3rd Chapter - An Ongoing Saga: Fulton GOP Asks Judge to Imprison Dems Who Blocked Appointment of Election Deniers

[MayReasonRule]

Fulton GOP Asks Judge to Imprison Dems Who Blocked Appointment of Election Deniers -- August 21, 2025

Republicans in Georgia’s biggest county asked a state court to hold Democrats in contempt of court for blocking the appointment of two election deniers to the board of elections.

Dana Barrett and Mo Ivory, two Democratic members of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, defied a court order Wednesday and voted against appointing Republican nominees Julie Adams and Jason Frazier to the board of elections. The three other Democratic commissioners — Robb Pitts, Marvin Arrington, Jr. and Khadijah Abdur-Rahman — were not present for the vote, meaning Adams’ and Frazier’s appointment failed in a 2-2 vote.

For violating the court order, the Fulton County GOP asked the court to hold all five Democratic members in civil and criminal contempt with fines up to $1,000 a day and up to 20 days of imprisonment.

“I think it is outrageous for them to ask for jail time and criminal charges, given the fact that there is a law in Georgia that no elected official can be compelled to vote in any particular way,” Barrett told Democracy Docket.

Fulton County Dems Defy Court Order, Block Appointment of Election Deniers -- August 20, 2025

Two members of the Fulton County, Georgia Board of Commissioners defied a court order and blocked the appointment of two election deniers to the county board of elections.

During Wednesday’s board of commissioner’s meeting, District 3 Commissioner Dana Barrett and District 4 Commissioner Mo Ivory, both Democrats, voted against appointing Republicans Julie Adams and Jason Frazier to the board. In May, the Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 to reject Adams’ and Frazier’s nominations — but the county Republican party sued claiming the board violated state law by rejecting their nominations

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Georgia Court Allows Election Deniers to Join Fulton Board of Elections -- August 5, 2025

Two prominent GOP election deniers in Georgia will serve on the Fulton County Board of Elections, per an order by a state court issued Sunday.

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners originally voted 5-2 in May to reject Julie Adams and Jason Frazier from serving on the board of elections, but the county Republican party sued claiming the Board of Commissioners violated state law by rejecting Adams’ and Fraziers’ nominations.

The Fulton County Superior Court found that the Board of Commissioners did not have the authority to reject Adams and Frazier.

The Order

There is nothing in the statute to support the BOC theory that the county
commissioners can veto the chairperson's nominees other than for failure of the nominee to meet the two qualifications and one restriction (be a county resident, be an elector, and cannot be a holder of elected office).

The court finds that the "shall" as used here is mandatory, and the BOC
does not have discretion to disapprove an otherwise qualified nominee.
The court grants the petitioner's request for a writ of mandamus directing
the BOC to comply with the statute: The Board shall appoint the two members
as nominated by the county executive committee chairperson. Those nominees
are Jason Frazier and Julie Adams.

The court notes that this court does not view this ruling as doing anything
other than complying with the statutory mandate to appoint the persons
nominated. The General Assembly placed the discretion in the county executive
committee chairperson.

It is up to the Fulton County Commission to follow the law and honor that
person's nominations.

The Writ of Mandamus is granted

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