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With time growing short, U.S. Senate talks extend on immigration overhaul

By
Jennifer Shutt
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U.S. Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama speaks at a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 7, with other Republican members of the U.S. Senate, on talks over border security. From left, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, John Thune of South Dakota, John Cornyn of Texas, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON (States Newsroom) — Members of Congress left the Capitol on Thursday without a deal on sought-after changes to immigration policy that’s tied to aid for Ukraine and Israel — leaving them just one week to resolve the dispute before lawmakers depart for a three-week holiday break.

Negotiations among a small group of senators are expected to continue throughout the three-day weekend, though odds are long that Democrats and Republicans can broker an agreement this year.

That will leave billions in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on ice until talks resume in 2024. Both the House and Senate are set to leave on Dec. 14 for their winter break. And national security officials have stressed the importance of getting more military aid to Ukraine and Israel approved this year.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said GOP negotiators were presenting Democrats with their latest offer on Thursday, but he cautioned there are a lot of areas where lawmakers still need to reach agreement.

“This is about things that we can honestly go to our Republican members, look them in the eye and attest to the fact that we’re going to have a dramatic reduction in flows across the border on an almost immediate basis,” Tillis said.

“Anything short of that, it’s going to be very difficult to get a majority of our conference, and we don’t move this bill without a majority of our conference,” he added.

Even if Democrats accept that offer, Tillis said, the staff would then need to draft legislative text and make sure it matches what everyone agreed to during talks.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, said that Republicans were sharing new ideas with him and other negotiators on Thursday, though he wasn’t sure if those proposals would lead to a deal.

“I’m willing to continue talking if those ideas are constructive, but they’ve got to move us closer to getting Democratic votes,” Murphy said. “So far, we’ve seen proposals that can get lots of Republican votes and no Democratic votes.”

Murphy said he remains willing to compromise on policy issues and said he was hopeful negotiators would “get to a place this weekend where both sides are willing to make compromises.”

Biden remarks noticed

President Joe Biden saying Wednesday that he “willing to make significant compromises on the border” may help to move talks forward, according to Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford.

“We’ve always been a nation open to immigration. We’ve got to be able to stay that way,” Lankford said. “But as lawmakers, we probably should think the law is important. And if, as lawmakers, we don’t think the law is important, then we need to be able to resolve that.”

Lankford argued it was the Biden administration that tied border security and immigration policy to additional funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan when the White House sent Congress an emergency spending request that included all four areas.

The White House referred to its funding request for U.S. border security as a “tourniquet” and said what really is needed are changes to policy, Lankford said.

But resolving differences about who should be allowed to immigrate to the United States and under what circumstances has evaded lawmakers for about 30 years, making these negotiations especially challenging, Lankford said.

Speaker’s letter

House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter released Thursday that any legislation to help Ukraine resist Russia must be tied to border and immigration policy changes.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, wrote that while House Republicans “understand the very real security threats in theaters around the world, yesterday’s failed Senate vote has demonstrated there is no path forward on Ukraine funding without meaningful, transformative change in policy at our southern border.”

“Furthermore, as I have said repeatedly, the House passed funding for Israel over a month ago in a bipartisan manner,” Johnson added, referring to a bill that cut Internal Revenue Service funding to pay for the assistance. “I remain hopeful that we will find reasonable partners on the other side who recognize that reality and are willing to reach consensus on these urgent matters.”

Senators on Wednesday were unable to advance a $110.5 billion spending package that would have bolstered funding for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and U.S. border security.

The failed procedural vote on the bill came amid a cooler moment in talks between Democrats and Republicans on border security policy. Those talks appeared to be back in full swing on Thursday.

But it remained unclear if an agreement would be reached during the last week lawmakers are scheduled to be in Washington, D.C. this year.

It was also not entirely clear how a lack of additional funding for Ukraine and Israel might impact the stability of those countries in the middle of ongoing wars.

‘Seize a new opportunity’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said Thursday that he hoped the failed procedural vote would allow senators to “seize a new opportunity to make real progress on legislation that addresses urgent national security priorities — both at home and abroad.”

“I know many of our Democratic colleagues recognize the urgency of this crisis. I know many of them are ready to help restore sanity at our Southern border,” McConnell said. “Well, Senator Lankford, Senator (Lindsey) Graham, and other Republican colleagues are still working hard to do exactly that. And there’s no time like the present to join them in those efforts.”

Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, who is not actively involved in negotiations, said during a press conference Thursday that it’s “common sense” to “secure the border.”

“We need some policy changes and that’s what this debate is all about,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said that Republican negotiators must be more serious with the offers they present.

“Both sides must accept that we have to compromise on things important to each side if we have any hope of passing this supplemental,” Schumer said.

“Let me state, we Democrats very much — very much — want an agreement,” he said. “We are willing to make compromises and concessions to meet our Republican colleagues, as long as they are willing to do the same.”

Judge to decide if Georgia’s new political maps comply with order

By
Ross Williams, Jill Nolin and Stanley Dunlap
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Lawmakers watch the votes comes in as a new congressional map cleared the House Thursday with a party-line vote. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

(GA Recorder) — Depending on who is asked, a newly redrawn congressional map is either an open act of defiance or exactly what federal Judge Steve Jones instructed lawmakers to do when he struck down Georgia’s political maps for diluting the voting strength of Black voters.

