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Request to forward my complaint against Gwinnett Sheriff Keybo Taylor to GBI sent to District Attorney Herb Cranford – with reply OCGA 42-4-14 OCGA 36-80-23

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2 February 2023

Mr. John H. Cranford

District Attorney

Coweta Judicial District

Request to forward my complaint to the GBI and Attorney General

Mr. Cranford,

As you know, private citizens are unable to initiate an investigation into violation of state law by the GBI or the Attorney General’s office. According to the GBI “in most cases requests for assistance from the GBI must come from a criminal justice official such as the Sheriff, Chief of Police, District Attorney or Superior Court Judge.’ I am informed that policy applies to the Attorney General’s office as well.

This letter is my request that you use the power and authority of your office to forward my below complaint and media-distributed evidence to the above offices. Thank you for your assistance in my 2022 complaint against the Carroll County Board of Commissioners for the violations to which members of that body and county attorneys admitted.

Complaint:

I allege that Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor is in defiant violation of OCGA 42-4-14 and OCGA 36-80-23 and has been since taking office on January 1, 2021. On that date Sheriff Taylor announced to the media that his office would not share information on immigration status of prisoners in his jail or other facilities with ICE. According to an Associated Press report Sheriff Tylor’s exact quote was “What we will not be doing is notifying ICE of anybody’s immigration status in the jail or any of our facilities…”

I assert that public statement represents a statement of official policy from Tylor and is an admission to violation of state law. It seems reasonable that it is also sufficient cause for a full investigation in the interest of public safety.

It is apparently true that Taylor went on to qualify his remarks by saying that did not mean he would not cooperate with ICE…”.  But that qualification does not change the fact that Taylor’s stated policy is in clear violation of the law.

I have spent considerable time and effort using open records requests to attempt to get information from the Gwinnett jail on the process involved in use of reasonable effort to discern the immigration status of incoming foreign-born prisoners. I have educated reason to believe the requirements laid out in state law and detailed in the guidelines set forth by the Sheriff’s Association are routinely ignored.

Further, I have reason to believe that there are many other jailers and law enforcement officials in violation of the laws I mention here.

Due to his illegal policies Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor represents a threat to the public safety of all Georgians. Illegal immigration and the absence of enforcement of existing law is killing innocent Americans in our state. The misery caused by “criminal illegals” and anti-enforcement government officials is fully preventable.

I would be grateful for a reply.

Respectfully,

D.A. King –

Marietta  404-…….

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Reply received 12:00 PM Feb 4, 2023

Mr. King,

I have read the letter you sent me. While I may share the concerns you raised in the letter, because this matter involves Gwinnett County, which is not in my jurisdiction, I think it would be improper for me to consider your request that I forward this information to the GBI and Attorney General.

I suggest requesting the same of elected officials in Gwinnett County.

Sincerely,

Herb Cranford

District Attorney

Coweta Judicial Circuit

Coweta County Justice Center

72 Greenville St.

 

Private school tuition: A new state benefit for illegal aliens in GA? #SchoolChoice

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Private school tuition: A new state benefit for illegal aliens in GA? #SchoolChoice

“It is testament to the tenacity, funding and power of the school choice advocates that including illegals in a proposed new state benefit program is even being discussed.”

A battle is coming between the Georgia Republicans who are pushing “school choice” at any cost and pro-enforcement conservatives who refuse to reward and encourage more illegal immigration into Georgia. Expanding benefits for illegal aliens does exactly that. The lobbying money is on the “include the illegals” side. All too often, the truth isn’t.

Despite what Georgians may be told, the 1982 Plyer V Doe Supreme Court decision only requires states to provide public school tuition to K-12 students regardless of immigration status.

A word of experienced advice to readers who may favor “putting parents in charge of education…” but take the pro-enforcement view of the debate: You can save yourself a lot of attacks as being “anti-school choice” if you make clear your opposition to rewarding illegal immigration early in any discussion on the topic….

Here, from DIS & Insider Advantage

Call 404-656-1776 for help on fighting “criminal illegals” in Georgia

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The Dustin Inman Society offers a reward for information leading to the discovery of a mention of illegal immigration or “criminal illegals” in Georgia by Gov. Brian Kemp since 2018.

 

When asked why he robbed so many banks for so many years, the infamous 20th century thief Willie Sutton is said to have replied, “…because that’s where the money is.”

