Category: The South

 

The South

Virginia (13), North Carolina (15), and Florida (29) add 57 electoral college votes to the total.

Washington Metro Cuts 1,400 Employees Starting on Christmas

Eric Burk

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is expected to lay off over a thousand employees over a period starting on Christmas, according to layoff notices filed in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. The cuts are the result of low ridership in the current 2021 fiscal year, which ends in June. A Metro official, who was not authorized to talk to the media, said that approximately 1,400 layoffs were expected soon, with an additional 2,400 needed to cover shortfalls in fiscal year 2022.

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Department of Health: Virginia to Receive 480,000 Vaccine Doses by End of December

Jacob Taylor

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced on Friday that the Commonwealth is preparing to receive 480,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of December based on new information from the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed.  

As Governor Ralph Northam noted during a coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted last week to officially recommend healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents as top priority for vaccination.

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Elizabeth Guzman Says She Will Bring a Progressive Voice to the Senate as Virginia Lieutenant Governor

Jacob Taylor

State Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D-Prince William) is determined to bring a fresh progressive voice to the Democratic-controlled Virginia Senate and advocate for the Commonwealth’s working class if elected as lieutenant governor next November.

Guzman, who has represented the 31st House of Delegates District since 2018, announced her campaign for the 2021 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election at the beginning of October.

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Socialist Bernie Sanders Wants Georgia Residents to Send Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to Washington, D.C.

Chris Butler

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Saturday endorsed Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate. “We’re all working as hard as we can to make sure that the two Democratic candidates win in Georgia,” Sanders, a socialist, said on MSNBC.

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Vice President Pence Urges Support for Senators Perdue, Loeffler During Savannah Rally

Jason M. Reynolds

Following Vice President Mike Pence’s Defend the Majority rally Friday in Savannah, the Georgia Republican Party released a video highlighting his unwavering support for U.S. Sens. David Perdue (R-GA) and Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA).

The Georgia GOP tweeted, “NEW VIDEO @Mike_Pence: ‘Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are wrong for Georgia and wrong for America.’”

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Pollster: Fraud Prone Drop Boxes Cost Trump and GOP the Election if Biden Wins GA; State Legislature Must Fix This Before Senate Runoffs

Jason M. Reynolds

Drop-boxes will have cost President Donald Trump the election if Biden wins Georgia, and this points to the state’s most important concern for the upcoming Senate runoffs, Pollster John McLaughlin said in an exclusive statement to The Georgia Star News.

McLaughlin is CEO and partner of national survey research and strategic services company McLaughlin & Associates.

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President Trump Holds a Victory Rally in Valdosta, Georgia; Calls on Voters to Support Senators Perdue and Loeffler in Runoff

Tiffany Morgan

President Donald Trump spoke to raucous crowd of tens of thousands of Georgia voters Saturday evening in Valdosta, vowing to “never surrender,” in the important runoff in January.

Although Trump did not mention anything of a special session from Georgia Governor Kemp. As previously reported by The Georgia Star News, “legislators have petitioned for a special session ahead of the runoff election for several weeks.”

The president spoke on behalf of Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Both are running against Democratic candidates in the Georgia January 5 runoff election.

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Republican Party of Virginia Chooses Convention for 2021 Nominations

Eric Burk

It was a “Motion from hell,” Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) Chair Richard Anderson said during the hours-long discussion of the RPV’s nomination method for 2021. 

Eventually, the RPV State Central Committee voted in favor of holding a convention instead of a primary to nominate the party’s 2021 Virginia candidates.

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Virginia FOIA Advisory Council Recommended Approval to Change Electronic Meetings Laws

Jacob Taylor

The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council on Wednesday backed legislation that revises state laws on electronic meetings and gives members of public bodies more freedom to participate virtually instead of in-person.

The council recommended approval of the changes to the Virginia General Assembly, where the final decision will happen, by a 10-2 vote.