That map, along with two revised legislative maps, will soon land on Jones’ desk for him to decide, although an appeal is expected either way. For now, the plans sit in Gov. Brian Kemp’s office with a looming Friday deadline for him to sign and send them to the judge.

Fixing one problem, creating another?

The three maps were quickly ushered through the legislative process during a just-ended special session. The high-stakes congressional map received a final vote Thursday after a bitter debate in the House over how GOP lawmakers went about creating the court-ordered new Black majority district in west metro Atlanta.

Republicans argue the congressional map complies with the judge’s order to create the new district. Democrats blasted their GOP colleagues for chopping up the racially and culturally diverse 7th District in the north Atlanta suburbs in the process. The 7th District is represented by U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, who is a Black Democrat.

The district’s current form has a voting-age majority made up of a combined 66% Black, Latino and Asian people. The new map would make it about 66% white.

“So you put Blacks into the 6th District, but are you diluting the vote strength of Asian-American and Latino voters in Gwinnett County, which is also kind of an important thing?” said Emory University political science professor Andra Gillespie. “So are you, for all intents and purposes, fixing one problem but then creating another problem?”

McBath represented the 6th district before the map was redrawn in 2021 to favor a Republican candidate, leading her to challenge a fellow Democrat in the 7th district. That change helped the GOP gain a congressional seat in Georgia last year, giving them a 9-5 majority that would likely remain if the new map survives judicial review.

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Differing interpretations

Jones ordered lawmakers to redraw the maps in October after finding that Georgia’s district lines did not reflect the growth of the Black population. The state’s growth over the last decade was due to the minority population, yet no new majority Black congressional or legislative districts were created.

The judge ordered lawmakers to create the new majority Black congressional district and an additional seven majority Black legislative districts. In Georgia, Black voters tend to support Democrats at high rates, but the new maps are expected to yield minimal Democratic gains in the House and none in the Senate.

Democrats say the plans create additional majority Black districts at the expense of others where other non-white residents make up the bulk of the electorate, and they have accused Republicans of playing a “shell game” with the maps. The congressional map passed Thursday with a 98-72 vote that fell along party lines.

Democrats like state Rep. Becky Evans criticized the GOP congressional map for dismantling a majority minority district. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

“Spoiler alert: Georgia has changed,” said Rep. Gregg Kennard, a Lawrenceville Democrat. “We grew a million people in the last decade, and the overwhelming majority of that growth was people of color and they brought their politics with them.

“Georgia is a purple state, a swing state, and fair maps should reflect that 50-50 political landscape,” he said. “How can you with a straight face draw a 9-5 congressional map?”

Rep. Sam Park, another Lawrenceville Democrat, argued Republicans cannot say they are complying with the order when they are dismantling a majority minority congressional district.

“This open defiance of a federal court order is alarming. It is reminiscent of the refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 presidential election that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection,” Park said.

Comparisons to Alabama

Republican lawmakers have frequently referenced the judge’s outline for a remedy, which calls for creating new Black majority districts. But Democrats have been just as quick to highlight another sentence in the order: “The State cannot remedy the Section 2 violations described herein by eliminating minority opportunity districts elsewhere in the plans.”

Others have pointedly accused Republicans of following the path of Alabama lawmakers, who unsuccessfully tried to rebuff a court order to create a new majority Black congressional district or “something quite close to it.”

“I oppose this map because this ain’t a Georgia map, this is an Alabama map,” said House Minority Leader James Beverly, a Macon Democrat.

Rep. Rob Leverett, an Elberton Republican who chairs the House redistricting committee, called the comparisons to Alabama a “low blow.”

“That is the bitterest pill right there, to be accused of being like our friends to the west,” Leverett said. “My goal this whole session has been to do just not what they did, to do everything opposite from what they did. And I don’t think you can say that we are being like Alabama when we are passing a map that includes an additional majority Black congressional district.”

Leverett countered that the redistricting case in Georgia centered on Black Georgians and no other minority groups, and the judge’s order specifically directed lawmakers to create additional majority Black districts.

Rep. Rob Leverett, an Elberton Republican who chairs the House redistricting committee, said comparing Georgia’s redistricting efforts to Alabama’s was a “low blow.” (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

“We’re adding the additional majority Black districts in every plan just like the judge is telling us,” Leverett said.

The judge will soon have the opportunity to clear up any questions about his language.

Judge’s wording

Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia, said that Jones used very clear and precise language throughout his 516-page court ruling, distinguishing Black majority districts from minority opportunity districts.

“I think if he meant Black majority district he would have said Black majority district,” Bullock said. “I think he consciously chose the wording.”

Republicans also argue that while the Voting Rights Act protects a single minority group, it does not protect a coalition of ethnic groups such as those in McBath’s district.

Bullock said plaintiffs in other redistricting disputes have long argued that combining more than one racial group into a voting bloc also warrants protections for minority voters under the Voting Rights Act. He said that the plaintiffs in the Georgia case will have to prove that the individual racial groups in McBath’s district share enough interests to form cohesive political preferences.

What’s next?

A court hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 20 to review the new maps.

Republican Attorney General Chris Carr requested in a court filing this week that Jones appoint a special master by Jan. 16 to redraw the maps if Jones finds the new ones are not in compliance.