I have a similar response for people who ask why I often write about Gov Brian Kemp’s defiance on his campaign pledge and his oath of office regarding “criminal illegals,” sanctuary cities (and counties) and the scourge of illegal immigration in Georgia: “Because that’s where guilt” is my unapologetic answer.

William Francis Sutton is one of America’s most famous bank robbers.

On that, if nobody else is going to ask, I will. Again. Why aren’t more conservatives openly outraged, and taking loud public note of Kemp’s dangerous dereliction of duty? Why aren’t newspaper editors, “journalists,” radio show hosts and more Republican officials constantly pushing Kemp to honor his oath of office and enforce the laws aimed at illegal immigration? Why isn’t Kemp in “the news” for something besides “number one for business…” and “he’s never been more popular?”

What about the innocent Georgians who trusted him to protect them from “criminal illegals”? Those are rhetorical questions. There is a cost of doing business to consider for a lot of folks.

I bluntly asked a county GOP chairman here in the Atlanta area last fall why illegal immigration had dropped off the topic list in that group. “Because Gov. Kemp doesn’t like that issue…” was the quick, honest, and educated reply. Indeed.

Ga Gov. Brian Kemp
  • Gov. Kemp’s office phone number in Atlanta is 404-656-1776. Email Gov Kemp here.

Great respect and a well-deserved mention of retired immigration enforcement officer and former Border Patrol agent Bob Trent of St. Mary’s. If you missed Bob’s letter to the editor (“Kemp backs down on immigration”) recently published in the Glynn County paper of record, it’s worth your time to find it. You can also read it on our IPG website.

Forget the loss of ‘the rule of law,’ I am hearing that some readers don’t want to believe that illegal aliens present a danger. Here is a sample of some of the “criminal illegals” that did not escape capture here in Georgia. As of December 31, 2022, there were about 1500 criminal “undocumented workers” in the state prison system. Some of the charges and numbers go like this: Child molestation: 230, Murder: 176, Rape: 157, Armed robbery: 78, Cruelty to children: 7, Kidnapping: 47, Trafficking meth: 99, Vehicular homicide: 10, Aggravated sodomy: 12… the list goes on. That data is courtesy of the Dept. of Corrections via a concerned Republican state Representative.

Totals as of Dec. 31, 2022 from GA. Dept. of Corrections – illegal aliens with ICE detainers in GA prison system.

The complete list from the DOL is on the Dustin Inman Society website.

For those who don’t know, the Dustin Inman Society is named after a Woodstock GA youth who is forever 16 years-old because an illegal alien who had been in close contact with local law enforcement agencies multiple times was always released before he finally separated the Inman family forever.

The goal of the Dustin Inman Society is to educate the public and to work to make Georgia as unattractive to illegal immigration as possible. There was a time when that was a goal of most Republican legislators under the Gold Dome. But that was back when most Republican voters didn’t depend on or allow their legislators  – or the governor – to determine “the issues.”

The Dustin Inman Society is completely dependent on donations to operate. We have been struggling here since 2005.

I planned on writing about the push by the big money lobby in Atlanta to pass “school choice” legislation that would make private school tuition a state benefit for illegal alien families today. Maybe next time. If you have an interest in learning more now, please see several relevant posts on ImmigrationPoliticsGA.com.

  • A version of the above option column is also published in The Islander newspaper in Glynn County, GA. today.

State Senate rule allowing unrecorded votes should be scrapped *Repost

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Image: Twitter

 

The below essay was posted on the subscription news and opinion outlet Insider Advantage, January 4, 2017. It is reposted here for the education of the  Warriors for Freedom group in Fulton County.  Note, the senate rules can be changed. dak

 

Here is an “extreme” concept to start the year: All votes in the state Capitol should be recorded so that we the people always know exactly how each one of our state legislators vote.

Believe it or not, that is not the case in the Georgia Senate.

State Senate rules used for decades allow unrecorded votes on very significant amendments to legislation offered on the Senate floor long after public input and any scrutiny in the committee process has been completed.

This lack of transparency in government affairs can be easily changed. Georgians need to know that the senators vote on the rules as their first order of business every other year – and 2017 is one of those years. We provide this information just in case a few state senators forget to mention it to constituents.

High up on the front wall of the Senate chamber is a large brightly lit machine that displays each Senator’s vote and electronically records it in the permanent Senate record.  It’s called the “Yeas and Nays” voting method.

