No, Governor Kemp, Georgians Will Never Forget

You failed during a critical moment and the world will never be the same.

This has been a politically-damaging few days for Georgia’s Governor, Brian Kemp. Earlier this week, the world caught wind of Kemp’s February remarks in which the state’s head executive related his purpose to replace the now “unreliable” Georgia GOP with a much more modern way of statewide campaign financing, the use of Kemp’s new “leadership committee.” As I recently discussed, the lawful basis to abandon the Georgia GOP and create his own political support system came to him via Republicans in the Georgia General Assembly passing SB221 two years ago. The authority conveyed to Kemp through that legislation not only allows him to receive unlimited campaign contributions from the wealthiest individuals in Georgia and beyond, but also from LLC’s whose anonymous partners view political contributions as simple investments securing a more profitable business environment within Georgia’s borders. Using the new law, Kemp amassed over $71 million to finance his 2022 reelection bid.

But the remarkably honest declaration Kemp made to his Georgia First Leadership Committee in February left GOP legislators scratching their heads to understand just what happened. Republican legislators gave Kemp exactly what he asked for, coronation as king, and now, seemingly, he no longer needs their support.

Doubling down on his recent remarks, last Saturday Brian Kemp offered even more choice words, claiming to the National Republican Party, the Georgia chapter of which he shunned in February, “Not a single swing voter in a single swing state will vote for our nominee if they choose to talk about the 2020 election being stolen.” In uttering that statement, what Kemp really meant was, “Not a single swing voter in a single swing state will vote for our nominee if they choose to talk about the 2020 election being stolen…while I stood down and did nothing.”

Consider Kemp’s recent statement to the national GOP in light of the information he admitted knowing during the moments before he certified the 2020 election results he now wishes for us to forget. On November 23, 2020, not even three weeks after the election, at the certification ceremony Governor Brian Kemp spoke the following:

“Given the record number of absentee ballots and narrow margin in the November 3rd election for president in Georgia, I joined many in backing a hand recount and urging a thorough investigation into any voting irregularities. The Secretary of State oversaw a complete audit which revealed significant errors made in several counties, including: Floyd, Fayette, Douglas, and Walton…it’s quite honestly hard to believe that during the audit, thousands of uncounted ballots were found weeks after a razor-thin outcome in a presidential election. This is simply unacceptable. I have heard directly from countless Georgians… It’s important to note that this audit only looked at ballots, not the signatures on the absentee applications or the signatures on the ballot envelopes. The Georgians I have heard from are extremely concerned about this, so I encourage Secretary Raffensperger to consider addressing these concerns. It seems simple enough to conduct a sample audit of signatures on the absentee ballot envelopes and compare those to the signatures on applications and on file at the Secretary of State’s Office.”

Thus, moments before signing the certification, despite admitting the need of a hand recount, despite “significant errors known in several counties,” despite “thousands of uncounted ballots found weeks after a razor thin outcome,” Brian Kemp certified the 2020 election results anyway and sent it on to Congress. At the time, Brian Kemp would claim those problems were not under his authority. According to Kemp that was all Brad Raffensperger’s mess. As Governor of Georgia, according to Brian Kemp, there was absolutely nothing he could do. Thus, despite election-determining abnormalities, which Kemp admitted, Brad Raffensperger somehow controlled his right hand as it laid ink to paper in the shape of his signature, certifying that to Kemp’s knowledge at the time, the 2020 Georgia presidential election results were true and fair. Oh, yes, this was all Brad Raffensperger’s doing, had nothing to do with Kemp. Sure thing. And so now, as we approach the 2024 presidential election season, Georgia’s Governor wants the world to forget that he had all the authority in the world NOT to certify election results which he admitted moments beforehand had significant, even election-changing errors, choosing to certify those results, regardless.

Looking back on all this, aren’t you just a little curious to know why Governor Brian Kemp would not have resisted signing a document he admitted was inaccurate? Would not Kemp’s refusal have forced Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to execute exactly what Kemp said was necessary, that being a hand recount and at least a sample audit of ballot envelope signatures? Would not have Kemp’s refusal sent shock waves through the political world, expressing official doubt in the veracity of the Georgia presidential results? Would not have such a refusal also have cast official doubt on questionable outcomes in other swing states? Would such doubt have caused similar audits to occur in those states? Of course it would.

Had Brian Kemp simply withheld his signature on that certification, the entire world would likely be very different today. That’s how this works. The march of history would have entirely changed. January 6th would never have happened. Millions of illegals would never have crossed our southern border. The wall would be finished. The disastrous Afghanistan military debacle would never have occurred. Russia would never have invaded Ukraine. Ukraine would not be destroyed. Energy costs in the US would continue be the lowest on record. The world would still have respect for America. The list is endless. But by voluntarily certifying presidential election results in Georgia, questionable by his own admission, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp violated the public trust. Kemp cannot blame that on Raffensperger. Brian Kemp owns what he did, no one else. That Brian Kemp chose to sign an election certification, knowing significant problems existed, lays responsibility for everything that has happened since right at Kemp’s feet. Brian Kemp owns it all.

And so, certainly, Brian Kemp wants everyone to forget all that. Kemp wants everyone to forget his personal responsibility, ignoring the election-changing abnormalities in the 2020 election. Understanding his roll in all that, Kemp says Republicans can’t win in 2024 “by looking back.” He says Republicans must forget what he did on November 23, 2020, which threw America and the entire world into chaos. No, Brian, we will not forget. This is your baby. You own it. World history and the balance of world power hinged on one man doing the right thing during a critical moment. That man was you and you failed. We will not forget.