The Illegal Behavior of the Georgia Republican Party

The lawsuit originated from an effort by hard-line activists to enforce ideological criteria and block candidates deemed insufficiently loyal to President Trump.

A Georgia judge has issued a scathing ruling that permanently struck down an attempt by the Catoosa County Republican Party to impose "mysterious" ideological loyalty tests on candidates seeking to run as Republicans for local office. 

Ruling Details

• Judge's Decision: Superior Court Judge David K. Smith ruled that the county GOP acted unlawfully by attempting to replace the state's simple candidate oath with its own subjective approval process.
• "Star Chamber-like" Process: The judge's ruling described the committee's actions as a "mysterious Star Chamber-like" process, where a committee interviewed candidates behind closed doors and secretly voted on their perceived conservatism.
• Violation of State Law: The ruling determined that control over ballot access is governed by state law, not local party gatekeepers. Judge Smith stated that the county party had drastically altered the state's required loyalty oath in a way not intended by Georgia law.
• Contempt of Court: The judge also found local party officers in willful contempt of earlier court orders and may require them to pay the attorney's fees of the candidates they attempted to block. 

Background
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The lawsuit originated from an effort by hard-line activists to enforce ideological criteria and block candidates deemed insufficiently loyal to President Trump. The Catoosa GOP tried to block four county commission candidates, including three incumbents. This decision is seen as a significant setback for far-right factions seeking to control Republican candidacies in Georgia and reinforces that state law governs ballot access. 

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