Latest news with #Raffensperger
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Removed Georgia PSC candidate will appeal. Opponent criticizes disqualification
Daniel Blackman's third run for the Georgia Public Service Commission may be over quickly after he was declared ineligible to run Thursday, a removal that one of his opponents responded to by saying 'democracy is diminished.' Blackman released a lengthy statement Thursday saying he'd challenge the removal from the race, after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger confirmed Blackman was ineligible to run. Raffensperger, agreeing with an administrative law judge, said Blackman didn't provide enough proof that he had resided in District 3 long enough to run. Blackman, a former Environmental Protection Agency administrator and a clean energy advocate, publicly announced he is appealing Raffensperger's decision and is trying to stay in the race. 'My team is appealing the decision, and I will remain fully committed to the fight for energy justice and public accountability in Georgia,' Blackman said in his statement. 'The fact that a decision to remove me was made during early voting only underscores what many of us already know: this race matters.' The PSC regulates utility and power company decisions, and long-term plans that include energy sources and cost to rate payers. Georgia Conservation Voters, a nonprofit that aims to protect Georgia's air, water and land through political action, endorsed Blackman. They said Thursday they will not make another endorsement despite the secretary of state's ruling. 'GCV is disappointed to share that our endorsed candidate, Daniel Blackman, has been officially disqualified from the race for Georgia's Public Service Commission District 3 due to residency requirements,' Paul Glaze, GCV media specialist, said in an email. 'At this time, GCV does not plan to endorse another candidate for District 3 in the June 17th primary.' Peter Hubbard, one of Blackman's opponents and an energy expert who has intervened on power plans that have been presented to the PSC in the past, told the Ledger-Enquirer he believes Blackman is more qualified than Republican incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson, who Blackman and Hubbard are trying to unseat. 'Mr. Blackman was disqualified from running for the only Constitutional office where there is a statewide election but the candidate must reside for 1 year in a crowded district,' Hubbard said. 'This is why the Democratic primary is so lopsided with candidates — it is by design. Ultimately, democracy is diminished with Mr. Blackman's removal from the PSC election.' Blackman changed his voter registration to Fulton County, which is in District 3 on April 3, the last day that candidates could qualify for the race. Blackman registered to vote in the November 2024 election from an address in Forsyth County, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The current approach to electing PSC members has come under challenge before. The 2022 Rose v Raffensperger case challenged Georgia's method of electing members to the Public Service Commission, claiming the districts were set up to 'dilute' Black votes. The case was reversed by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in November 2023, so the methodology has not changed. When asked why the Secretary of State's office didn't catch this issue back in April during qualifications, Mike Hassinger, a public information officer for the office, told the Ledger-Enquirer that's not what the agency does. 'We don't do that; that isn't the role of the Secretary of State,' he said. 'We can't proactively thumb up or thumb down a candidate. (The qualification) is about a party process.' Blackman's team will appeal in Fulton County Superior Court. Robert Baker, public service commissioner between 1993 and 2010 and a lawyer, explained the process to the Ledger-Enquirer via email. 'An appeal of the Secretary of State's decision would go to the Fulton County Superior Court, which has jurisdiction over state agency decisions,' he said. 'I don't know if the Superior Court will expedite the appeal, but if Blackman loses at the Fulton County Superior Court then he can appeal that decision to the Georgia Court of Appeals unless the Georgia Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction.' Hassinger isn't sure Blackman has time before June 17, primary Election Day, to get back on the ballot. 'I don't know if Mr. Blackman can be heard in time for him to be on the ballot but stranger things have happened,' he said. Blackman said his name is still on the ballot statewide and 'people can still vote for me.' Raffensperger's office advised board of elections to put up a sign that he's been disqualified. 'We're actively seeking an injunction to get those signs taken down while we wait on a judge to review all of the details, testimony and evidence provided,' he emailed the Ledger-Enquirer. 'Voters should still vote and support the candidate that they know can win in November.' Public Service Commission candidate Keisha Waites, who is running against the others in the Democratic field, did not respond to a request for comment. The third candidate who faces Hubbard and Waites, Robert Jones, said the decision by Raffensperger does not 'alter the focus' of his campaign. 'My campaign has always been about me offering my extensive experience and expertise in utility operation, regulation and data center management to serve the interests of all citizens of Georgia wherever they reside across our State,' his communications director, Michael Ares said in an email.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dem PSC candidate dealt another setback in quest to stay on ballot
Early voting for two PSC seats began Tuesday with Democratic candidate Daniel Blackman's name on ballots of State Brad Raffensperger has affirmed a judge's decision booting a Democratic candidate for the state Public Service Commission from the ballot for the June 17 primary. Raffensperger's two-page decision released Wednesday agreed with Administrative Court Judge Dominic Capraro's ruling that Daniel Blackman did not meet the residency qualifications to run in PSC District 3, which includes Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties. According to testimony, Blackman said he rented a home in Fulton County to be closer to his work while his wife and children continued to live in their Forsyth County home. Capraro found and Raffensperger agreed that Blackman was unable to provide evidence that the Fulton County property was his primary domicile. Blackman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to state law, Blackman has 10 days from Raffensperger's decision to file an appeal with the superior court of Fulton County. The court can affirm the decision or remand it for further proceedings and has the power to reverse or modify the decision if they find Raffensperger erred, violated the law or abused his discretion. Early voting for two PSC seats began Tuesday with Blackman's name on ballots statewide. If Blackman's ban is permanent, notices will be placed in polling places advising voters of his disqualification, Raffensperger's office said. Three other Democrats appear on the District 3 PSC ballot: Keisha Waites, a former Atlanta City Council member and ex-state representative; Peter Hubbard, founder of the clean nonprofit Center for Energy Solutions, and Robert Jones, a former utility executive. The winner will face GOP incumbent Fitz Johnson, who was appointed to the seat by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raffensperger asks Trump administration to halt deportation of Afghan Christians