Carr wrote that the governor and General Assembly quickly held the special redistricting session after Jones’ ruling. He also stressed the importance of having district maps approved for a 2024 election cycle that begins with a presidential primary on March 12 and continues with a general election primary on May 21.

Bullock said there is a good chance that the maps that were just drawn will be used in 2024 while the case continues to be litigated. Any new maps must be ready with enough time for candidates and state and local election officials to prepare for an election and to also notify voters about the reshaped districts, he said.

“People say that business business leaders don’t like uncertainty, well neither do political leaders,” Bullock said. “You’re hired and fired by the people in your district so you want to know exactly who those people are and be responsive to them as well as trying to raise money from them.”

‘Rolling the dice’

Two common forms of gerrymandering — redrawing districts to favor a certain outcome — are cracking, which occurs when the population is divided into multiple districts so they can’t make up a majority and get their candidates elected, and packing, in which people likely to support a candidate or party are shoveled into one area to limit their influence elsewhere. Either maneuver is illegal if done on the basis of race, and Jones will be keeping an eye out.

“The choices that Republicans made, breaking up the 7th District, putting the Black voters back into the 6th District, and then shifting the 13th District east, and then adding Black voters to the 5th District, are some very curious choices,” Gillespie said. “And they’re done in such a subtle way that it’s a question of whether or not they did this in a way that would pass muster, either for Judge Jones or for the appellate panel that will undoubtedly get to hear this particular case.”

“So it looks like Republicans were just rolling the dice that even if Jones invalidates the districts, that the map might survive on appeal,” she added.

The special session dragged lawmakers back to the state Capitol during the holidays. Pictured here is Woodstock Republican Rep. Charlice Byrd. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

Similar battle lines have been drawn in the state Senate, where Republicans added new majority Black districts around Atlanta and Macon, but Senate Democrats say they did it without increasing the power of the Black vote as Jones wanted.

District packing

In south metro Atlanta, the districts of Democratic Sens. Elena Parent and Jason Esteves saw their Black populations increase to narrow majorities, less than in past cases that were designated as racial gerrymandering, which could be a quandary for Jones.

“You were looking at districts that were 70% Black, give or take a few percentage points,” Gillespie said. “And so the districts that are majority Black now that they’re creating are 51%, 52% Black. So it doesn’t really look like packing in the same way, but it is packing. Like if you think about Jason Esteves and Elena Parent’s districts, these districts were 22% and 29% Black beforehand. So if you are, in Esteves’ case, going to more than double the number of Black people in the district, does that constitute packing, even though it just gives African-Americans just a bare outright majority in the district?”

Gillespie said she’ll be watching Henry County, where Democratic Sen. Gail Davenport’s district is set to become about 60% Black.

“Does 60% constitute packing in this environment, especially when you’re trying to keep the adjacent district Republican?” she said. “You only make that 30% Black in an area where there’s clearly a fast-growing Black population. That 60% might actually be the one to trigger something, just because it is 60%, right? But Parent and Esteves’ districts being only 50% Black, that might not meet the standard for packing.”

Nonpartisan redistricting

If Jones is not happy, he could appoint a special master for any or all of the maps that aren’t up to snuff. That could be a problem for incumbents. The special master’s only duty will be to make a map that complies with the law, and that could mean drawing experienced legislators into districts with opposite politics or combining them in the same district with colleagues.

Gillespie said she’s among the political scientists who support nonpartisan redistricting, a process in practice in several states in which experts not affiliated with the legislature draw maps.

“I think we have to ask the fundamental fairness question of should we allow legislators to draw their own district lines, to basically choose their own constituents. And there’s something about that level of gamesmanship that I would argue is problematic.”

“From that perspective, having a special master draw the districts is as close as we’re probably going to get anytime soon to having nonpartisan redistricting.”

Braselton surgery center receives accreditation

By
Now Habersham
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Patients in and around Braselton now have a new, accredited destination for surgeries outside the hospital. The Braselton Surgery Center, an affiliate of the Northeast Georgia Health System, received its Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) accreditation.

ACHC accreditation is an independent validation that a healthcare organization’s policies, processes and delivery of care meet recognized standards for quality and safety.

“We are excited to receive this accreditation, which proves our commitment to providing exceptional care to patients in our community,” said Gretchen Bryant, administrator for the Braselton Surgery Center. “Our expert surgeons and state-of-the-art facility offer a variety of same-day procedures – meaning patients can return home to heal quicker.”

Braselton Surgery Center currently offers procedures in multiple specialties, including endoscopy, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, podiatry, and urology.

Beaudoin named Habersham County assistant public works director

By
Staff Report
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Jared Beaudoin (LinkedIn)

Jared Beaudoin of Blairsville has been named the assistant public works director for Habersham County.

Beaudoin currently works as the facilities supervisor for Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino in Murphy, North Carolina.

Prior to that, Beaudoin worked for three years as the facility maintenance director for the City of Sterling Heights, Michigan. In that role, he managed over 550,000 square feet of 18 municipal facilities and handled budget, contractor, and project management. He left the job in February, city records show.

Beaudoin also previously worked as the operations manager and purchasing manager for the City of Sterling Heights for four years before being named facility maintenance director.