In the full chamber, if any senator wants to change a bill that has already been through the committee process, a “floor amendment” can be offered and senators can vote on whether or not to approve the amendment – with an unrecorded raise-your-hand vote. And they can decide if that vote is an unrecorded vote with another unrecorded raise-your-hand vote. Oddly enough, this is inaccurately referred to as the “voice vote,” or “rise stand and be counted” voting method.

It takes five senators to very quickly demand a machine-recorded vote on floor amendments. See Rule 5.1-3 

 

Senate tally board, 2021, SB 601

Confusing, isn’t it? Here is an example: In 2015, the Georgia Senate killed an amendment aimed at ending the current practice of issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens by holding an unrecorded, raise-your-hand-vote on whether or not to have an unrecorded raise-your-hand-vote. Unrecorded won. Illegal aliens won.

We the People lost.

There was also an unrecorded vote involved in getting to final passage of the 2015 transportation tax increase. This writer watched both events.

Readers should contact their state senators and demand that when the Republican-controlled Senate comes to order on Monday morning, January 9, the existing rule allowing any unrecorded floor votes is changed. And that it be done with a machine-recorded vote.

Then we can start working on eliminating unrecorded votes in the House and Senate committee process.

D.A. King is president of the Georgia-based Dustin Inman Society

New Congressman Rich McCormick commends the Iranian-American community

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I think he is getting better at it.

“I rise today in support of the people of Iran, as they struggle against an oppressive and dangerous regime,” said Rep. McCormick. “I also commend our great Iranian-American community in Georgia and across this nation, who hope that their friends and family on the other side of the world may one day have the freedom and prosperity we all enjoy in the United States.”

 

Erick Erickson to GOP: ‘Do school choice as an entitlement!’ – No mention of excluding illegal aliens – transcript & audio (I’m apparently blocked from calling in)

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My cell phone number may be is apparently blocked from calling the Erick Erickson radio show 

 

 

The below is related to the Erick Erickson radio show from WSB-radio in Atlanta, *Jan 24, 2023. Podcast here – S12 Episode 16, Hour 2.  Transcript on the bottom. Audio below. Below that, audio of the results of me trying to go on the air to ask Erickson about illegal aliens and state-funded private school tuition. I had a statewide column posted that day.

 

 

The below is most of an Erickson segment on “entitlements” and school choice. It’s Erickson’s advice to Republicans – focused further down on Republican state legislators in Georgia. I listen to the show only sporadically but have heard this same idea presented three or four times since last January (our legislature starts up in January) when I called in to suggest Erickson qualify that Georgia taxpayers should not be paying for private school tuition for illegal alien students or families. At the time he was selling the ridiculous HB 999 in the Georgia state House.

Using my iPhone, as I did last year, I tried to call in for this January segment too – I got a recording saying that “the party you are trying to reach at this time.” I tried it several times. Same recording. You can hear it in the below 10 second audio recording. Here is a photo of my iPhone screen after several tries.

Then I tried my land line. It went right through to Erickson’s call screener who asked me what I wanted to say and then my name, then told me to hang on for Erick. That was a little before 2:00 PM.

  • Related: Not accepting calls at this time – Recipient is blocking the caller
  • Update: 12:25, Jan 25: With a guest host on Erickson’s show today I used my iPhone to call Erickson’s call in number again. I got the same recording as yesterday. Then I tried using two land lines and my wife’s cellphone. Our calls rang through on all of them except my iPhone. My apologies to the call screener – yep, that was me.

I put the call on speaker and listened as Erickson took four or five calls, including two on school choice. He didn’t put me on the air. The show was over at 3:00 pm. I tried to get on again about three months ago using my iPhone, but stayed on hold for about forty-five minutes before the show was over without being “picked.”

I may have been blocked by Erick Erickson on his show call-in number    877-973-7425.

I can get to the call screener with a land line on a number I have never used to call in, but not on the iPhone number I usually use. I am wondering if Erick Erickson, Republican, conservative, national radio show host has blocked me. Could be…he is also a shameless Brian Kemp protector. I am not. I don’t think either one of them like my determination to expose Kemp, who is also shielded by the Georgia media – including the liberal AJC newspaper. There is no doubt that I am blocked at the AJC.

I follow Erickson on Twitter I’m not blocked there yet:

  • Erickson file here.
  • (Part of) AJC file here.

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Transcript by Rev.com. My cost $20.00 and about 4 hours.