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking the Trump administration to halt the deportations of Afghan Christian refugees in the United States. In a letter addressed to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Raffensperger said he has 'deep concern' after the department revoked protections from deportation for Afghans, along with Cameroonians. 'I respectfully urge DHS and the Administration to pause this decision for at least 90 days and to consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or similar legal relief to these individuals,' Raffensperger said. 'These refugees, many of whom have already applied for asylum and possess documentation of lawful parole, face a credible threat of imprisonment, torture, or death if returned to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.' Citizens from both Afghanistan and Cameroon have been protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since 2022. It prevents them from being sent back to their home country due to dangerous conditions and instability. The courts have blocked similar efforts for other countries by Noem and the administration, but the situation has caused concern and uncertainty. Afghan advocates say the deteriorating conditions in the country have been exacerbated by the Biden administration's 2021 military withdrawal, citing food insecurity and safety issues for women under the Taliban. Raffensperger criticized former President Biden's 'haphazard' withdrawal from Afghanistan and said it was faith-based organizations that supported vulnerable Afghans, particularly Christians. They then made their way to the U.S. through 'lawful channels,' he said. The Georgia secretary of state noted that Afghanistan, under the Taliban's rule, is a dangerous place for Christians, who face targeted violence, persecution, and execution. 'Deportation, in this context, could constitute a violation of international law and moral responsibility,' Raffensperger wrote. He asked Noem to immediately pause the deportation efforts against impacted Afghan Christians and for the administration to reevaluate their TPS eligibility. 'America has long stood as a beacon of hope to the oppressed and a defender of religious freedom. I respectfully request that DHS continue that tradition by extending protection to these Afghan Christian families,' he concluded. 'Our nation's moral leadership is defined not just by the policies we enact, but by the people we choose to protect.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Raffensperger asks Trump administration to halt deportation of Afghan Christians
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking the Trump administration to halt the deportations of Afghan Christian refugees in the United States. In a letter addressed to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Raffensperger said he has 'deep concern' after the department revoked protections from deportation for Afghans, along with Cameroonians. 'I respectfully urge DHS and the Administration to pause this decision for at least 90 days and to consider granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or similar legal relief to these individuals,' Raffensperger said. 'These refugees, many of whom have already applied for asylum and possess documentation of lawful parole, face a credible threat of imprisonment, torture, or death if returned to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.' Citizens from both Afghanistan and Cameroon have been protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since 2022. It prevents them from being sent back to their home country due to dangerous conditions and instability. The courts have blocked similar efforts for other countries by Noem and the administration, but the situation has caused concern and uncertainty. Afghan advocates say the deteriorating conditions in the country have been exacerbated by the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal, citing food insecurity and safety issues for women under the Taliban. Raffensberger criticized former President Biden's 'haphazard' withdrawal from Afghanistan and said it was faith-based organizations that supported vulnerable Afghans, particularly Christians. They then made their way to the U.S. through 'lawful channels,' he said. The secretary of state noted that Afghanistan, under the Taliban's rule, is a dangerous place for Christians, who face targeted violence, persecution, and execution. 'Deportation, in this context, could constitute a violation of international law and moral responsibility,' Raffensperger wrote. He asked Noem to immediately pause the deportation efforts against impacted Afghan Christians and for the administration to reevaluate their TPS eligibility. 'America has long stood as a beacon of hope to the oppressed and a defender of religious freedom. I respectfully request that DHS continue that tradition by extending protection to these Afghan Christian families,' he concluded. 'Our nation's moral leadership is defined not just by the policies we enact, but by the people we choose to protect.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Secretary of State Raffensperger asks Trump administration to hear Afghan refugees' asylum claims
ATLANTA () — Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, is urging the Trump administration to hear the asylum claims of Christian Afghan refugees. The refugees, currently residing in the United States, will be facing religious persecution and even execution by the Taliban. Raffensperger sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem urging the Trump administration to ensure a full and fair vetting of the Afghan Christians' asylum claims before any removal proceedings are initiated. 'In the wake of celebrating Easter, the most important event in Christianity, I learned that several Afghan Christian refugees currently residing in the United States were told they had to return to Afghanistan,' said Secretary Raffensperger. 'Many of these Afghan Christians had risked their lives for religious freedom and democratic values in service of American forces in-country, and we should make sure we hear their asylum claims before sending them back to a government that is known to persecute Christians.' Secretary Raffensperger also reaffirmed Georgia's and America's shared tradition of defending human rights and religious liberty. 'America has long stood as a beacon of hope to the oppressed and a defender of religious freedom. I respectfully request that DHS continue in that tradition in how they treat these Afghan Christian families,' Raffensperger continued. 'Our nation's moral leadership is defined not just by the policies we enact, but by the people we choose to protect.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
