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  • Mike Collins defends aide amid ethics probe, misconduct allegations

    Mike Collins defends aide amid ethics probe, misconduct allegations

    Mike Collins defends aide amid ethics probe, misconduct allegations

    U.S. Rep. Mike Collins stands by a long-time aide who has stirred up controversy in Georgia.

    Brandon Phillips, now the senior policy advisor of Collins, faces allegations of misusing taxpayer funds and a history of violent behavior.

    Collins is running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff. He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he has no plans to leave Phillips in the dust.

    “He’s a great guy, and I have full confidence in him,” Collins said.

    The House Ethics Committee announced a probe in November, and the Office of Congressional Conduct released a report Jan. 5 that it found “substantial reason to believe that Rep. Collins used congressional resources for unofficial or otherwise unauthorized purposes.” 

    The committee alleges that Phillips, who was Collins’ chief of staff at the time, paid his girlfriend about $5,000 in 2023 and 2024, but she did not actually perform any work.

    The report also found that Phillips worked full time on campaigns in the Summer of 2024 while receiving his full congressional salary. An AJC investigation found that Phillips received roughly $180,000 in reimbursements for office-related expenses.

    Witnesses told investigators that they were worried about retaliation from Phillips due to his history of violent behavior, according to the AJC.

    Here are instances that have come to light.

    • Phillips pleaded guilty to criminal trespassing charges in 2015.
    • Court documents from 2008 show he destroyed a laptop and slashed another person’s tires.
    • He was charged with simple assault and battery in a quarrel with a neighbor.
    • In 2022, he allegedly kicked GOP activist Tifani Eledge’s dog.
    • During a fight at a Trump campaign event in 2024, he allegedly spat in someone’s face.
    • In the Summer of 2025, he was involved in a brawl at a Washington bar, which was caught on video.

    Republican strategist Brian Robinson told Fox 5 Atlanta that the allegations against Collins and his top aide could influence the results of the campaign.

    “It’s never good to be in the final months of a campaign and be under (an) ethics investigation from the House of Representatives,” he said. “Every moment you go by with silence, it gives the appearance that you have done something improper, and it gives fuel to your opponents. It gives them ammunition to come after you.”

  • Georgia Democrats push bills to limit ICE, Guard operations in the state

    Georgia Democrats push bills to limit ICE, Guard operations in the state

    Georgia Democrats push bills to limit ICE, Guard operations in the state

    Georgia Democrats started the second day of session with a stream of proposed legislation to attempt to rein in federal immigration enforcement in the state.

    “As this regime has sought to build a wall against progress, the progress of achieving America’s values and ideals, we must build a wall against (President Donald Trump),” said Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones. “The legislation presented here today is a step towards protecting all of Georgia’s citizens and making sure that we continue to pursue America’s ideals and goals.”

    The goal of the legislation is to limit the operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the National Guard in Georgia. The legislation follows the deadly ICE shooting of Renee Good in Minnesota.

    Senate Bill 389 calls for ICE agents to display badges and prohibits wearing face coverings while on duty, except for health or safety reasons.

    State Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain, is one of the sponsors of the bill and spoke on The Ron Show about the legislation. She said the legislation simply requires ICE agents to follow the same procedures as other law enforcement in the state. She pointed to the Georgia State Patrol troopers in the Capitol to show that they wear a badge, and their faces are visible.

    “We need to know that if it’s actually truly an ICE agent who is knocking on the door, we need to be able to see a badge and a face that we can identify to know for sure that it’s actually not just a vigilante who decided to take justice in their own hands, and is going to go about yet another lynching,” she said.

    Here are other bills that were introduced:

    • SB 391 requires a judicial warrant for any government agency to conduct immigration operations at a public place of worship, hospital, school, college campus, public library or family violence shelter.
    • SB 397 allows Georgians to bring civil suits against federal officials who violate constitutional rights.
    • SB 390 states that National Guard troops cannot be stationed in Georgia without permission from the governor with some exceptions.