Erick Erickson radio host:

“…Actually did show up in the election and vote. The- the people who voted early, the people who voted on election day, they’re surveyed; we have lists of those people. Media agencies go out and find those people. And what we’re finding is that, uh, the cultural conservative values of the GOP, and particularly as the Democratic Party becomes Whiter and Whiter, the culturally conservative values of the GOP are resonating more and more with Black voters.

But, to Michelle’s point, it doesn’t seem like it’s significant because when you’re… when you go from 90% voting Democrat to 85% voting Democrat, you still got 85% voting Democrat. But to put this in further perspective, Brian Kemp got almost half of the Hispanic vote. In 2018, he only got 38% of it. That was a pretty significant shift. He also did better with Black… among Black men in 2022, than 2018.

Put it to you this way, if Republicans continue to improve with the Hispanic vote, Brian Kemp is term-limited, but if the next Republican governor in Georgia does the same in the Hispanic community and the same in the… in the White vote, he’s still gonna win. Republicans in Georgia are shifting the state and I firmly believe, those of you listening in Atlanta, in the state legislature right now, if you would pursue school choice, that issue resonates in the Black and the Hispanic community. You give an entitlement, these voters aren’t gonna walk back that entitlement. This is something you need to pursue.

Time for me to get on my soapbox. Let’s take a Republican and Democratic theory at face value. When you give an entitlement, that entitlement will not go away. Democrats have given Medicare and Medicaid, and Social Security, and healthcare, and you name it, and Republicans had never got rid of them. So, Republicans, here is an entitlement to give voters, give families, give citizens, and that is: The opportunity to pick the school of their choice for their children.

You give school choice to the kids; That’s an entitlement. And it is the one entitlement the Democrats hate. So, you will see Democrats campaign on getting rid of it and fighting it. We see this with Katie Hobbs in Arizona; The Republicans gave school choice to parents, Katie Hobbs has come in, she beat Kari Lake, she’s now the governor, and she wants to defund it. There’s already a voter backlash in the Hispanic community against Katie Hobbs for taking away their new entitlement.

You do this in a place like Georgia where Republicans are beginning to make ground with Hispanic voters and Black voters, you’re gonna lock Republicans in for the next several decades because no Democrat running in 2026 is going to campaign on school choice; They’re gonna campaign on getting rid of it. They’re gonna claim, “It killed the public schools.” And you know what? All those parents, whose kids are suddenly getting a good education, they’re gonna vote Republican. This is how Ron DeSantis won in Florida; Andrew Gillum, his opponent, campaigned on finally getting rid of Jeb Bush’s school choice reforms. And Ron DeSantis won enough Black women and Hispanic women, that he barely won the governorship, but he did. And look what happened four years later? He improved school choice, he bolstered it, he strengthened it, he funded those schools.

You all focused on the culture war stuff. The people in Florida, they’re focusing on who we navigated COVID, how we navigated the economy and what he did for school choice. And they all voted for him. That Republicans nationwide are not rushing to school choice is… just shows you how stupid so many people in the party are. Democrats have, for years, given everything to voters and dared Republicans to take it all back. And when Republicans campaign on taking it all back, they lose. That’s why Donald Trump is out right now telling Republicans, “Don’t campaign on cutting Social Security. Don’t campaign on cutting and reforming Medicare and Medicaid. Don’t you dare do it, you’ll lose.” And Republicans are listening to him.

So, give parents hope for their kid’s future. Give parents the opportunity to get their kids out of failing public schools; Where the schools are now more interested in- in turning your kids woke, than helping your kids not be broke. They want your kids to be indoctrinated, not educated. They want your kids to be down with left-wing groupthink. They don’t want your kids to be on entrepreneurial. They don’t want your kids to learn individual responsibility. They don’t want your kids to learn the basics skills to get a job as an entrepreneur and compete against the big business, no, they want your child enslaved to big business. Teaching them Common Core maths, so they can’t get out on their own. Binding them to the administrative governmental state.

You give parents school choice and watch the GOP become the dominant party, and watch the kids thrive. This is the civil right issue of the day, and I cannot believe Republicans aren’t with the program. I can’t believe Republicans nationwide aren’t pushing this. In my state of Georgia, there’s a headline in the newspaper today, that there’s a renewed push to expand Georgia’s private school tuition subsidies. They want a hundred million dollar increase to Georgia’s Student Scholarship Program. So far, they only secured 20 million dollars. The chief architect of the scale back legislation, John Carson of Marietta, is proposing to expand the cap on the Tax Credit Program from a 120 million to 200 million dollars.

