A ban on Georgia senators from entering the state House chamber has been rescinded after an ugly incident Thursday in which a Georgia senator was thrown to the floor, arrested, and subsequently hospitalized.
State Sen. Colton Moore, a staunch supporter of President-elect Trump, had previously tried to have Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis impeached, but a heated exchange at the entrance to the House of Representatives led to a heated exchange between officials. refused him entry. to attend Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the Union address.
Moore, of Trenton, Dade County, was eventually pushed to the floor by Keith Williams, an attorney with House Speaker John Burns’ office, as he tried to enforce a restraining order the speaker had imposed on Moore. Moore was barred from the chamber last year after slamming the state Senate’s decision to consider a resolution to name a building at the University of North Georgia after the late former House Speaker David Ralston.
State Sen. Colton Moore (left) is hospitalized and Moore is pushed to the floor (right). (Sen. Colton Moore, via Storyful/Fox News)
Georgia congressman is pushed to the ground and arrested as he attempts to enter the Georgia House of Representatives
Moore tried to push House staffers away several times on Thursday, but was repeatedly pushed back. And at one point, William blasted Moore and the senator fell awkwardly to the floor. After attempting to break in again, Moore was arrested and taken away by state troopers.
Later that night, Moore posted a video of herself sitting in a hospital bed with a blood pressure monitor strapped to one arm. His other arm was raised over the guardrail of the bed.
“I hit him a little bit. His hand is a little swollen and purple. We’re waiting for an X-ray to confirm,” Moore said.
“When I was fighting for your freedoms and freedoms, today they took away my freedoms and freedoms. But let me tell you, we still have a constitutional obligation to do our job. , and I’ll be in Congress again tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone for your support. ”
Burns initially called the incident “incredibly unfortunate and created a dangerous situation by Mr. Moore’s choice to use force against law enforcement officers, dedicated gatekeepers, and members of the House of Representatives.” He said that the integrity and decency of this House had been vindicated. “Non-negotiable—period.”
On Friday, Burns, a Republican from Newington, lifted the ban after the state Senate and Republican leaders lined up to support Moore.
Sen. Colton Moore (R-Trenton) is detained by the Georgia State Patrol as Moore attempts to enter the state House of Representatives for the State of the Union address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Ru. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, via AP)
Georgia lawmaker says whistleblower warned of secret immigration rooms at airports
“Mr. Moore’s desire to cause a stir and gain notoriety in the press violated long-standing rules and precedents of decorum that each member of the General Assembly is responsible for upholding,” he said. But he said he would allow Moore to participate in the joint session without apology because Ralston would not have wanted Congress to be disrupted.
“For this reason, the Ralston family wishes to our families here in the House that for future joint sessions, with or without an apology, we hope that this chamber will resume business as usual and that all members of the General Assembly will be present. “The House deserves that,” Burns said.
Moore’s suspension stemmed from a speech he gave last year in which he harshly criticized former chairman Ralston, also a Republican.
Mr. Moore accused Mr. Ralston of using his firm to delay the cases of criminal defendants he represented. Ralston claimed in 2019 that his actions were completely legal.
“In my opinion, this organization is attempting to memorialize one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders I will ever see in my lifetime,” Moore exclaimed at the time.
This is not the first time Colton, a self-proclaimed “RINO advocate,” has clashed with his Republican colleagues.
Sen. Colton Moore (R-Trenton) is pushed to the floor. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)
In 2023, Georgia’s Republican senators suspended Mu for opposing the impeachment plan of Willis, who had indicted Trump on election interference charges, and for attacking the Republican Senate.
Mr. Moore has been the most prominent proponent of a special Congress to impeach and remove Ms. Willis from office or defund her office, and has won Mr. Trump’s support. Mr. Kemp denounced the call as “some kind of scam” to collect campaign contributions for Mr. Moore.
Willis’ case was eventually unraveled, in part because she had a romantic relationship with the prosecutor she hired.
Click to get the FOX News app
Mr. Moore was booked into the Fulton County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
A supporter posted Moore’s $1,000 bail after he took a mug shot that mimicked Donald Trump’s famous photo taken in the same prison.
Police spokesman Lt. Edward Sterling said there was no update on whether charges would be dropped.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
Send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow us on Twitter @M_Dorgan.
Source link