According to a Habersham County news release, Beaudoin has 20-plus years of experience in municipal services, including supervisory roles in public works (fleet, water, and sewer departments).

Habersham County Public Works Director Jerry Baggett says Beaudoin will assist him with daily tasks and budgets.

“Basically, he’ll be helping me with the day-to-day operations of the road department, the fleet department, and the landfill or recycling centers,” said Baggett.

Baggett added, “He’s had some background with grants and Michigan’s version of Georgia DOT, so Michigan DOT. He’s also done a Safe Streets for All grant, so he may crossover into capital projects and help me a little bit with that or any future grants that we might have for [the] road department, landfill, recycling, or fleet.”

Habersham County will pay Beaudoin $81,000 per year, plus benefits and the use of a county vehicle.

He takes over the position 10 months after Habersham’s first-ever assistant public works director resigned. Brian Brackett left after only six months on the job.

Beaudoin’s first day on the job is December 18.

Patrick Dylan Chappell

By
Now Habersham
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Patrick Dylan Chappell, age 29, of Gainesville, Georgia, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Patrick’s untimely departure has left a void in the hearts of his family and friends, but his memory will forever be cherished.

Mr. Chappell was born in Gainesville, Georgia, on October 19, 1994. He was a beloved son to Tj Chappell and Ginger Winters Chappell. His grandparents, Tommy and Tina Chappell and James Winters, preceded him in death.

He was a young man with a bright future ahead of him. His infectious laughter and warm spirit endeared him to everyone fortunate enough to cross his path. Patrick had a unique gift of making others laugh and he never met a stranger. He enjoyed listening to music and playing the guitar any chance he had. His genuine love for people translated into the joy he found in spending time with friends and family, creating precious moments that will be held dear in the hearts of those who knew him.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Chappell is survived by his brother Layne Chappell, Granny Leda Winters, and numerous aunts and uncles. He was loved dearly by many. He had many special friends that he thought of as family.

A Memorial Service will be held at 5:30 p.m., Friday, December 15, 2023, at the Springway Baptist Church, 2743 Old Cornelia Hwy, Gainesville, GA 30507, with Rev. Jeff Morgan to honor Patrick’s life and allow those closest to him the opportunity to celebrate his memory together.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday, December 15, 2023, at the church prior to the memorial service.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel, at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.

Somdee Sathiphone

By
Now Habersham
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Somdee Sathiphone, age 49, of Alto, Georgia passed away on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

Mr. Sathiphone was born on March 15, 1974, in Laos to the late Phomma Sathiphone and Phaengsy Sathiphone.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Mr. Sathiphone was a hardworking man who loved his family. He was a beloved dad, son, brother and uncle.

In addition to his mother, survivors include his sons, Somdee Sathiphone Jr. and Sonny Sathiphone, sister, Korina Robertson, brothers, Amnart Sathiphone, Chris Sathiphone, nephew, Collin Robertson, and niece Kurstin Robertson Manwell.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 9, 2023 at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, South Chapel at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone 706-778-7123.

Damian Alvarado Otero

By
Now Habersham
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Damian Alvarado Otero, age 74, of Cornelia, Georgia, passed away on Wednesday, December 6, 2023.

Mr. Alvarado was born on February 12, 1949, in Mexico to the late Juan Alvarado and Guadalupe Olguin. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Gildardo Alvarado.

Damian will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He was a very caring person and was always willing to help anyone who needed it. Damian was a carpenter for many years and was also a grocery store salesman.

Survivors include his loving wife of 56 years, Maria Asuncion, of Cornelia; sons, Cruz Alvarado, of Cornelia; Blas Alvarado, of Cornelia; Miguel Alvarado, of Cornelia; J. Carmen Alvarado, of Cornelia; Damian Alvarado, of Mt. Airy; Santos Alvarado, of Cornelia; Demetrio Alvarado, of Cornelia; daughter, Angelica Cruz, of Lula; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as several siblings.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 8, 2023 at the St. Mark Catholic Church in Clarkesville, Georgia.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Thursday, December 7, 2023 at the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Home, South Chapel, at 1370 Industrial Boulevard, Baldwin, Georgia 30511. Telephone: 706-778-7123.

Georgia lawmakers OK U.S. House map

By
Stephen Fowler
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Georgia lawmakers have approved a new congressional map that keeps a 9-5 advantage for Republicans, complying with a court’s order to add a majority-Black district but setting up a legal showdown over the districts it changed to create that seat.

The new U.S. House boundaries would double the number of congressional seats in Georgia that have a majority of its voting age residents identify as any part Black, with a new 6th District located in Atlanta’s western suburbs and a shifted 5th District including more Black voters, joining the current 4th and 13th as majority-Black.

But the creation of a new district that would likely elect a Democrat is neutered by the retooling of the majority-nonwhite 7th District currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath into an overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly Republican seat that stretches from Atlanta’s northern suburbs into the north Georgia mountains.

VIEW newly-drawn district maps

U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ordered lawmakers to convene in a special session and add eight Black-majority districts to its political maps: five in the state House, two in the state Senate and one in the U.S. House, after he found a number of districts violated the Voting Rights Act and disenfranchised the power of Black voters in a state that has seen explosive population growth and increasingly competitive statewide races in recent years.