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Governor Kemp Breaks Silence Again, Says He’s Always Asked for a Complete Audit

Corinne Murdock

Governor Brian Kemp called for a complete audit of absentee ballot signatures late Thursday evening. The governor appeared on Fox News to express concern with the findings presented during Thursday’s Georgia Senate hearing.

“I called early on for a signature audit. Obviously, the Secretary of State per the laws and the Constitution would have to order that – he has not done that. I think it should be done. I think, especially from what we saw today, it [the evidence presented] raises more questions. There needs to be transparency on that. I would, again, call for that.”

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Poll Reveals 58 Percent of Voters Want Governor Kemp to Call Special Legislative Session Now

Corinne Murdock

A majority of likely voters in January’s runoff election want Governor Brian Kemp to call a special session for absentee ballot signature verification. The poll, exclusively shared with The Georgia Star News, revealed that the bipartisan voters strongly desire a special legislative session addressing signature verification for every mail-in ballot.

The national survey research and strategic services company McLaughlin & Associates called 800 likely voters at the end of last month. The methodology was described as a random selection “to correlate with actual voter turnout in the November 3rd general election.”

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Co-Founder of VoterGA Garland Favorito Claims Evidence of Dominion Software Flipping Votes from Trump to Biden

Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed co-founder of VoterGA Garland Favorito to the show to discuss why he was denied testimony in Ware County, Georgia’s election hearing this past Thursday.

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Dunnavant: Lack of State Leadership Leads to Bad School Closure Decisions

Eric Burk

As the 2020 elections fade into the background, Governor Ralph Northam has re-instituted capacity limits and restaurant curfews, but unlike in spring 2020, the governor has not closed schools back down. He has also not called for schools to open back up, leaving local districts to make their own decisions.

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Colonial Williamsburg Grand Illumination Canceled due to Recent COVID-19 Restrictions

Jacob Taylor

The annual Grand Illumination special event in Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area will not take place this year.

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the city announced the event was cancelled in a news release earlier this week because of current statewide coronavirus restrictions as well as an increase in cases despite efforts to continue with the ceremony during the pandemic.

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Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach Calls for Criminal Investigation into Alleged Vote Fraud, Video

Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed Georgia State Senator Brandon Beach to the show to discuss his feelings on the recently released State Farm Arena video showing ballots being pulled out from under an unmarked table after poll watchers were sent home.

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The Republican Party of Virginia Faces a Day of Reckoning

Eric Burk

The Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) will hold a virtual meeting on Saturday to determine whether a convention or a primary will be used to nominate their candidates for 2021. The decision is strategically important for candidates and power brokers, so rumors of intrigue surround preparations for the meeting.

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Vacancy Expected in Powerful Virginia Agency the SCC

Eric Burk

The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Trump’s appointment of Mark Christie to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. That leaves a vacancy on the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), where Christie was the chair of the three-person panel. Governor Ralph Northam said at a Wednesday press conference that he will temporarily fill the vacancy with Angela Navarro, former deputy secretary of Natural Resources under Northam and his predecessor Terry McAuliffe.

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Famed Attorney Sidney Powell Discusses Her Recently Filed Lawsuit and the Malevolence of Evil That She Is Uncovering Everyday

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed lawyer and author Sidney Powell to the show to discuss her recently filed lawsuit in Arizona and to explain the types of evidence she has gathered in the process.

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Liberty Cancels Regular Season Finale Against Coastal Carolina

Jacob Taylor

Liberty football’s historic regular season has officially come to an end.

The university announced Thursday that it is cancelling Saturday’s top-25 matchup against rival Coastal Carolina and pausing all team activities because of an elevated number of COVID-19 cases within the football program.

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Henrico County Public Schools Cancel Winter Sports Over Coronavirus Concerns

Jacob Taylor

Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) announced earlier this week that the district will not be participating in any Virginia High School League winter sports during the 2020-21 academic year because of concerns over rising coronavirus cases in the area.

