Resolution of Rebuke and Dissociation Regarding Governor Brian Kemp and GA GOP

Somebody had to do it

Given Governor Brian Kemp’s recent remarks dissociating himself with the Georgia GOP, it is difficult to imagine why no one has called for the Georgia GOP to do the same in return. So, that is what I will do here. With the Georgia GOP convention only weeks away, upon us will be the opportunity to pass a resolution recognizing and responding to Governor Kemp’s words and deeds in defiance of his sworn allegiance to the party.

As I wrote recently, speaking to his Georgia First Leadership Committee in February, Governor Kemp informed the gathering of his intention to abandon allegiance to the Georgia GOP, expressing, “We can no longer rely on the traditional party infrastructure to win in the future.” Kemp’s language is clear. Kemp’s words are not subject to interpretation. Governor Kemp cannot retract his statement because his chosen words disavow a ‘sworn allegiance.’ Disavowing a sworn allegiance is a trampling of faith. Once a sworn allegiance is disavowed, it is forever. Thus, in making that statement, the Governor of Georgia abandoned his sworn allegiance to the Georgia GOP, forever. Faith can only be broken once. Allegiance is a faithful commitment. In exchange for allegiance, one receives allegiance and commitment in return. Once allegiance is destroyed on one side, faithful commitment is destroyed on both sides. All that remains is for the Georgia GOP to say so, which it can do, next month at the annual convention.

The instance I cite above is only one of numerous counts in which, now that he has won a second and last term, Governor Kemp’s words and actions demonstrate that he has left the Georgia GOP in more than just spirit. Kemp is no longer relying (his term) on his allegiance to the Georgia GOP, abandoning the party for other allegiances he now sees more beneficial to his purposes.

And so, the following is a draft of a resolution entitled, “Resolution of Rebuke and Dissociation Regarding Governor Brian Kemp and GA GOP.” In it you will find numerous counts of Governor Kemp’s words and deeds, disavowing his sworn allegiance to the Georgia GOP, and a reasonable and appropriate GOP response.

Resolution of Rebuke and Dissociation Regarding Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia GOP

Whereas, Rule 10.3 of the Georgia State Party Rules requires, “Any candidate for elective office running as a Republican Party candidate shall submit to the appropriate level of the Party the following oath affirming his or her allegiance to the party, ‘I DO SWEAR OR AFFIRM MY ALLEGIANCE TO THE GEORGIA REPUBLICAN PARTY;’” and

Whereas, in keeping with Rule 10.3 of the Georgia State Party Rules, in 2022 Brian Kemp sought a second term as Georgia’s Governor under a sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party; and

Whereas, after taking office as Georgia’s Governor in 2023 under a sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, Governor Brian Kemp publicly disavowed his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, expressing to a private, political support organization of his own creation, “We can no longer rely on the traditional party infrastructure to win in the future;” and

Whereas, after taking office as Georgia’s Governor in 2023 under a sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, Governor Brian Kemp disavowed his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party by demonstrating an alternate allegiance to a private organization (Georgia First Leadership Committee) non-allied with the Georgia Republican Party; and

Whereas, after taking office as Georgia’s Governor in 2023 under a sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, Governor Brian Kemp disavowed his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party by demonstrating an alternate allegiance to an invited ad hoc group of donors, non-allied to the Georgia Republican Party during a 3-day retreat of his own creation and invitation at Sea Island, Georgia; and

Whereas, after taking office as Georgia’s Governor in 2023 under a sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, Governor Brian Kemp disavowed his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party by refusing to attend the 2023 Georgia Republican Party State Convention; and

Whereas, during a signing ceremony immediately prior to certifying the 2020 Presidential Election, Governor Brian Kemp publicly pronounced that “thousands of uncounted ballots” were “found weeks after a razor-thin outcome in a presidential election,” that “significant errors (were) made in several counties,” that “a sample audit of signatures on the absentee ballot envelopes and compar(ing) those to the signatures on applications and on file at the Secretary of State’s Office” would be “simple enough,” and that he “urged a thorough investigation into any voting irregularities;” and

Whereas, notwithstanding his own concurrent statements expressing personal doubt regarding the veracity of the 2020 Georgia Presidential election results, by his personal signature Governor Brian Kemp turned and immediately certified the 2020 election results regardless and sent the certification to Congress; and

Whereas, Governor Brian Kemp’s certification of doubtful 2020 Georgia Presidential election results was critical in the Republican presidential candidate losing the nationwide election to the Democrat candidate; and

Whereas, having expressed significant personal doubt as to the veracity of the 2020 Georgia presidential election results, and having certified those results regardless of his own doubts, and having recently publicly urged the National Republican Party not to support Republican candidates who express the same or similar personal doubts he spoke moments before certifying the 2020 election, Governor Brian Kemp has demonstrated disdain for the prospect of ever achieving verifiable elections results in Georgia.

Resolved, Governor Brian Kemp has violated his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party numerous times and numerous ways.

Resolved, Governor Brian Kemp’s numerous sworn allegiance violations are significant and material.

Resolved, by repeatedly violating his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party in significant and materials ways, Governor Brian Kemp has effectively disavowed his sworn allegiance to the party.

Resolved, having committed numerous significant and material violations against his sworn allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, effectively disavowing allegiance to the Georgia Republican Party, the party hereby rebukes Governor Brian Kemp for those violations, no longer regards Governor Brian Kemp heretofore a member of the Georgia Republican Party, no longer regards Governor Brian Kemp an “honorary” member ex-officio of the State Executive Committee, and advises all Georgia Republicans including Republican legislators to that effect.