The GOP-controlled legislature has approved new redistricting plans that comply with the judge’s order on paper: The number of majority-Black districts in each map are increased by the amount the court ordered, with the congressional map adding two Black districts instead of one.

But the reality of the changes largely preserves the existing partisan split in each body by reshuffling other districts to largely switch which Democrats Black voters would vote for.

For the congressional maps in particular, Democrats and voting rights groups argue the creation of two majority-Black House seats comes at the expense of dismantling the 7th District’s current majority-minority coalition and violates Jones’ order stating that the changes should not be made “by eliminating minority opportunity districts elsewhere.”

But Republicans have argued that the order only specifically deals with keeping existing majority-Black districts.

“Well, I agree it is meaningful language, but it does not have the meaning that my friends across the aisle ascribe to it,” House Redistricting Chairman Rob Leverett (R-Elberton) said Thursday. “And the reason it doesn’t is because that ‘minority opportunity districts,’ as it’s being construed by our friends across the aisle, was never mentioned in that phrasing or that definition in the case. … In the context of this case, the minority that was being discussed whose rights were trying to be vindicated were Black voters.”

While the congressional, state House and state Senate maps now head to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature, the plans will go before Jones in a Dec. 20 hearing.

This article comes to Now Habersham in partnership with GPB News

Haley draws fire from rivals in GOP presidential debate, as Christie calls Trump ‘unfit’

By
Jacob Fischler and Robin Opsahl
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TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - DECEMBER 06: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy participate in the NewsNation Republican Presidential Primary Debate at the University of Alabama Moody Music Hall on December 6, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The four presidential hopefuls squared off during the fourth Republican primary debate without current frontrunner and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has declined to participate in any of the previous debates. (livestream image NewsNation)

(States Newsroom) — Half of the four Republican presidential candidates on a debate stage in Alabama on Wednesday night focused their attacks on former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who’s vying for the prized second place in the nominating contest.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy teamed up early in the debate to repeatedly hit Haley on issues including transgender health care, support for Ukraine’s and Israel’s war efforts, and her backing from corporate and wealthy donors.

Haley welcomed the focus.

“​​I love all the attention, fellas,” she said. “Thank you for that.”

The extended exchange that defined the debate’s first half-hour segment — and reemerged throughout the two-hour event hosted by NewsNation — frustrated the fourth candidate on stage, Chris Christie. The former New Jersey governor has made criticism of former President Donald Trump, the far-and-away leading candidate in the field, the cornerstone of his campaign. Trump, as in the previous three debates sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, refused to take part.

Christie criticized the others on stage at the event at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, all of whom are polling better than he is, for not taking on Trump. He bemoaned in his first remarks of the evening that Haley, DeSantis, and Ramaswamy were too focused on each other and hadn’t even mentioned Trump.

“For us to go 17 minutes without discussing the guy who has all those gaudy (polling) numbers you talked about is ridiculous,” Christie told the moderators, who’d cited Trump’s large lead in the polls.

“The fact of the matter is he is unfit to be president,” he added.

Trump garners nearly 60% of GOP voter support, according to FiveThirtyEight’s average.

Trump instead appeared on a Fox News town hall Tuesday. Host Sean Hannity asked Trump, who was central to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, to dispel concerns he wouldn’t respect democratic norms in his second term.

Trump responded that he wouldn’t be a dictator, “except for Day 1,” when he implied he would exercise extreme powers to control the border and expand fossil fuel development.

“We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling,” he said. “After that, I’m not a dictator.”

RELATED: CNN to host GOP presidential debates ahead of Iowa caucuses

Haley in crosshairs

Haley was the target of attacks by DeSantis and Ramaswamy in their first remarks of the debate, as they accused her of being in the pocket of Wall Street and criticized her foreign policy positions.

Although Trump leads the field by a wide margin, the race for second place has been tightening for months, as Haley’s poll numbers have improved largely at the expense of DeSantis. While DeSantis still leads Haley in most national polls, the two were tied at 16% in a recent Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa survey.

Haley has edged ahead of DeSantis in recent New Hampshire and South Carolina polls and got a high-profile endorsement from Americans for Prosperity, the Koch-affiliated PAC.

Ramaswamy also criticized Haley’s backing from Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, the American-based multinational investment management firm, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, whom he called “George Soros Junior,” as well as criticizing her previous position on the board of Boeing after leaving the United Nations.

The entrepreneur said that an “establishment” candidate like Haley will change her policy positions to align with these large corporations supporting her campaign.

Haley denied the accusation, saying that these backers support her because of her positions, not because she changed them. The former U.N. ambassador pointed to her decision to leave Boeing after the business sought a “corporate bailout” following the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision she did not agree with.

“There’s nothing to what he’s saying,” Haley responded. “And in terms of these donors that are supporting me, they’re just jealous.”

DeSantis also criticized Haley’s relationship with multinational corporations, saying that she would support businesses like BlackRock that want to use “economic power to impose a left-wing agenda on this country.”

He pointed to a Florida law he signed banning environmental, social, and governance, or ESG, investing strategies — when a firm considers non-financial environmental, social, and government factors when making investments — for the state’s public investments.

“The next president of the United States needs to be able to go to that office on day one and end ESG,” DeSantis said. “And the fact of the matter is, we know from her history Nikki will cave to those big donors when it counts.”