Andy Jenks, HCPS chief of communications and community engagement, shared the news in an online message to families Monday and noted that all out-of-season conditioning programs are also suspended for the time being.

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Vernon Jones Discusses The Fake News Media and the Importance of a Free and Fair Election Going Forward

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed Georgia House of Representatives Vernon Jones to the show to discuss how fake news has escalated their divisive behavior and the anger and frustration of Georgia voters.

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Fairfax ‘Pill Mill’ Doctor Gets Seven Years

Eric Burk

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema sentenced Fairfax doctor Felicia Donald to seven years in prison for operating a “pill mill” at For Women OB/GYN Associates and NOVA Addiction Center. According to a Department of Justice press release, from April 2016 to April 2020 Donald distributed over $1.2 million worth of oxycodone and other controlled substances. Donald pled guilty on May 4, 2020.

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Campbell County Passes First Amendment Sanctuary Resolution

Eric Burk

Campbell County is a First Amendment Sanctuary, according to a resolution the Board of Supervisors (BOS) unanimously passed at a regular meeting on Tuesday.

“No Campbell County funds will be used to restrict the First Amendment,” the resolution states. “[No] County funds shall be expended to aid federal or state agencies in the restriction of said rights,” the resolution adds.

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Virginia Could Receive Vaccine Doses by Mid-December, Northam Says

Jacob Taylor

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said that initial doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in the state as early as mid-December.

During a coronavirus press briefing Wednesday afternoon, the governor shared details on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plans instead of implementing new statewide restrictions.

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Delegate Jason Miyares Announces Run for Attorney General

Jacob Taylor

Virginia State Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) announced Wednesday that he is running for the GOP nomination of attorney general in 2021.

Miyares, who has represented the 82nd District of the House of Delegates since 2016, made the announcement through a video posted to his Facebook profile.

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Warner Coauthored Part of Bipartisan Veterans Mental Health Bill

Eric Burk

In October, President Trump signed a bipartisan bill aimed at improving mental health among veterans, according to Congress.gov. The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 included an initiative co-written by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and Senator John Boozman (R-AR).

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Virginia Could Receive Vaccine Doses by Mid-December, Northam Says

Jacob Taylor

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said that initial doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in the state as early as mid-December.

During a coronavirus press briefing Wednesday afternoon, the governor shared details on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plans instead of implementing new statewide restrictions.

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House and Senate Name Legislators for Virginia Redistricting Commission

Jacob Taylor

Party leaders from the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have appointed the eight lawmakers that will serve on the newly-formed bipartisan redistricting commission tasked with redrawing the Commonwealth’s legislative and congressional lines.

The Senators on the commission will be Steve Newman (R-Bedford), Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover), George Barker (D-Fairfax County) and Mamie Locke (D-Hampton), Amigo Wade, acting director of the Virginia Division of Legislative Services, told The Virginia Star.

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New Georgia Lawsuit Claims Over 20K Ballots Were Cast by Voters Who Don’t Meet Residency Requirements

Corinne Murdock

A new lawsuit claimed that over 20,000 ballots were cast in Georgia by voters who don’t meet residency requirements. The suit included data analysis from the Voter Integrity Project (VIP) and an affidavit from the Census Bureau Deputy Director for Data Benjamin Overholt.

Democratic candidate Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump by over 12,600 votes – less than the number of votes that the lawsuit flagged as potentially fraudulent. 

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Republican National Committeewoman Patti Lyman to GOP Officials: ‘Fight for Trump or We Are Done with You’

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed National Committeewoman of the Republican Party of Virginia Patti Lyman to the show to discuss Republicans’ complacency to move on from the election fraud claims and urged them to stand with President Trump now.

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Richmond Releases Public Comment Survey on Potential City Resort Casino

Jacob Taylor

Richmond released a survey for local residents Tuesday asking for feedback on what the city should consider in proposals for a potential resort casino in Virginia’s capital.

