORATORY, INSIDE TRUMP'S PLAN TO RIG 2024, ROLLING STONE REPORTS THIS. QUOTE, THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND HIS SUPPORTERS HAVE BEEN MAKING CONCRETE STEP BY STEP PROGRESS IN SHAPING ELECTORAL PROCESSES TO HIS BENEFIT. ACROSS THE STATE, MAGA DIE HARDS ARE DEVOTING CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES TO PURGING VOTING ROLLS, INTIMIDATING ELECTION OFFICIALS, EMPLOYING DIRTY TRICKS AND OUSTING APPOINTEES WHO HAVEN'T BEEN INITIATED INTO THE CULT OF TRUMP. IT'S THE STATE WHERE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE LEVERS OF POWER. TRUMP LOVING ELEMENTS OF THE GEORGIA GOP HAVE WIELDED THAT ADVANTAGE IN A CRUSADE TO TURN ELECTION CONSPIRACY THEORIES INTO POLICIES. IT'S AN ALARMINGLY ANTI-DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENT THAT TRUMP PLANNED AND MUCH OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HOPE TO TAKE NATIONAL. JOINING US NOW IS ADAM RONSLY, THE REPORTER CO-BY-LINES ON THE SPRAWLING PIECE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME. >> SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STEPS THAT TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES HAVE TAKEN TO CHANGE THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN GEORGIA? >> SO ONE OF THE MOST ALARMING ONES THAT A SOURCE WHO HAS DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH TRUMP TOLD US, A REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY, IS THEY'RE PLANNING TO CHALLENGE THE ELECTION RESULT REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT. YOU KNOW, WE THINK OF THE THREAT TO ELECTIONS FROM TRUMP'S BEHAVIOR IN 2020 AS ONLY OCCURRING IN THE EVENT THAT TRUMP LOSES. YOU KNOW, AT THE CURRENT STATE OF POLLING, TRUMP IS AHEAD IN GEORGIA, IF YOU BELIEVE THE POLLING, BUT WHAT REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY WHO DISCUSSED THIS WITH TRUMP TOLD US IS THAT, QUOTE, YOU CAN'T LET THE LEFT GET AWAY WITH THIS CHEATING JUST BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SUCCEED, AIR QUOTES AROUND CHEATING. AND THE PLAN IS TO CHALLENGE THE RESULT REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME. AND THE INTENT BEHIND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A PERMANENT DELEGITIMIZATION OF THE ELECTION PROCESS. IT'S HEADS, I WIN, TAILS YOU LOSE. AND I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED THIS A LITTLE BIT IN YOUR INTRO, IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO IS THAT REFUSAL TO CERTIFY IN THE FULTON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS -- IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY, VERY NOTABLE ABOUT THAT IS THAT THE ATTORNEYS WHO FILED THAT LAWSUIT WORK FOR AMERICA FIRST POLICIES INSTITUTE, WHICH IS A VERY TRUMPY ORGANIZATION FILLED WITH FORMER TRUMP FOLKS. AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THOSE KINDS OF PROCESSES IS THE LEGAL JANUARY 6th IN MINIATURE. ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE TAKING SOMEONE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, ACTING BEYOND THEIR BRIEF AND TRYING TO ESSENTIALLY INSERT THEMSELVES INTO THE COUNTING AND, YOU KNOW, ASSESSMENT OF VOTE TALLIES. >> ADAM, IS THIS ACTUALLY A FIGHT IN GEORGIA? YOU NOTE, I THINK, IMPORTANTLY, THAT GEORGIA'S A PLACE WHERE REPUBLICANS CONTROL ALL OF THE LEVERS OF POWER. WE JUST PLAYED THE SOUND OF ONE DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE STATE ELECTIONS BOARD GETTING SHOUTED DOWN WHEN SHE OBJECTED TO WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO IN TERMS OF TARGETING RAFFENSPERGER. IS THIS FIGHT JOINT WHERE THERE IS PUSHBACK AGAINST WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR ARE THEY ESSENTIALLY RUNNING THE TABLE BY CHANGING PROCESSES TO THEIR OWN BENEFIT? >> YOU KNOW, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE QUITE A BUILT-IN ADVANTAGE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY GEORGIA RELATIVE TO OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS MORE SO THAN PERHAPS ANY OTHER STATE A FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR FAITH IN FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. AND YEAH, EVEN FOLKS LIKE BRIAN KEMP, WHO WAS AN ABSOLUTE OBSTACLE TO TRUMP'S ATTEMPT TO, YOU KNOW, ILLEGALLY OVERTURN THE ELECTION IN GEORGIA, BRIAN KEMP SIGNED SB-202, A LAW THAT ALLOWS FOR A RANGE OF, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PROCEDURAL CHICANERY. JOE BIDEN CALLED IT JIM CROW IN THE 21st CENTURY. YOU KNOW, EVEN FOLKS WHO HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE OBSTACLES TO SOME OF THE MORE OVERT ASPECTS OF IT SOMETIMES WILL JUST GO ALONG TO GET ALONG. AND SO THEY DEFINITELY DO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE. AND THEY ARE RUNNING THE TABLE IN CERTAIN WAYS, BUT YOU DO SEE FOLKS LIKE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, LIKE ED LINDSAY, WHOSE RESIGNATION LETTER WE OBTAINED IN THE STORY. PEOPLE LIKE THAT, YOU STILL DO HAVE THESE KIND OF PRINCIPLED REPUBLICANS WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, BUT AS YOU SAW WITH THE CASE OF ED, YOU KNOW, HE HAD TO RESIGN UNDER A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE FROM NOT JUST PRESIDENT TRUMP BUT FROM THE GRASSROOTS OF THE PARTY WHO BELIEVE IN A LOT OF ELECTION CONSPIRACIES. >> YEAH, THE BARE FACT THAT A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IS PERSONALLY LOBBYING TO REMOVE INDIVIDUAL STATE ELECTIONS BOARD MEMBERS OUGHT TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF EVERY PAPER OF THE COUNTRY. BEEN REPORTED BY ADAM, REPORTER AT ROLLING STONE. ADAM, THE BY-LINE REPORTERS ON THE PIECE, GEORGIA IS