Social media and national security

The two candidates also criticized Haley for saying that she would require identity verification by name for people posting on social media.

Haley said on Fox News in November that she would require social media companies to share their algorithms with the U.S. government and that she would require name verification to address “national security” concerns with Russian, Iranian, and Chinese bots.

The former South Carolina governor defended her comments on the debate stage, saying that her position was focused on getting rid of foreign influences on social media, not on restricting American rights.

“As a mom, do I think that social media would be more civil if we went and had people’s names next to that?” Haley said. “Yes, I do think that because I think we’ve got too much cyberbullying. I think we’ve got child pornography and all of those things. But having said that, I never said government should go and require anyone’s names.”

DeSantis and Ramaswamy repeatedly went back to criticisms of Haley throughout the debate. Ramaswamy, who has battled with the former ambassador since the first debate in August, held up a piece of paper with “NIKKI = CORRUPT” written on it.

He also compared her to Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman who is a social media personality, and said Haley was using “identity politics” to advance her campaign.

Haley declined to respond to his criticisms later in the debate, saying, “It’s not worth my time.”

Christie was the only candidate to not attack Haley on the debate stage, instead defending her against Ramaswamy’s onslaught.

“Nikki and I disagree on some issues,” Christie said. “But I’ll tell you this: I’ve known her for 12 years — which is longer than he’s even started to vote in the Republican primary — and while we disagree about some issues, and we disagree about who should be president of the United States, what we don’t disagree on is this is a smart, accomplished woman and you should stop insulting her.”

Though he defended Haley, the former New Jersey governor went after DeSantis for not directly answering questions posed by the debate moderators, like whether Trump was mentally fit to serve as president, as he would be older when taking office for his second term than President Joe Biden was in 2021.

“Is he fit, or isn’t he?” Christie said. “I’ll concede: You’re fit, Ron; you’re a new generation … This is my problem with my three colleagues; they’re afraid to offend.”

Christie continues anti-Trump crusade, mostly alone

Christie also kept up a relentless focus on Trump, saying that the former president’s comment about being a dictator was not a joke.

“It’s completely predictable,” he said. “He’s made it very clear if there’s no mystery to what he wants to do.”

“This is an angry, bitter man who now wants to be back as president because he wants to exact retribution on anyone who has disagreed with him, anyone who has tried to hold him to account for his own conduct, and every one of these policies that he’s talking about are about pursuing a plan of retribution,” he added.

Christie predicted that Trump would be unable to vote for himself because he’d be convicted of federal felonies before Election Day.

Trump faces federal charges in two cases and state charges in two others. All criminal charges are scheduled to go to trial next year.

DeSantis, who was an ally of Trump as a U.S. House member and received the then-president’s endorsement in his gubernatorial race, and Haley, who was ambassador to the United Nations during Trump’s term, took some shots at Trump but declined opportunities to go harder on the former president.

Asked if Trump was unfit for office because of his age, DeSantis called for a new generation of leadership but didn’t answer directly.

“Father Time is undefeated,” DeSantis said. “The idea that we’re going to put someone up there that’s almost 80 and there’s going to be no effects from that? We all know that that’s not true.”

Christie challenged DeSantis to answer the yes-or-no question.

“The rest of the speech is interesting but completely non-responsive,” he said.

Haley praised Trump’s record on trade but said his governing style was unproductive.

“We have to stop the chaos,” she said. “But you can’t defeat Democrat chaos with Republican chaos, and that’s what Donald Trump gives us. My approach is different: no drama, no vendettas, no whining.”

Disagreements on Ukraine, Israel aid

Foreign policy continued to provide an area of disagreement, especially between Haley and Ramaswamy.

Ramaswamy, who has aired isolationist views in previous debates, renewed his proposal to seek a peace agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine, criticizing Haley for not knowing the names of the Ukrainian provinces she wanted to protect.

“Foreign policy experience is not the same as foreign policy wisdom,” he said.

Christie jumped in to defend Haley, blasting Ramaswamy’s pugilistic debate style.

“This is the fourth debate that you would be voted in the first 20 minutes as the most obnoxious blowhard in America,” he said.

Ramaswamy also said that as president, he would tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States is “rooting for” Israel to defeat the terror group Hamas, but would not be involved in the war.

“As your next president, my sole moral duty is to you, the people of this country,” he said.

DeSantis countered that U.S. citizens were among the victims in Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel.

Haley also argued for a more robust role in global conflicts, saying the U.S. should support Ukraine, Israel and — potentially — Taiwan against an alliance of Russia, Iran and China.

“There’s a reason the Ukrainians want to help Israelis,” Haley said. “Because they know that if Iran wins, Russia wins.”

Transgender issues

The issue of allowing minors to transition, either socially or medically, was also a hot topic on the debate stage.

DeSantis and Ramaswamy both called for banning gender-affirming surgeries for transgender youth, even with parental permission. Minors should not be allowed to get procedures like mastectomies, hormone replacement therapy and in rare cases, genital surgeries, the two candidates said, with DeSantis calling the medical interventions “mutilation.”

Moderators asked Christie to defend his position on transgender youth procedures as well as allowing students to socially transition — use a different name or pronouns than what they were given at birth — at school without parental permission.