    Listen to the full conversation with Jackson on The Ron Show. You can hear The Ron Show weekday afternoons from 4-6 on GA Now, or check out the daily podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

  • Georgia GOP senators clash with Raffensperger over DOJ voter list demand

    Georgia GOP senators clash with Raffensperger over DOJ voter list demand

    Georgia GOP senators clash with Raffensperger over DOJ voter list demand

    Several Georgia Republican senators are facing off against Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

    The senators introduced a resolution Tuesday demanding Raffensperger to comply with the Trump administration and release an unredacted voter registration list.

    Raffensperger rejected the proposal saying that state law prohibits the release of personal information, such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth and driver’s license numbers.

    “Our office has complied with Department of Justice’s request to the fullest extent of state law,” said an office spokesperson in a news release. “If the Senate wishes for our office to release every Georgia voter’s driver’s license number, date of birth, and social security number with no clear limits or supervision, they need to change the law they wrote and passed.”

    Senate Resolution 563 urges Raffensperger to “immediately and fully comply” with requests from the U.S. Department of Justice. WABE reports the sponsors of the bill are allies of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones who is running against Raffensperger for the governor’s seat. The sponsors include state Sens. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, Matt Brass, R-Newnan, Timothy Bearden, R-Carrollton, Sam Watson, R-Moultrie.

    The U.S. Department of Justice requested voter lists from all 50 states and filed a lawsuit against Georgia for the statewide voter list last month.

    “All I’m asking from our duly elected secretary of state is to participate in any legally established investigation, like any other citizen would be required to do,” Robertson told The Capitol Beat. “The Department of Justice is the is the highest-ranking law enforcement agency in the United States, and they absolutely have the right to investigate when they choose.”

    Raffensperger’s office reported that all “legally releasable records” have been provided to the Department of Justice as of December 2025.

  • Kemp unveils nearly $2B I-75 expansion, homelessness funds in final budget push

    Kemp unveils nearly $2B I-75 expansion, homelessness funds in final budget push

    Kemp unveils nearly $2B I-75 expansion, homelessness funds in final budget push

    Lawmakers started Wednesday with the annual Eggs and Issues Legislative Breakfast, at which Gov. Brian Kemp laid out his budget priorities for his last year in office.

    One proposal includes a nearly $2 billion infrastructure investment that would add permanent toll express lanes in both directions of I-75 in Henry County.

    “Currently, 45% to 60% of commuters can’t get in the express lanes when they need them the most,” Kemp said. “This funding will enable GDOT and CERTA to address those issues head on. Our initial estimates indicate that once these express lanes are completed, as much as 70% more vehicles will be able to pass through that corridor during the rush hours. That’s a great return on investment for our state.”

    Here are Kemp’s priorities:

    • $1.8 billion to I-75 South in Henry County to build express lanes in both directions
    • $200 million to support upgrades to Ga. 316, a major highway that links Atlanta to Athens
    • $50 million to fund a Homelessness Response Grant to be paired with matching funds from local governments and private partners
    • Funds dedicated to improving smaller, local road projects and repairing rural bridges
    • The Education and Workforce Strategy Act to inspire collaboration between the university and technical college system, the Georgia Department of Education, and other interested parties

    “Known as the Homelessness Response Grant, the state will make a one-time investment of $50 million that will be coupled with other funds from public, private, and nonprofit partners to launch this initiative,” Kemp said. “Through very targeted use of funds, this grant will act as a force multiplier to complement the good work already underway by Mayor Dickens and other champions on this challenging issue. Awards will go to local governments and nonprofit organizations addressing street-level homelessness in Georgia, and it will ensure that every stakeholder, every stakeholder has equal skin in the game.”

    Kemp spoke of the Education and Workforce Strategy Act as a legacy act that could impact Georgians long after he leaves office.

     

    Written in collaboration with Alexis Young.
  • Georgia Senate passes first bill of session, blocking local gun storage rules

    Georgia Senate passes first bill of session, blocking local gun storage rules

    Georgia Senate passes first bill of session, blocking local gun storage rules

    The first bill approved this legislative session in the Georgia General Assembly was strictly voted along party lines.

    The Georgia Senate passed a bill that would ban cities from requiring gun owners to lock up their guns in their cars, according to WABE.

