Politically Georgia AJC Podcasts
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- News
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Get real, fact-based news on the new Politically Georgia podcast from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The podcast is hosted by Georgia’s best political team with Greg Bluestein, Patricia Murphy and now featuring Tia Mitchell from Washington and broadcast hall of famer Bill Nigut. Our journalists provide in-depth reporting and analysis from the nation’s political battleground state. You can also listen live every Monday-Friday at 10 a.m. on 90.1 WABE.
Call in with your questions on the Politically Georgia Podcast Hotline at (770)-810-5297, and our insiders will answer them on the Friday episodes. Learn more on the AJC Politically Georgia Podcast page.
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Senate majority leader indicates little interest in bill to protect Okefenokee from mining
On today's episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Politically Georgia podcast, Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch joins the podcast to describe the measures still on the table on the final day of the session.
He indicated the state Senate would likely not take up a measure the House passed overwhelmingly to protect the Okefenokee Swamp. He also said he prefers Governor Kemp’s limited expansion of Medicaid to a measure Democrats tried to pass that would allow a full expansion of the government program.
On the other side of the aisle, Senate minority leader Gloria Butler responds to Gooch’s comments and adds that she thinks rejection of a measure to pass a full expansion of Medicaid is one of the biggest failures of the session.
LINK TO TOPICS
Bill to protect Okefenokee from mining is at crossroads
AJC calls for protection of swamp from mining
Bill for full expansion of Medicaid narrowly fails in committee
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Devan Kortan
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Ashleigh Merchant says it wasn’t easy to file motion to dismiss Fani Willis from Trump election conspiracy case
Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Tamar Hallerman joins the podcast to discuss the in-depth interview she and colleague Bill Rankin conducted with attorney Ashleigh Merchant. Merchant explained the process she went through before deciding to file a motion seeking the dismissal of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case against former President Donald Trump.
Over at the state Legislature, state House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, a Republican, and Democratic state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver describe the overall tenor of the session as it approaches its end Thursday.
And on Capitol Hill, Tia Mitchell offers her insights on what it’s like to cover one of Washington’s most controversial elected officials, GOP U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is back in the headlines after filing a motion to remove U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
LINK TO TOPICS
Attorney who filed motion to dismiss Willis says she had to act
GOP House majority leader Chuck Efstration
Democratic state representative Mary Margaret Oliver
Tia Mitchell's Marjorie Taylor Greene profile
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Matt McWilliams
Editor- Matt Owen
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Why the fight over sports gambling is like ‘crabs in a bucket’
The hosts talk to lawmakers from both sides of the aisle about the bills they’re watching most closely as the session comes down to the final two days. Republican state Rep. Marcus Wiedower of Watkinsville starts the conversation by discussing the sports betting bill that he’s working to pass before the session ends.
Wiedower also comments on immigration legislation introduced following the killing of Laken Riley in his home district.
On the other side of the aisle, Democratic state Rep. Stacey Evans of Atlanta talks with the hosts about her priorities for the final days. She says the Democratic minority's big job is to block what it see as bad bills rather than pass their own legislation.
Then the hosts move from the Legislature to the courtroom, to discuss the extended interview that AJC reporters Bill Rankin and Tamar Hallerman conducted with defense lawyer Ashleigh Merchant, who filed the motion to dismiss Fani Willis from the Trump election conspiracy case.
LINK TO TOPICS
Sports betting: revenue for state vs. potential addiction
Lawmakers advance bills targeting immigrant friendly policies
Sheriffs worry about new burdens from proposed immigration bills
Attorney who filed motion to dismiss Willis says she had to act
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Micah Middleton
Editor- Matt Owen
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Marjorie Taylor Greene threatens chaos with a motion to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to remove Mike Johnson as speaker of the U.S. House. But she says it’s a warning that he needs to embrace issues of importance to her far-right colleagues.
But first, Andy Miller of Georgia Health News joins the podcast to discuss what’s behind the GOP-controlled Legislature’s ongoing rejection of a full Medicaid expansion.
Then, in the state Senate, pressure is ramping up to pass culture war issues in the final days of the legislative session.
And the hosts talk about responses to Geoff Duncan’s extended interview on "Politically Georgia." Now that he won’t run as the No Labels candidate for president, what does his political future look like?
LINK TO TOPICS
Georgia Senate is launchpad for culture war issues
Greene threatens to oust Speaker Mike Johnson
Geoff Duncan on why he isn't running for president
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Micah Middleton
Editor- Matt Owen
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Geoff Duncan discusses why he won’t run for president on No Labels ticket
Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan is not launching a bid for the White House. Duncan discusses why he won’t be the candidate for president on the No Labels ticket. He also describes his vision for a future for the Republican Party without Donald Trump.
Judith Delus Montgomery, an Atlanta-based lawyer, discusses what’s behind the outbreak of violence in her native Haiti, where gangs have killed at least 24 people, released thousands from prisons, burned police stations, and forced businesses and schools to close.
Then, over at the Legislature, a last-minute effort by Democrats to pass a bill expanding Medicaid fails. The hosts look at what happened.
The hosts answer your questions from the "Politically Georgia" listener mailbag and give their choices for who’s up and who’s down this week.
LINK TO TOPICS
Geoff Duncan won't run as No Labels presidential candidate
Why is Haiti in turmoil?
Surprise bill to expand Medicaid narrowly fails
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Sawyer Vanderwerff
Editor- Devan Kortan
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More challenges for DA Fani Willis’ effort to get the Trump trial underway
Fani Willis faces more challenges in her hope to begin the trial of former President Donald Trump. AJC reporter Dave Wickert joins to discuss the latest in the election interference case.
But first up, Kendra Cotton, CEO of the New Georgia Project, joins the podcast to discuss the organization’s effort to energize a liberal coalition of voters for the 2024 election.
She also answers questions about the financial and legal troubles plaguing Fair Fight Action, the organization that was given credit for helping elect Georgia Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to the U.S. Senate in 2021 and delivering the state for Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
Plus, Republican legislators are pushing for a resolution to put a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on the grounds of the state Capitol. But Democrats are fighting it fiercely.
LINK TO TOPICS
Can Democrats win in Georgia without Fair Fight Action?
Judge allows Trump lawyers to appeal his decision allowing Fani Willis to remain as prosecutor of election conspiracy case
Legislators clash over Clarence Thomas statue
Have a question or comment for the show? Call the 24-hour "Politically Georgia" Podcast Hotline at 770-810-5297. We’ll play back your question and answer it during the listener mailbag segment on next Friday's episode.
Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play Politically Georgia podcast.”
CREDITS
Executive Producer- Shane Backler
Producer- Natalie Mendenhall
Engineer- Sawyer Vanderwerff
Editor- Devan Kortan
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customer Reviews
New format - love it!
Love the new format with Bill summarizing and moderating! Hope it continues!
Just the news please
Tia Mitchell is the standout on this podcast. She delivers content as a journalist—doesn’t flavor it with her opinion. Patricia Murphy is great too. I fast forward through Bill Nigut’s commentary because it’s always his opinion. Reign it in Bill! Also bored with Greg’s constant patter about his personal life. Just the news please.
Unbiased - not so much
Informative and interesting podcast that unfortunately has a decidedly progressive bias. This bias bleeds through in almost all of their reports with some commentators doing better than others to hide what appear to be their true feelings. I listen because there are no other channels available to me where local issues of political importance are regularly discussed. They could do better but it doesn't seem like this is a priority of the panelists.