Christie denied claims that he did not support requiring parental notification if a child uses a different name or pronouns at school, but said he would not support restricting parents’ rights to make choices for their minor children.

“Every once in a while, parents are going to make decisions that we disagree with,” Christie said. “But the minute you start to take those rights away from parents, you don’t know, that slippery slope, what rights are going to be taken away next.”

DeSantis interrupted Christie, saying that parents “do not have the right to abuse your kids.”

“This is mutilating these minors. These are irreversible procedures,” DeSantis said. “… I signed legislation in Florida banning the mutilation of minors because it is wrong. We cannot allow this to happen in this country.”

The Florida governor said he believes Christie has an “honest position” on the topic of transgender youth transitioning but also criticized Haley for not signing into law a so-called “bathroom bill,” banning use of gendered facilities like school restrooms and locker rooms for people of the opposite biological sex, regardless of gender identity or legal gender.

Haley said that her position has changed on the issue of bathroom use by transgender people since she was governor of South Carolina.

“When the bathroom situation came up, we had maybe a handful of kids that were dealing with an issue, and I said, ‘We don’t need to bring government into this — but boys go into boys bathrooms, girls go into girls bathrooms, and if anyone else has an issue, they use a private bathroom,’” she said. “Now, 10 years later, we see that this issue has exploded.”

She also claimed DeSantis was being hypocritical, claiming the Florida governor said on the campaign trail in 2018 that bathroom bills were not “a good use of his time.”

“I signed a bathroom bill in Florida, so that’s obviously not true,” DeSantis responded. “… You killed it, I signed it. I stood up for little girls; you didn’t do it.”

DeSantis also said he had spoken with South Carolina state legislators who told him that there were transgender women going into women’s facilities in the state at the time of the legislation’s proposal. Haley said that claim was false and that “South Carolinians never allowed that to happen.”

She also pointed to her opposition to transgender women competing in women’s sports, an issue she has referenced often on the campaign trail.

“Biological boys shouldn’t be playing in girls’ sports, and I will do everything I can to stop that because it’s a women’s issue of our time,” Haley said.

Gainesville student critically injured in batting cage accident declared brain-dead

By
Joy Purcell
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Jeremy Medina is a member of the Gainesville High School baseball team. He was accidentally struck in the head with a bat during batting practice on November 20, 2023. (Gainesville High School photo)

When Jeremy Medina got his driver’s license, he signed up to become an organ and tissue donor. Although a minor at the time, the Gainesville High School senior’s family has agreed to honor his decision.

Medina has been in a coma since suffering a “devastating head injury” during batting practice at his high school last month. On Sunday, doctors informed his family that he is brain-dead.

Gift of life

The young student-athlete, whose fate has been closely watched by friends and strangers alike, remains on life support at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. The hospital is arranging an honor walk so that those closest to him and the medical staff can say their final goodbyes ahead of his life-giving donation.

Jeremy’s uncle, Pastor Efrahim “Frank” Medina, read a statement from the family saying the family will honor Jeremy’s decision to be an organ donor. (livestream image courtesy of Newtown Florist Club)

The Medina family held a press conference at the hospital on December 6 to share the news. And while it was not what people had hoped to hear, the family shouldered through with grace. They expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support they’ve received and conviction in their deep and abiding faith.

Jeremy’s uncle, Pastor Efrahim “Frank” Medina, read a statement from the family expressing heartbreak over Jeremy’s death. It also expressed hope for those who will benefit from his decision to be an organ donor.

“Not only will lives be saved and improved, the family members, friends, and communities of those who receive his organs and tissues will be forever impacted by the memories made possible thanks to a second chance at life,” the statement said. “Although his life ended so young, Jeremy’s legacy will continue through his selfless decision to give the gift of life.”

The family encouraged others to follow Jeremy’s example and become organ donors.

Medical assessment

Head of surgical critical care at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Dr. Michael Cormican. (livestream image courtesy Newtown Florist Club)

Dr. Michael Cormican, Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s director of surgical critical care, joined in the press conference at the family’s request. He said the bat strike to the head Jeremy suffered on November 20 caused significant trauma, causing him to lose consciousness.

“As he lost consciousness, he lost the ability to maintain his airway, and that is what prompted the arrest that required CPR,” Cormican explained. He added that the sequence of medical events that followed “is not unique in these sort of significant head injuries and respiratory arrests.”

Jeremy’s medical team relied on a variety of procedures and protocols before declaring him brain-dead on the afternoon of December 3.

“We look for evidence of brain function which includes reflexes, breathing, things like that – things that happen without us consciously telling them to happen. And we also rely on imaging to assess blood flow to the brain.”

Breaking the news

The family has lived with the sad reality of Jeremy’s condition for days, and on Wednesday, Gainesville High School administrators broke the news to students and staff.

Gainesville High School Principal Jamie Green (livestream image courtesy Newtown Florist Club)

“With the blessing of the Medina family, we had the opportunity to speak directly to Jeremy’s teammates, to his coaches, and to his teachers at 10:15 this morning and inform them of this update in person,” said Gainesville High Principal Jamie Green. “They received the message in a private space surrounded by love and all the supports that we have available to them at the high school.”

The rest of the student body was notified after the press conference.

Green said counselors and social workers would be available to all students and staff “to support them for as long as need be.”

