The Democrat-led Fulton County Board of Commissioners refused Wednesday to appoint two Republican nominees to the Fulton County Election Board — but still appointed two Democrat nominees.
The Board voted 5-2 to “file” — or table — the two Republican nominations for Julie Adams — a sitting board member — and Jason Frazier indefinitely while voting to re-appoint Democrats Teresa Crawford and Douglass Selby.
As pointed out by Republican Commissioner Bridget Thorne during the Wednesday meeting, Part I, Chapter 14, Section 33, of the Fulton ordinances for Elections states: “Two members shall be appointed by the governing authority of Fulton County from nomination made by the chairperson of the county executive committee of the political party whose candidates …received the second largest number of such votes.”
Thorne argued during the meeting that her fellow members were required by law to confirm the appointments of Adams and Frazier.
But the Democrat-members on the board argued they have the final say in what constitutes a permissible Republican appointee.
“The problem we have in this country is the far right and the far left,” Board member Marvin Arrington Jr., said. “I want to applaud the Democratic Party for nominating people that are in the center and not nominating people that are in the far left. And I think the Republican Party ought to take a look at their people and not nominate people that are on the far right … there is no way in the world I can vote to support either of these people. But if y’all present some people that are in the center, they can get approved.”
“If the Republican Party wants to get some people approved by this board, they need to” nominate someone in the middle, Arrington said.
Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman said: “I don’t personally have anything with Julie [Adams], I think she’s an ethical woman, I think she believes what she believes. And as a citizen … of Fulton County, a navy mom, she has the right to believe what she believes. But when you align with an organization that is purging voters, when you are aligned with an organization nationally that, in your duties, it could look like a conflict of interest … I can’t be silent on Julie — and I think she’s a wonderful person.”
One commissioner, Mo Ivory, cited Adams’ previous lawsuit challenging the rubber-stamping of election results even if such results are “nonsensical” as reason not to vote to confirm her, claiming Adams was not fit to serve because she causes “chaos.”
While Adams’ term ends June 30, Thorne explained to The Federalist that until two new Republican selections are appointed, the current Republicans (Adams and Michael Heekin) will remain on the board.
State Election Board (SEB) member Janelle King said in a statement to The Federalist that she is “disappointed in the Fulton County Commissioners who voted against appointing the Republican nominees.”
“Having representatives from both parties is crucial to protecting election integrity. Silencing a segment of our party because they are viewed as ‘too far to the right’ undermines fairness and the principles of our Republic. It’s our responsibility to hold our party accountable and ensure it truly reflects our values,” King continued.
Chairwoman of the Fulton County Republican Party Stephanie Endres said in a statement that “The corruption in Fulton County is alive and well, where the Democrat majority on the Board of Commissioners has taken unprecedented steps to silence dissenting voices.”
Endres said Adams and Frazier were “denied their rightful seats by all Democrat Commissioners. What was their disqualification? They were deemed not the ‘right kind’ of Republican.”
Thorne told The Federalist she wishes that her “counterparts would honor the wishes of the Republican Party and who they want to have on that board.”
Georgia State GOP Chairman Josh McKoon told The Federalist one option to remedy the situation could include filing a complaint with the SEB, which has jurisdiction and oversight regarding all of the county boards of elections.
“So Julie Adams was qualified a year ago but now she’s not qualified? In any event, I think the SEB complaint is one route, I think the legislature is a potential route, filing a lawsuit,” McKoon said. “The GA Republican party is not just going to sit on our hands while Fulton County tries to eliminate any Republican voices within the election integrity process for Fulton County. That’s outrageous, it’s unacceptable, and we’re not gonna stand for it.”
“If you have a Board of Elections that is filled with appointments from Democrat politicians, you don’t have an effective Board of Elections because there’s no check on the Democrats in the room,” he added.
Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2
