Georgia Republican Brian Kemp has insisted Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential election was not stolen.Photo:Megan Varner/Getty; Jeff Swensen/Getty
Megan Varner/Getty; Jeff Swensen/Getty
Georgia RepublicanGov. Brian Kemphas blastedformer President Donald Trumpfor continuing to fan the flames of election fraud.
“The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen,” Governor Kemp, 59, posted to his 160,000 followers onX, formerly known as Twitter.
Earlier this week, Georgia’s grand jury filed charges againstTrumpas part of afourth criminal investigation, shortly after prosecutors presented evidence regarding the former president’s alleged efforts to overturn the state’s election results that helped cementJoe Bidenas the 46th president of the United States.
The Fulton County charges bring Trump toa total of 91 criminal countshe’s been indicted on this year, several of which come with recommended prison time. If convicted of violating the Georgia RICO Act — classified as a “serious felony” — he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.
Kemp has served as the 83rd governor of the Peach State since 2019. During that time, he butted heads with then-President Trump as he opposed many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, including stay-at-home orders. In April 2020,Kemp incurred the wrath of Trumpwhen he lifted manyCOVID-19 restrictionsin the state to allow businesses to operate, despite opposing federal guidelines at the time.
Kemp announced that gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbershops, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, aestheticians, and massage therapists would be allowed to start taking customers under “minimum basic operations” during the ongoing pandemic.
“I said [to Kemp], ‘You’re not in the guidelines … but I want people to be safe and I want the people in Georgia to be safe,’ " TrumptoldABC News at the time.
“I don’t want this thing to flare up because you decided to do something that is not in the guidelines,” Trump continued, adding that he “went toDeborah [Birx]andDr. Fauciand other people and they weren’t thrilled about it.”
Trump recalled of Kemp, “I told him very distinctly —Mike [Pence]was there — I said, ‘Do what you think is best.’ But if you ask me, am I happy about it? I’m not happy about it and I’m not happy aboutBrian Kemp.”
source: people.com