Strength rooted in faith

Both Green and Cormican acknowledged the Medina family’s faith, saying they were inspired by how the family has handled this tragedy.

“It’s been inspiring to see how they’ve handled this with grace and with prayerful thought,” said Cormican.

Speaking directly to Jeremy’s father, David, Principal Green said, “your leadership is about as good as an example as I’ve ever seen in my whole life, and it’s helped me lead this school community through this very challenging time.”

Jeremy Medina’s father, David Medina, speaks during a press conference at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in Gainesville on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. He’s joined by family, Gainesville High School Principal Jamie Green, and NGMC’s Director of Surgical Critical Care, Dr. Michael Cormican. (livestream image courtesy Newtown Florist Club)

David Medina said his strength and that of his family “is rooted in Jesus Christ.” Without faith, he said, “There’s no other way that we would be able to be at this moment.”

“People around the world don’t even know my son, don’t even know my family, but they are together with us in prayer and supporting us at this moment,” he said.

Northeast Georgia Health System officials say they will announce the honor walk time so that those closest to Jeremy and the Medinas may attend. Due to limited space in the hospital hallways, they ask others to honor him at that moment, wherever they are.

The hospital will release a video of the honor walk after it’s concluded.

Before the press conference ended, Jeremy’s father shared several scriptures and devotions, one of which read, “This is what God is saying to you today; your testimony could be the very reason someone decides to keep fighting. Let me use you to help others. Your story to save a life.”

“There’s no other message that we are able to give everyone,” said Medina. “People around the world, we are very grateful for your prayer.”

WATCH MEDINA FAMILY PRESS CONFERENCE

Blondean Pressley Bennett

By
Now Habersham
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Blondean Pressley Bennett, age 86, of Clarkesville, passed away on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

Born on July 4, 1937, in Toccoa, she was a daughter of the late Wade Sanford Pressley and Mamie Louise Presley Pressley. Mrs. Bennett was a machine operator at Coats and Clark for 15 years before becoming a homemaker. She enjoyed cooking, singing, reading, grocery shopping, and thrift shopping, but most of all, she loved her family. Mrs. Bennett was a member of Rock Creek Baptist Church in Toccoa.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Albert Bennett; daughter, Deborah “Debbie” Gail Bennett; brothers, Jimmy Pressley and David Sanford Pressley; and sisters, Adrian Pressley Moore and Hylon Pressley Peoples.

Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law: Stephen James Bennett (Melody Diane Bennett) of Dallas, Georgia; Tony Michael Bennett (Tracey Proctor Bennett) of Toccoa, Richard Dale Bennett of Clarkesville, and Sanford David Bennett of Toccoa; daughters and son-in-law, Vicki Hylon McIntyre (Johnny) of Clarkesville and Tammie Denise Bennett of Hartwell; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Betty Pressley Daniel of Stockbridge, Georgia; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Graveside services are scheduled for 2:00 pm on Friday, December 8, 2023, at Stephens Memorial Gardens with Rev. John Umberhant officiating.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 am to 1:15 pm on Friday, December 8, 2023, at McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home.

An online guest register is available and may be viewed at www.mcgaheegriffinandstewart.com.

McGahee-Griffin & Stewart Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

Traditions Bank coming to Clarkesville at former Stoney’s location

By
Jerry Neace
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Traditions Bank has announced they will be building a branch in Clarkesville on property formerly owned by Stoney's restaurant. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Traditions Bank has announced it is coming to Clarkesville. The announcement came from Rabun County Bank Co-Chief Executive Officer Melanie Silvestri in a press release.

“Claude Dillard, President and COO of Rabun County Bank, is excited to announce the banks’ entrance into the Clarkesville market,” the release states.

“The Stoney’s corner has long been a place for locals to gather and create community. Our Bank is honored to continue that tradition with the expansion of our Traditions Bank brand into the Clarkesville market,” says Dillard.

Demolition debris marks the spot where Stoney’s Family Restaurant once stood. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

Traditions Bank has operated a branch on Cannon Bridge Road in Cornelia for nearly 25 years.

Making room

Traditions Bank purchased the restaurant building from its owners after the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) bought the land it needed for the roundabout. The bank also purchased adjoining tracts so it would have enough room to build.

Crews removed seven older structures from those tracts to make way for the new bank branch and parking lot.

Once GDOT determined it would install a roundabout at the four-way stop where GA 197 North and SR 17 intersect, it became clear Stoney’s would not survive at that location. GDOT’s plan would have impacted the restaurant’s drive-thru and would have required Stoney’s to give up its front sidewalk and part of its parking lot.

The demolition of a house makes way for a Traditions Bank branch in Clarkesville. (Jerry Neace/NowHabersham.com)

The transportation department decided to forge ahead with the plan despite strong opposition.

In 2021, GDOT conducted an online survey about its proposal for a roundabout in Clarkesville. Of the nearly 600 people who responded, 69% said they opposed the plan while 22% said they supported it. Others said they might support it under certain conditions.

The restaurant’s owners hired lawyers to handle negotiations with the state. On August 22, 2023, Stoney’s closed its doors after 58 years.

Traditions Bank is offering few details at this time about its plans for the Clarkesville location but is expected to release more information in the coming months.

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End of an era

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