    The legislation is in response to a Savannah ordinance that requires guns left in empty vehicles to be securely stored to reduce gun thefts. Although the ordinance was deemed unconstitutional by a Chatham County judge, it resulted in 41 people receiving citations.

    The state House already approved the legislation last session, so the bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk.

    State Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, said during the Senate debate that the bill protects the rights of gun owners.

    “You can travel the state freely knowing you’re not going to be a victim of a crime and then be made a criminal as we’ve seen in Savannah,” Moore said. “We’re putting freedom back into the hands of the citizenry.”

    State Sen. Derek Mallow, D-Savannah, said the ordinance reduced gun thefts by 30% in a year.

    “The city overwhelmingly supports the Second Amendment, but they also believe that public safety is at risk when guns are stolen from unlocked cars,” Mallow said. “They can fall into the wrong hands very easily.”

  • Dalton shaken after ICE arrests nearly 40 immigrants in late December raid

    Dalton shaken after ICE arrests nearly 40 immigrants in late December raid

    Dalton shaken after ICE arrests nearly 40 immigrants in late December raid

    Federal law enforcement officials descended on the town of Dalton on Dec. 30 making approximately 40 immigration arrests, according to CLILA, an immigrant advocacy group.

    The town is still reeling from the arrests with many workers and family members taken to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Atlanta and to the Stewart Detention Center, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

    “They did so much work here. They gave so much to this community,” Miguel Jacinto said during a CLILA livestream about his five employees that were detained. “It’s sad. I didn’t expect to start the new year this way.”

    Jacinto said that all five of them agreed to be deported back to their home country of Guatemala, and Jacinto started a GoFundMe to help support their families.

    Gilbardo Guerrero, a pastor in Dalton, told the AJC that people in Dalton are limiting their outings due to the raids.

    “It was an overnight change, at the Walmart, in Mexican restaurants, the number of clients went down drastically,” he said.

    Guerrero said he has been patrolling the streets of Dalton in the mornings to determine whether ICE agents have returned and informing residents.

    However, some residents are not as sympathetic to the immigrant workers. Christian Hurd, a candidate to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene for District 14, posted an unforgiving video to Facebook two days after the raids.

    “My message to the people who are scared and worried about this is you should’ve left when you had the chance. You no longer get to decide the time and the place at which you leave our nation,” he said. “You will be leaving.”

  • GBI asked to investigate Dublin City Schools amid $13M budget crisis

    GBI asked to investigate Dublin City Schools amid $13M budget crisis

    GBI asked to investigate Dublin City Schools amid $13M budget crisis

    Dublin City Schools faces an ongoing fiscal crisis with a more than $13 million deficit for this fiscal year, and the district owes more than $6 million to the state’s health benefits plan.

    13WMAZ reports that Dublin District Attorney Harold McLendon requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Tuesday to investigate whether any laws were broken in spending taxpayer dollars. 

    McLendon said there is no evidence of any crime being committed at this stage, but he wanted the GBI to investigate the matter to avoid conflicts of interest.

    Sarah McLeod, deputy director for the Georgia State Auditor’s Office, told 13WMAZ that the breadth of issues discovered at the school district stood out.

    “What’s unique here is that at Dublin City, we saw all of these things present at one school system and for a duration of time, and that’s kind of what got them where they’re at,” McLeod said.

    The audit of Dublin City Schools found multiple issues that lead to its financial crisis, including overstaffing, a lack of oversight at multiple levels and weak budget controls.

    “We don’t have all the other things going on — overstaffing, excessive personnel costs, that weak controls, the budgeting — all of those combined just really created that perfect storm at Dublin,” McLeod said.

    McLeod said it would take years for the school district to recover from the deficit.

    “I think it’s critical moving forward that there’s transparency — both ways, information up and then also to the parents and the teachers,” she said.

  • DeKalb leaders push to ban ICE tactical operations after fatal Minneapolis shooting

    DeKalb leaders push to ban ICE tactical operations after fatal Minneapolis shooting

    DeKalb leaders push to ban ICE tactical operations after fatal Minneapolis shooting

    DeKalb County leaders are calling for the removal of tactical U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations following the death of Renee Good in Minneapolis.