The American Federation of Teachers and The, uh, National Education Association are opposed, but the American Federation for Children supports it. Y’all, I- I can’t emphasize this enough: You’ve got to give school choice. You’ve got to allow parents to get their kids out of these public schools. Do you know where I am in Georgia? On Valentine’s Day last year, an elementary school gym teacher decided, on Valentine’s Day, to bring his first grade students into the gym and show them a video on same-sex love. I’m not making that up.

Parents, many of them didn’t know about it until I talked about it on this program. They found out from their first graders, that’s what happened at that elementary school. And the superintendent of the county education system sent me a very indignant letter.

Erick Erickson radio host:

Upset that I exposed what happened. There are a lot of private schools in that county. There are a lot of private schools that would love to take in Black and Hispanic students who are in those failing public schools, but it’s the Republicans who are blocking them. The Democrats don’t have the votes to stop it. The Republicans could embrace full school choice, and these private schools would bring these kids in, allow them in. Don’t- don’t punish the private schools that are Christian and run according to Christian guidelines, you don’t have to do that. Let ’em in and grow. Let ’em in and grow. Support them. You gotta do that.

This is the civil rights issue of our time. Republicans are failing on this. Don’t heap poor kids in failing public schools, when you have the opportunity to give them access to a private school where they can get a great education and become tomorrow’s entrepreneur. You support your job force, your workforce, your future by giving these kids school choice. Whenever you are nationwide, if you’ve got a Republican legislature and a Republican governor, and that’s the majority of the nation, you should be doing this. So, support tomorrow, today.

Now, you should go to edenpuredeals.com and get an EdenPURE Thunderstorm. You can get three of them for less than $200. You’re saving $200, and you get free shipping at edenpuredeals.com. You’ll be greeted with a discount code box. You can put in Erick…

 

‘Kemp backs down on immigration’ – Retired INS agent’s letter to the editor published in the Brunswick News

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The below letter is in today’s edition of the Brunswick News and was also sent to us. Thanks, Bob.

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Kemp backs down on immigration

Gov. Kemp has joined more than 2,500 planetwide elites who gathered to decide how to solve the world’s problems in Davos, Switzerland, at the globalist World Economic Forum. One of those problems is “irregular migration” — or what many of us in the USA refer to as the invasion of our fading nation.

Meanwhile in Georgia, laws put in place to ensure that illegal aliens who land in our jails are reported to federal immigration authorities are defiantly and publicly violated by a very conspicuous Democrat metro-Atlanta jailer. Two years ago, Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor boasted to the media that he will not obey the law and refuses to convey anyone’s illegal immigration status to ICE.

Other Georgia jailers are allowed to operate with this illegal sanctuary policy.

Only six states have more illegal aliens than Georgia. While Kemp turns a blind eye to the “undocumented workers” who are facilitating his “number one for business” reputation, he is ignoring the fully preventable crimes the illegals are committing and illegal immigration at home. Including our children, innocent Georgians are suffering the consequences.

When he ran for governor in 2018, Kemp made clear promises to end “sanctuary cities” and to “track and deport criminal illegals” — he didn’t. Last week he renewed his oath to “take care that the laws are faithfully executed” and be the conservator of the peace. He isn’t — and media is silent.

We can only hope for more conscientious watchdog press coverage if Kemp runs for president.

Robert Trent

St. Marys

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Note: Bob Trent is a retired Senior Special Agent of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (USINS) and served on metropolitan area drug, and organized crime task forces for many years. Bob also supervised special agents assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force. In addition, he spent ten years as a uniformed Border Patrol agent assigned to both the northern and southern borders. He retired as  the Assistant Director, Enforcement Training, U.S. Immigration Officer Academy, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, GA.

The above letter is not the first time Bob has noted Gov. Kemp’s refusal to honor his oath of office on illegal immigration, here is another example.

 

Round up of my complaints sent to GA Office of Inspector General against Gov. Kemp, Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens and Gwinnett Sheriff Keybo Taylor – OIG

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All complaints are explained by this letter that was hand delivered to Gov. Kemp’s office on August 1, 2023 (yes, I know I need to create an easier-to-read version without all the typo corrections and notes).