The online survey will be open until December 14. The results will help inform the Request for Qualifications/Proposals (RFQ/P) document and outline the expectations of Richmond and its residents for any proposals.

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Canceled Richmond Coliseum Developers Plan Large Arena in Henrico

Eric Burk

Henrico County authorities are selling the former Best Products, Inc. headquarters off East Parham Road and I-95. Private developers GreenCity LLC plan to build a complex that would include a mixed-use sports and concert arena that could seat 17,000 people. The proposed $2.3 billion project will include mixed-income housing, workspaces, and outdoor areas, according to a Henrico County press release.

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Georgia Senate Government Oversight Committee to Hold Meeting Investigating Election Integrity

Corinne Murdock

Georgia State Senate leadership within the Government Oversight Committee will convene later this week to review the elections processes.

In its press release, the committee stated that they found it “appropriate” to review the standing election processes and guidance, “to ensure the integrity of Georgia’s voting process.”

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Richmond Topples No.10 Kentucky on the Road

Jacob Taylor

Richmond upset No. 10 Kentucky 76-64 on Sunday to win the Bluegrass Showcase and secure the first road win against a top-10 opponent in program history.

Despite a 12-point statement win in just the second game of the season, Richmond (2-0) was far from perfect. The Spiders dealt with foul trouble, shot the ball poorly in the first half and were severely out-rebounded by the Wildcats, but were able to exert themselves defensively. 

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Steve Bannon Talks Georgia Recount and the Search for Truth in Alternative Media Sources

Julie Carr

Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredricks welcomed political strategist Steve Bannon to the show to discuss the Georgia recount and how people are searching for truth in the alternative media world.

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Republicans Split as Giuliani, Powell Allege Fraud in Virginia

Eric Burk

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and elections watchdog lawyer Sidney Powell have recently spent most of their energy in states like Georgia and Pennsylvania, but the two lawyers have also alleged serious irregularities in Virginia’s 2020 elections.

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Trump Campaign Estimates 38K to 45K Illegal Absentee Ballots Cast in Georgia Election

Corinne Murdock

The Trump Campaign alleged that between 38,000 and over 45,000 illegal absentee ballot votes were cast in Georgia. According to their estimations, the campaign requested that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger do a complete audit on the absentee ballot envelope signatures.

The letter marked the campaign’s fifth petition filed to Raffensperger.

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Attorney Lin Wood: Trump Will Be Inaugurated Based on Voter Fraud in Dominion Voting Machines

Corinne Murdock

Attorney Lin Wood stated that the investigations into election fraud would clear the path for President Donald Trump to be inaugurated come January.

In an interview with The John Fredericks Show, Wood shared details of his Sunday night court victory. Initially, the court impounded all Dominion machines throughout Georgia. The court has since changed its order to reflect that only three counties would have their machines impounded.

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Applications Open for Citizen Members of Virginia’s Redistricting Commission

Jacob Taylor

Starting on Monday, applications for state residents to become citizen members of the Virginia Redistricting Commission are now open and available online.

Virginians have until December 28th, or just under a month, to apply for the possibility to serve alongside eight lawmakers on the commission and take part in the state’s new process for drawing legislative and congressional district lines.

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Virginia Tech Upsets No.3 Villanova in Overtime Thriller

Jacob Taylor

After trailing by double digits late in the second half, Virginia Tech came from behind and upset No.3 Villanova 81-73 in a thrilling overtime game that wasn’t even supposed to happen in the first place.

Despite some late-game adversity, the Hokies (2-0) defeated one of college basketball’s best teams on Saturday thanks to 23 points and eight rebounds from Keve Aluma, 20 points from Nahiem Alleyne off the bench and a stuffed stat sheet by Tyrece Radford with eight points, five assists and 13 rebounds.

