Political Breakfast With Denis Ohayer

With less than 200 days until Election Day 2024, right-wing grassroots activists and progressive organizers are gearing up for the campaign ahead. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas bring listeners along as they attend two events, just forty miles apart but on polar opposites of the political spectrum.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's second helping of Political Breakfast, the gang discusses opening statements that began this week for former president Donald Trump's hush-money trial in New York.The trial centers around allegations the former president falsified his company’s internal records when making alleged hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.Some folks in Georgia are watching this case very closely, like Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson.There's always the chance it will set a precedent for Trump's election interference case here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Launching this Friday from the team behind "Gold Dome Scramble," "Plugged In" is a Georgia politics roundup from the WABE newsroom. From under the Gold Dome or across the state, reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali talk to politicians and experts to break down each week’s biggest headlines."Plugged In" premieres on Friday, April 26. Episodes will publish here in the "Political Breakfast" feed, and subscribe to "Plugged In" wherever you find podcasts.For more, visit wabe.org/pluggedin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's time for this week's Political Breakfast! Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of several GOP lawmakers threatening to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, now that he's voted with Democrats to send billions in aid to Ukraine, Israel and other nations.Greene recently filed a motion to vacate the Republican speaker.Johnson joined with Democrats on Saturday to advance a 95 billion foreign aid package. It now heads to the Senate, which is expected to give final approval this week.But Johnson can't afford to lose much Republican support in the House, with a slim majority. Greene pointed that out in a heated interview after the vote over the weekend, calling Johnson a "lame duck." Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson break down Greene's reaction to the vote with host Lisa Rayam. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's second edition of Political Breakfast, the conversation continues from news earlier this week about special prosecutor Pete Skandalakis being appointed to investigate Georgia GOP Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. The case is over Jones' role in former president Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In 2020, Burt Jones signed on as a fake elector for Donald Trump, after Joe Biden's victory in Georgia. Prosecutors allege this was part of a plan to overturn Trump’s loss. Jones claims he did nothing illegal. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia, appointed himself after Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis was disqualified from taking the case. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson break down the politics surrounding the case with host Lisa Rayam. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, the team responds to a recent Newsweek article that has attorneys for former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows calling the Georgia election interference case "unglued." Meadows was indicted along with former president Donald Trump and others as part of the RICO case being prosecuted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam share throughts on whether the Meadows case is in fact falling apart, or if Willis and her team are in a strategic position to prosecute. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia first lady Marty Kemp recently said she would not vote for Donald Trump in November - and she'd "write Brian Kemp's name in. He'd make a darn good president." Trump has targeted Governor Kemp for declining to help interfere with Georgia's 2020 election result. But despite that animosity, Kemp hasn't lashed-out - and pledged to support the GOP's ultimate nominee. The Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long and Republican strategist Brian Robinson discuss with host Lisa Rayam. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson is out this week. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's first episode of Political Breakfast,A Biden/Harris campaign ad declares they're "putting the work in for Black America."In turn, are they forcing the Trump campaign to amplify it's putting in the work?The Atlanta Civic Circle's Saba Long and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson share their perspectives with host Lisa Rayam.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, it's Republican strategist Brian Robinson, host Lisa Rayam and Atlanta Civic Circle director Saba Long, who's filling-in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson. The crew discusses former President Donald Trump returning to Georgia for a luncheon in Atlanta on Wednesday.Big Georgia money will flow into Trump's campaign from this luncheon. Just a photo with the former president costs 25 thousand dollars per couple.  Among those hosting: former U.S. GOP Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue.Both lost their 2021 runoffs to Democratic U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and are coming back as Trump allies. We weigh-in on the significance of this event, Trump's overall momentum in Georgia, and which voters will determine this November election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, the dust clears and the 2024 legislative session is over under the Gold Dome. But there's still business to hash through. The big question is, will Governor Brian Kemp sign all of the bills passed by the general assembly and sent to his desk?Some are of more interest to Republican strategist Brian Robinson, host Lisa Rayam, and Atlanta Civic Circle Director Saba Long, who's filling-in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson this week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lawmakers pass a flurry of bills before the last day of the legislative session, sine die, but not every big ticket item made it to the governor's desk.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're two days away from Sine Die, the last day of the 2024 Georgia legislative session.It's a chaotic race to the finish where lawmakers are reviewing and voting-on hundreds of bills. Host Lisa Rayam is out this week. But Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson take us through a few bills they're focused on, and some insight they're getting from walking the halls of the Gold Dome. That includes one bill that would compensate exonerated people who lost years of their lives in prison.Plus, this week's episode comes on the heels of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' state of the city address. Dickens touched on the future of building light rail and connecting MARTA to the Atlanta BeltLine, building more housing and building the city's public safety training center, which police say is on-track to open by the end of this year. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With just a few days left in this year's legislative session, lawmakers are jamming through bills any way they can. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss the proposals they're tracking as the session starts wrapping up. Plus, a conversation with WABE'S environment reporters Emily Jones and Marisa Mecke.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's time for this week's second edition of Political Breakfast, where strategists Tharon Johnson, Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam address Democrats' fears about President Joe Biden's chances in Georgia. The Atlanta Journal Constitution published an article this week that cited several lawmakers voicing concerns, that Georgia won’t get the same focus as battleground voters in other states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux says Biden’s campaign is likely to focus more on the “white working class” in the Midwest than more diverse Georgia voters.U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams says she is not worried at all, and warns that local election advocates need to do the grassroots work.Plus, Georgia U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is getting involved in delays and complications with the U.S. Postal Service. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, we're still seeing calls from the right for Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis to step aside from the Georgia election Interference case - even though her former special prosecutor Nathan Wade resigned from the case on Friday.A judge ruled one of them would have to go last week, because of a conflict of interest and their past romantic relationship.In a letter accepting Wade's resignation, Willis complimented him for his QUOTE "professionalism and dignity."Then over the weekend, Wade canceled a highly-anticipated live interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday .. citing a family emergency. The interview would have been the first chance to hear Wade's take on the ruling. Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam weigh-in on the latest in the election interference saga. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A judge ruled that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could remain on the Georgia election interference case, but only if special prosecutor Nathan Wade stepped aside.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia Republicans have passed public subsidies for private school tuition by the slimmest of margins. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss all things education with WABE education reporter Juma Sei. Plus a look at a last minute move to ban puberty blockers and efforts to expand gambling in Georgia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have Donald Trump's divisive MAGA movement and Joe Biden's low approval rates driven former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan to potentially run for president? Duncan could be running for president in November under the third-party, bipartisan movement 'No Labels.' Multiple national news outlets report Duncan could be featured on the movement's so-called "unity ticket" and challenge the presumed nominees President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump. WABE has reached out to Duncan for a statement on this news. So far he has not offered a comment, but is not shutting down the reports of stirring things up. Host Lisa Rayam, Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson weigh-in on the potential White House bid.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, Donald Trump and Joe Biden hosted two competing presidential campaign rallies in Georgia over the weekend. Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson join host Lisa Rayam to compare the turnout and excitement at both events – as both candidate's approval ratings aren't reflecting the same energy. Both Trump and Biden say the path to the White House in 2024 runs through Georgia.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former President Donald Trump’s last Republican challenger, Nikki Haley, has bowed out of the race ahead of Georgia’s presidential primary on Tuesday. Now the campaign is turning to the General Election, with Trump and President Joe Biden set to hold competing rallies in Georgia on Saturday. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas also discuss a busy qualifying week at the state capitol and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.