Ga Gov. Brian Kemp
  • Original complaint against Gov. Kemp, Cobb Sheriff Craig Owens and Gwinnett Sheriff Keybo Taylor and response here.
  • Initial response to my original complaint and my reply, here.
  • 1st addition to my complaint, here.
  • 2nd (final) addition to my complaint here.
  • Telehone explanation from the OIG on why none of these complaints will produce action on forcing Gov. Kemp or the sheriffs to enforce and/or obey state law on criminal aliens, here. 

 

GA OIG telephone discussion of my complaints against Gov. Brian Kemp and two sheriffs (storage for book)

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I am grateful to Mr. McAfee for his time and interest in my complaints. Here is a round up of this story and all complaints/responses.

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Email to me, Jan 17, 2023 at 2:22 PM:

“Good afternoon Mr. King,

  I wanted to let you know that I’ve received and reviewed your supplemental complaint. I also forwarded it along to the Deputy AG in charge of investigations with the AG’s Office as you requested. I think it would be more efficient for me to explain my thoughts on this by phone, specifically why I think OIG still lacks a jurisdictional mandate to explore your concerns. Feel free to let me know a good time to call.” (Scott McAfee)

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Audio

Transcript by Rev.com

D.A. King:

[inaudible 00:00:00] (hello?…)

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

… Mr. King. Hey, Mr. King?

D.A. King:

Yes?

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Hey, this is Scott McAfee with, uh, State OIG. How are you?

D.A. King:

I’m fine, sir. Thank you very much for calling, Mr. McAfee. I appreciate your time.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

No, not at all. Um, and uh, I can tell that you’ve, you’ve put a lot of time and effort into this complaint, and uh, and done a lot of research, which I can certainly appreciate because not all of the complaints we get have that level of detail. Um, so, uh, but I thought that it might be easier for me just to call you and, uh, and talk through some of these things. Um, and, and try to, and try to explain kinda where I’m coming from as I, as I read your complaint. Um, so, you know, as we’ve, as we’ve kinda gone through it before, when it comes to county sheriff’s …

Or, uh, lemme start out at a higher level. So, OIG, um, at, at, in Georgia is actually formed through an executive order that goes way back to, um, Governor Sonny Perdue. And uh, we’ve got it linked on the website if you have any interest whatsoever in reading it, but we only exist in statute. Uh, we’re purely an arm of the governor’s office, uh, with the, with the mandate of, um, prevention of fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption in state government. Uh, specifically the Executive Branch, right?

So that’s where, as a general matter, whenever anyone comes to us, uh, talking about, uh, county sheriffs, county boards of education, county jails, that sort of thing, that’s a pretty clear line in the, uh, in the sand for us where we say, “Look. That’s not our mandate. Uh, we don’t have jurisdiction to get into that. We need to stay in our lane.”

Now, um, I can tell, um … And now, the way you’ve, you’ve put it, uh, and, and, and looked through it, you, you have concerns over how, uh, the governor, and obviously, especially these, uh, these county sheriffs are executing, um … Or administering, uh, the immigration policy and, and some of the statutes concerning that, right?

D.A. King:

Well, no- no- not exactly, and if I may, uh, I appreciate your break.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Sure. No, no, no. Yeah.

D.A. King:

Um, I, I have done a lot of research, but I have a … Uh,  I have what I believe to be be probably a, a, a unique, um, vantage point in all this in that I have been privy to drafting and passing m- m- most, if not … th- … Uh, no, I, I think there’s one I can think of. One of the laws in this state that is aimed at deterring illegal immigration into Georgia, that I didn’t have anything to do with. Other than that, I’m not sure that there is anything that I didn’t have my hand in in some way. It was a OJT kind of…-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

… situation, but I appreciate your notice. Um, I’ve devoted my life to trying to educate people on the dangers of illegal immigration in an effort to honor a, a, a friend’s son who is forever 16 because we don’t do exactly that.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

So, to save you some time, and please know how much I appreciate your time, I am clear on your response about the state, about the county sheriffs being employees of the county and not state officers.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

Um, it’s kind of a, a, a … I regard it as kind of a gray area in that they are their own constitutional office in the state.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

But, I, I, I’m not going there for now. My most recent attempt to get some action from your office was aimed at the current governor, um, being a- a- b- according to their constitutional oath, obviously, he has a duty to make sure all the laws are enforced. The law is pretty clear on, on what the sheriff or any jailer is supposed to do as far as using reasonable effort to determine immigration status and reporting illegal aliens to the feds.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