    Commissioner Ted Terry told Atlanta News First that he plans to introduce a resolution at the commission meeting Tuesday to formally condemn the shooting of Good by an ICE agent and to demand the immediate withdrawal of tactical operations from DeKalb County neighborhoods.

    “What I’m concerned about is that as things move forward, things will get worse, and I’m concerned for the safety of DeKalb County residents,” he said.

    The resolution will name Operation Metro Surge as the type of tactical operation he wants gone from DeKalb County. The Department of Homeland Security launched the operation to, by its own account, target and arrest violent undocumented criminals in Minnesota.

    “My hope is to re-establish local control over our public safety environment,” Terry told Rough Draft Atlanta. “We cannot allow our neighborhoods to become ‘tactical zones’ where mothers and poets like Renee Nicole Good can be killed in uncoordinated operations. This is about accountability, transparency, and the 10th Amendment right of DeKalb County to manage its own streets.”

    Terry said he believes ICE agents need to work with local law enforcement more in order to avoid tragic events, which can also happen in Georgia.

    “We’ve had instances in DeKalb County where SWAT-like operations have been carried out that are terrorizing not just the immigrant communities but our own established neighborhoods here in DeKalb County,” he said. “This has gone to a new level, and we need to not escalate further.”

  • Three killed, 14 injured in fight at Georgia state prison

    Three killed, 14 injured in fight at Georgia state prison

    Three killed, 14 injured in fight at Georgia state prison

    A fight broke out in a Georgia state prison Sunday that resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to 14 others including a correctional officer.

    The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) released a statement that said violence erupted in an outdoor area of Washington State Prison in Davisboro and was mediated within 90 minutes.

    The agency said the individuals involved in the altercation were believed to be “gang-affiliated,” but it gave few details surrounding the event.

    The Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia, an advocacy group for incarcerated people, posted a video on Facebook stating it was a scene from Washington State Prison during the altercation. Individuals are seen running down a sidewalk, and at least one individual is seen holding what looks like a makeshift club.

    GDC released the names of the individuals killed during the altercation:

    • Ahmod Hatcher, Richmond County – maximum release date February 2038
    • Jimmy Trammell, Fulton County – maximum release date January 2026
    • Teddy Jackson, Bibb County – maximum release date July 2028

    Washington County Coroner E.K. May told Georgia Public Broadcasting that this altercation produced more deaths than he sees in a year at the facility.

    Jimmy Trammell’s aunt, Michelle Lett, told GPB that his prison sentence was almost over.

    “Three days out, we was planning for him to come home. He was glad, he was excited. Every other day he was calling, ‘I’m on my way home. I’m on my way home. I can’t wait to see y’all. I’m so glad I’m coming home,’” she said.

  • Atlanta City Council sets 2026 legislative agenda, backs tax credits and DACA tuition

    Atlanta City Council sets 2026 legislative agenda, backs tax credits and DACA tuition

    Atlanta City Council sets 2026 legislative agenda, backs tax credits and DACA tuition

    Atlanta City Council members approved a list of legislation they would approve or oppose that could appear in the Georgia General Assembly this legislative session.

    The city has strong opposition to any change in ownership of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport or the Atlanta City Detention Center.

    “Handing control to outside entities risks diverting resources away from Atlanta’s reform-oriented goals and could lead to operational changes that may not align with the city’s values or needs,” reads the 2026 Legislative Package.

    However, the package identifies several items the council would support:

    • Tax credits and state-funded investment vehicle for small businesses
    • In-state tuition for DACA students through HB 131 and SB 264 
    • Water consumption reporting requirements for data centers
    • Allowing law enforcement to intervene with drones used in illegal ways
    • Recruitment and retention incentives for law enforcement
    • Stronger street car racing legislation
    • Creation of an event ticket fee
    • Penalties for crimes using artificial intelligence
    • Educational incentives for police officers and mental health support for first responders
    • Enhancement of safety guidelines for pools as well as support for childcare services within parks
    • Creation of a parking fee

    Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has successfully avoided attempts by Republican lawmakers to make Buckhead an independent city, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

    Other legislative initiatives, such as making sleep illegal on city streets and increasing the number of people imprisoned at the Fulton County jail, have also been avoided.