Political Breakfast With Denis Ohayer

On this week's edition of Political Breakfast, we're starting the new year off with a double dose of Georgia's top political issues. Now you can join the dynamic trio – host Lisa Rayam, Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson – every Tuesday and Thursday for lively discussions. It's also the first week Georgia lawmakers are gathering under the Gold Dome for the 2024 legislative session. Ben Burnett of the Ben Burnett Show fills in for Brian. On today's podcast, we'll predict the issues state lawmakers are fired-up about, and what will dominate political headlines this session. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast -- It's a year in review. The team sorts through Georgia's best and worst political stories of 2023.   Host Lisa Rayam along with strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson sort through some of the top stories that once again thrust Georgia into the national spotlight.   The fight for and against the Atlanta public safety training facility, the redrawing of district maps and the arrest of former President Donald Trump (as well as his infamous mugshot) are just a few of the stories that made their list.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's edition of Political Breakfast, Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam discuss a jury awarding $148 million to Fulton election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, following the defamation trial of former New York Mayor and ex-Donald Trump lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani falsely claimed the mother and daughter illegally tampered with election ballots in a mass voting precinct in 2020. Plus, what do Americans think about Vice President Kamala Harris?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's LIVE edition of Political Breakfast, Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam discuss the defamation case engulfing former Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. The federal trial started this week in Washington, DC to decide how much Giuliani must pay in damages to two former Fulton County election workers.Giuliani falsely claimed the workers -- Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss -- interfered with the 2020 election vote count in Atlanta. The pair is seeking up to 43 million in damages. The Political Breakfast crew breaks down the rise and what some say is the unquestionable fall of New York's former mayor. A note of disclosure: This episode aired hours before Giuliani decided not to testify in court.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, it's all about redrawing Georgia's Congressional and state political maps ahead of this Friday's deadline. Democrats are preparing for a court fight over the new U.S. House map proposed by Georgia's GOP majority.The new map does create a majority Black district in west Atlanta, but at the expense of Democrat U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath's seat in Gwinnett and north Fulton.Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson weigh-in with host Lisa Rayam. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's back to the drawing board on this week's live episode of Political Breakfast.State lawmakers are convening at the Georgia Capitol for a special session to redraw maps for Congress and the state legislature. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones recently found the current GOP-drawn maps from 2020 violate the federal Voting Rights Act, and dilute the power of Black voters. But voting rights plaintiffs -- including the ACLU of Georgia -- say they still have "legal concerns" about a newly-proposed state Senate political map released this week. The maps must be redrawn by Dec. 8th. Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and CEO of the Atlanta Civic Circle Saba Long weigh-in with host Lisa Rayam on a live edition of Political Breakfast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's episode of Political Breakfast, the FBI intercepted a letter sent to the Fulton County Elections hub in Fairburn that is possibly laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl. The letter is connected to mail sent to Washington state elections offices. The FBI is currently running tests. Gainesville's WDUN talk show host Martha Zoller fills-in for Republican Strategist Brian Robinson, along with Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam. Plus, protesters and police who started a so-called 'Cop City' protest in Gresham Park clashed with police near the future site of Atlanta's public safety training center. Atlanta Police say they found bolt cutters, gas masks, and makeshift construction tools Monday morning in DeKalb County. And metro Atlanta voters headed to the polls in small numbers on Tuesday November 7th. Mayoral races and several seats on the Atlanta Public School Board were at stake. But turnout was dismal -- just 10 percent in Fulton County. Finally, Re

