Political Rewind: Upcoming state GOP convention; Activists mount referendum campaign vs. 'Cop City'

Caption

Republicans leaders prepare to gather in Columbus, GA for state's GOP convention. CREDIT: FILE

The panel:

Chuck Williams, reporter, WRBL-TV Columbus, @chuckwilliams

Donna Lowry, host of Lawmakers and GPB News reporter, @donnalowrynews

Kevin Riley, editor at large,The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, @ajceditor

Rahul Bali, politics reporter, WABE, @rahulbali

The breakdown: 

1. What to expect from Georgia's GOP convention. 

• WRBL's Chuck Williams talked with outgoing GOP Chair David Shafer about what to expect from the convention moments before our show. 
  • Shafer said that this convention will be one of the highest-attended conventions.
  • Note: Shafer is stepping down as party chair and is one of the targets of Fulton County DA Fani Willis' election probe.

2. Former Vice President Mike Pence rails against former President Donald Trump.

• Pence launched his bid for president Wednesday. 
  • He becomes the first candidate to challenge his former boss. 
• Pence will also not attend Georgia's GOP Convention in Columbus this weekend. 

3. Groups opposing Atlanta police training center seek to put the matter on the November ballot.

• Wednesday morning, a group of Atlanta community leaders announced they filed a referendum with the city to get the construction of the controversial police training center on the ballot.
• The referendum could overturn a City Council ordinance approving funding for the project and put the issue up for a vote on Nov. 7.
  • In Camden County, a Georgia Supreme Court ruling upheld a referendum against a spaceport.

4. Department of Homeland Security denies labeling specific protest groups as domestic terrorists.

• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying they never designated any specific group connected to protests of Atlanta’s proposed public safety training facility as domestic terrorists.
• Attorney General Chris Carr has released a four-part statement standing by the arrests regarding this new reporting. 

Friday on Political Rewind: Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander, The Rosalynn Carter Institute of Caregivers CEO Dr. Jennifer Olsen, and GPB's Ellen Eldridge dive into Rosalynn Carter's legacy.