U- um, that’s not happening. Not only is it not happening, but um, the sheriff in Gwinnett County has told the Associated Press and every reporter he could fit into the room at his, um, swearing in ceremony in January, uh, 1st of 2021 that it, not … He’s not going to do exactly what the law requires.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

So, I’m looking to s- find an agency that will force the governor to honor his oath of office, to go after a sheriff who is in clear violation of state law.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

So, that, I think, maybe where we can, we can really flesh out and, and, and really see, uh, where, I think, we’re gonna fall short, is when you say, “An agency that can,” uh, uh, uh, the words you used were, “to force the governor to follow the law.” Uh, OIG, that is not something that we have the power to do. Um, we, uh …

As I mentioned, there’s about 10 of us here. We have auditors. We have some investigators. Uh, we’re not POST certified. We’re working on that. But we’re not officially a law enforcement agency. Uh, but generally, what we do is we will work up a case. If there’s a criminal element to it, we investigate it, we do interviews, we do a financial analysis. We put together a package, and we give it to the Attorney General’s Office, and we, and we hope that they’ll bring an indictment.

Um, I write some letters if I find, if I find things that I think, um, you know, fall under the waste, fraud, abuse, corruption angle. But in terms of having the legal authority to force, uh, a public official to do anything, that’s, that’s not what, that’s not what we can do. Um, you know?

We … I’ve, I’ve … Certainly, we had issues come up along the way where I, I’ve, I’ve written letters, and I’ve, and I’ve made recommendations. Uh, but other agency heads, and especially elected officials are fully free just to toss it in the trash (laughs) and disregard it. Uh, so if … Uh, you know, when … We can start right there in terms of if, if you’re looking for us to be able to actually force anyone to do anything. That’s just really not in [inaudible 00:05:36] goal.

D.A. King:

No, I … That was clear, and I me- … I, I understand that. Um, you told me a couple of things I did not know there, so, uh, uh, I, I, I think I get it, and I … I’m … I’m trying to go down the line to find somebody who has, A, the, the authority, and B, the honor to get the laws enforced that I’ve worked for 18 years to put on the books. That’s kind of the short version. But-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. And, and I’m not, and I’m not trying to downplay the work you’ve put into it, or the, uh, you know, the, the righteousness of your cause as you see. Uh, my, my point is simply that, you know, the, the, the structural, uh, s- system as it stands, um, you’re gonna be facing a very, very tall order. Um, you know, uh, I … It reminds me a lot of, um … You know, there’s a whole line of Supreme Court cases about, uh, redistricting, and whether the Supreme Court can step in and … into gerrymandering, right? And the Supreme Court has come out and said, “Well, that’s essentially a political question,” and if it’s a political question, they have a doctrine where they’re just not gonna get into it, and they say, “We’re gonna leave that up to the general assembly and the voters.” And they don’t step into it.

And I think what you’re gonna find as you, as you explore this issue with other folks is that, in the Constitution, yes, you’re right. You absolutely quoted it, “The faithful execution of the laws,” but there’s a lot of discretion about how one actually goes about doing that. And I, I, I mean, ultimately, I think you’re gonna find that even, uh, a court’s not gonna be willing to step in and say, “No. This is how you should be doing it, Governor.” Or, um, you know, an agency isn’t gonna have that ability. And … Yo- you know?

So, I think it’s ultimately gonna come down to a political questions, and that’s, uh, and that’s one where it’s … You have to get, uh, public opinion, and um, and the, and the voters involved if you wanna see change on that.

D.A. King:

Well, I-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

That’s just my … That’s, that’s my two cents, anyway. [inaudible 00:07:29]

D.A. King:

No, no. I, I, I … And I’m grateful for it. I … Just an observation, it’s nothing to do with, with your office. It’s just two guys talking on this next sentence, and that is, it is impossible to get a public opinion on your side when the media, um, is diligent in their effort-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah.

D.A. King:

… to prevent the public from knowing anything about what you and I are discussing right now.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

That’s neither here nor there for you. I understand. I just had to say it. So-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Well, no. I mean, I can, I can, I can certainly sympathize with, uh, with frustration (laughs) with media coverage. I, I, I hear you. I know it can feel like an uphill battle just about every day on that.