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FBI Requests Voter Integrity Project Data on Absentee Ballots for Investigation

Corinne Murdock

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has requested the Voter Integrity Project’s (VIP) findings indicating illegal ballots in Georgia and other contested states. VIP was started by Matt Braynard immediately following this most recent general election. VIP has claimed to discover significant evidence of voter fraud that would impact the election’s outcome.

Braynard is the Executive Director of Look Ahead America, a voting registration and informational nonprofit, and former Data Chief and Strategist for Trump for President.

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Dominion Representative for Fulton County Was Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign Photographer

Corinne Murdock

Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign photographer, Aric Thompson, served as a Dominion Voting Systems (Dominion) technician representative in Fulton County. The photographer described Harris as his “long time client” – over four years, according to him. In a similar Facebook post, Thompson also mentioned that he was working with Democratic activist Stacey Abrams.

“Now that I’m home, contracts have been signed and I’ve been vetted by security, I can spill the beans on my big shoot! I’ll be the official photographer for Senator Kamala Harris who is running for President in 2020! I’ve been her Atl [sic] photographer for a while now so it was a great surprise when I got the call to shoot for her during her fundraising events on Sunday! Added Bonus I forgot to mention! I leave from shooting for Kamala and head to shoot an event with Stacey Abrams…! Blessed!”

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The 2021 VCDL Lobby Day Will Be a Car Rally

Eric Burk

The annual pro-gun Lobby Day in Richmond will feature a Trump-Train style rally in January 2021. The anti-gun group Virginia Center for Public Safety (VCPS) and three other anti-gun groups obtained permits for the Bell Tower in the Capitol Square early in 2020, leaving only a 6 a.m. and a 6 p.m. slot for the pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) to hold its traditional rally. As a result, VCDL President Philip Van Cleave said that cars from across the state will drive through the Capitol on January 18.

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Georgia Secretary of State Says Trump Should Give Up and ‘Leave Quietly’

Corinne Murdock

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stated that President Donald Trump should give up and “leave quietly” from the White House. The secretary of state made these comments in an interview with Atlanta Journal-Constitution published Saturday.

“When you lose an election, you should leave quietly. It’s the will of the people that has been expressed,” stated Raffensperger.

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Liberty Runs Through Winless UMASS

Jacob Taylor

The Liberty Flames easily beat the UMass Minutemen 45-0 on Friday afternoon, bouncing back on both sides of the ball from a stinging one-point loss last week. 

On the season, the Flames are now 9-1 overall and are undefeated at home (6-0) for the first time since the 2010 season. 

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Bedford Supervisor: No Shutdown Resolution Has Good Intentions but Oversteps Authority

Eric Burk

Their presence alone was a protest — Bedford County residents turned out to support a No Shutdown resolution at the Monday Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting. The amount of people present exceeded the 25 person capacity from Governor Ralph Northam’s executive orders. However, BOS Chairman John Sharp told supporters that the resolution had never been on the agenda, and the BOS decided to not make a last minute change to that agenda. Nevertheless, Sharp expressed support for the ideas behind the resolution.

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Upcoming General Assembly Session Will Have Legislation Limits

Jacob Taylor

When the General Assembly starts its 2021 regular session in January, the volume of legislation will be much different from years past because of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Senator Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta), both the Senate and the House of Delegates will impose limits on the amount of legislation members can introduce for the session.

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Breakdown of Sidney Powell’s Lawsuits in Georgia and Michigan

Corinne Murdock

Attorney Sidney Powell delivered on her promise to file massive election fraud lawsuits in Georgia and Michigan. The Georgia lawsuit was the weightier of the two, totaling 104 pages, with the Michigan lawsuit reaching 75 pages. Both lawsuits and all evidence are included on Powell’s legal defense fund website.

Thanksgiving Eve was an action-packed day for Powell – she followed up the presidential pardoning of her client, General Michael Flynn, by filing both lawsuits just before midnight.

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