This week on Political Breakfast, strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson look at the latest New York Times poll showing despite his several felony indictments, Donald Trump is leading in 5 critical battleground states, including Georgia. According to the poll, voters said they trusted Trump over President Joe Biden on the economy, foreign policy and immigration. Plus, Trump's outbursts while testifying on the stand during his civil fraud trial in New York. And Georgia lawmakers sat on a surplus of roughly 16 billion dollars in unspent funds at the end of the last fiscal year. That's likely to spark debate during the 2024 legislative session beginning in January. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia has been tasked with drawing new congressional and state legislative maps before the 2024 election. This comes after a federal judge ruled the current GOP-backed maps violate the federal Voting Rights Act and dilute the power of Black voters.  Host Lisa Rayam has strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson weigh-in on the bipartisan boundary shifting that has a Dec. 8th deadline. Plus, the latest proposal from GOP Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, to give teachers a 10 thousand dollar stipend to be trained in voluntary firearm courses and carry in classrooms.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, Project South's La'Die Mansfield joins the podcast to represent opposition to Atlanta's planned public safety training center -- dubbed 'Cop City.' Mansfield specifially responds to Mayor Andre Dickens' stance on moving ahead with the center's construction and his promises that the entire process will stay transparent. Plus, host Lisa Rayam and strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson discuss what the 2024 campaign rhetoric will sound like now that a challenge questioning the legality of Georgia's restrictive abortion law has been struck down. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, as the U.S. House of Representatives strives to elect a new speaker, Georgia Congressman Austin Scott, volunteers to pit himself against Representative Jim Jordan for the job.Strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson break down what the wrangling could mean for state Republican leaders.Plus, their reaction to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' stance in favor of building a public safety training center.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, a long-anticipated appearance from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.    Dickens gives the latest on so-called 'Stop Cop City' ballot referendum efforts.   Dickens has seen the body camera footage of former Atlanta police officer Kiran Kimbrough trying to arrest Atlanta church deacon Johnny Hollman.   Hollman died after being tased during a traffic incident back in August. Why Dickens feels this case supports the reasoning for building a public safety training center.   Plus, Dickens responds to the violence in Israel and in the Gaza Strip, and talks about affordable housing initiatives here at home. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new poll suggests most Georgians seem to support the construction of Atlanta's planned public safety training center. Why were Georgians polled and not just Atlantans?Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Atlanta Civic Circle Director Saba Long weigh-in.Plus, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's leading political action group launches a campaign to reform Georgia's tort laws.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is still injecting himself into the national conversation, as a potential government shutdown looms. During a conversation with The Jolt's Greg Bluestein during the Texas Tribune Festival on Friday, Kemp slammed far-right Republicans for in-fighting and delaying passing legislation to fund the federal government before money runs out on September 30th. A short-term bill is possible, but the GOP can't agree on what should be in it: including omitting Ukraine aid in the spending package, and border security policies. Strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson weigh-in. Plus the latest high-profile endorsement for so-called 'Cop City.' Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff backs the need for a new public safety training center, but says "where those facilities are located is a decision for Atlanta." And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are coming to town in November to square-up in a debate for the GOP presidential nod. Other high-profil

City of Atlanta officials say they'll scan and release copies of petition signatures against the proposed public safety training center. Mayor Andre Dickens says he wants to know "exactly what is in those boxes," and that he supports allowing the process to run its course in a transparent manner. Strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson weigh-in on if there are 116 thousand signatures of Atlanta's electorate protesting the planned training site, and who want to force a ballot referendum. Then the latest in the indictment saga against former president Donald Trump and 18 others in Fulton County, and defendants' fight to move the case to federal court. Plus, the gang weighs-in on Bidenomics and Joe Biden's approval ratings in Georgia. And wrapping up the podcast -- "Prime Time" Deion Sanders makes his home coaching debut with the Colorado Buffaloes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, Governor Brian Kemp declares a state of emergency in Georgia over record-high inflation and suspends the state's gas tax. Strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson also weigh-in on Kemp being a part of the national conversation for a potential run for U.S. Senate. And the latest in Atlanta's so-called 'Cop City' saga. City officials announced Monday they are not able to start verifying tens of thousands of signatures submitted by activists trying to stop the planned public training center. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, far-right Republican and Georgia state Senator Colton Moore recently ranted online that civil war could break out over the prosecution of Donald Trump, saying "I don't want to have to draw my rifle." Moore also called for de-funding Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis.Strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam also talk gun safety measures, and dozens of Georgia mayors sending a letter over the issue to Governor Brian Kemp and the General Assembly.Plus, the team breaks down a federal redistricting trial that weighs whether Republicans violated the Voting Rights act when they re-drew Congressional maps after the last U.S. Census. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson and host Lisa Rayam react to Donald Trump's historic mug shot selling mugs. Trump's election campaign announced that the scowling photo of the former president taken during booking in the Fulton County Jail has raised more than 7 million dollars, with much of the money coming from merchandise. Plus, the latest poll from the Atlanta Journal Constitution shows that Trump is still leading with Republicans in Georgia, despite his indictment on charges related to conspiring to overturn the state's 2020 election result. And in wake of Trump's indictment and 18 other alleged co-conspirators, threats have emerged against local lawmakers and Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's edition of Political Breakfast, the team talks about Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' critics. Or at least one in particular---State Senator Clint Dixon. After Donald Trump and others were indicted for election tampering, Dixon took to social media to say he's filing a complaint against Willis with the newly created Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission. Her crime? He says because he says she's making moves to become what he calls a "leftist celebrity."Plus, U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina gets a high-profile Georgia endorsement for the GOP presidential nomination. Will it help even though Trump continues to surge in the polls?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on a live version of Political Breakfast, the team tackles the news of the Fulton County grand jury's 41-count indictment of Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants, accusing them of conspiring to overturn Trump's 2020 presidential loss in Georgia.Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones was NOT named in the indictment, but many believe he played an integral role. Brian and Tharon discuss the fact that a special prosecutor may be appointed soon to look into Jones' involvement.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.