D.A. King:

Okay. So … I, and I, I’m, I’m assuming that when I speak to other … When I speak to law enforcement they’re, the … They’re not authorized or they refuse or they’re not able, however it’s phrased, to offer legal advice.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Mm-hmm.

D.A. King:

So, you can answer my question, my next question like that, and I will understand, but-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

(laughs) Oh, no. You’re [inaudible 00:08:23]

D.A. King:

… if, if you were me-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. (laughs)

D.A. King:

… what would you do to try to find anybody with authority to force the Governor of Georgia to obey his oath of office when people are literally being murdered, raped, and killed on this?

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. Right. I mean, when you say … A- a- again, it’s, it’s … When you’re ta- when you’re wanting to see the change being … The governor of a state is a very powerful individual, uh, with a lot of, uh, you know, authority and discretion. Um, to force him to do anything, I, I, I am not aware of any le- legal avenue for that to happen through a mandate. I think the only way, in my mind, for you to get what you want as you’ve outlined in your complaint is gonna be at the ballot box or it’s gonna be through the general assembly.

It’s gonna be through the political process. That’s, that’s, that’s my take on it, ’cause I don’t, I, I, I’m not aware of any legal remedy, personally, or any other one through state government.

D.A. King:

Okay.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

That is just [inaudible 00:09:28] for you.

D.A. King:

I, I, I appreciate that. I’ve, I’ve kinda deduced that.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah.

D.A. King:

I was hoping maybe you had lift- … You could lift the veil on something I wasn’t aware of.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah.

D.A. King:

What about the same question as applied to the sheriff of Gwinnett? I have seen news reports-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Hm.

D.A. King:

… and legal documents in which the, the, a sitting governor of Georgia has, has suspended a sheriff after charges-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah.

D.A. King:

… were leveled at that sheriff for violation of his oath of office.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Well, it reminds me … Um, didn’t we just see, uh, Governor DeSantis do that to a district attorney down in Florida, right? F- … Uh, and that one ha- happened to be about … What was it? Marijuana prosecutions, or maybe it was abortion prosecutions? I forget exactly. Uh, but that’s, that’s what it reminds me of is, is, um, the Governor of Florida stepped in and removed a county official through statutes that he had at his disposal.

I don’t know if any of those are … carry over into Georgia, uh [inaudible 00:10:21]

D.A. King:

Well, yes, sir. But I, I, what … My, my example was in, in, was in Georgia.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah, yeah.

D.A. King:

Geor- Georgia governors have, have relieved Georgia sheriffs of their duties because they have been-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah.

D.A. King:

… charged with something. I can’t find anybody to even charge the sheriff with anything.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, now, now I know that, that if, if, if the, if the sheriffs are actually charged with a crime, then, yes. Absolutely. The … And a statute kicks into effect where they, they are removed, and the governor does that routinely. Um, so, I guess to that point, if you think you can make a, uh, criminal case out of this, um, then that’s how they would be removed from office.

I don’t know if there’s a … What I don’t know about is if there’s discretionary mechanism where he can do it absent a criminal case if you, if you catch my drift. Um, but if you’re looking for a, uh … You know, the automatic removable that’s triggered by an indictment, uh, yeah. That’s, that’s absolutely on the books, and the people who could bring an indictment against the county sheriff are gonna be either the, uh, County District Attorney, um, it’s gonna be the Attorney General, or it’s gonna be the US Attorney.

And um, I think, again, just, um … My own personal assessment is I doubt you’re gonna get much of a consideration from, uh … I think the only person who might be willing to review the complaint would be the Attorney Generals Office. That’s just my-

D.A. King:

Hm. That’s bad news for me. But I, I-

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. That’s just my own assessment, but …

D.A. King:

I, I, I, I appreciate that very much. Um, okay. To … Uh, uh, one more time, thank you very much for your courtesy and your time. Please know that having been involved in the politics Under the Gold Dome and in Georgia for as long as I have, I am not only grateful for what you’re saying, but very, very unsurprised. (laughs)

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

Yeah. Well, look, I always … Look. I always respect the passion. So, um, I don’t, I don’t know if we’d always see eye-to-eye on every issue, but I’m certainly willing to, to, to give you my, my thoughts on it. My, um, I … You know. I’m always glad to hear of someone thinking of OIG whether it’s the right case for us or not. So, um, best of luck to you, all right?

D.A. King:

Thank you very much.

GA OIG Scott McAfee:

All right. Take care.

D.A. King:

You too.