Political Rewind: Kemp makes budget cuts; Walker under scrutiny; Trump dominates CNN town hall

Caption

Gov. Brian Kemp signs a bill in late April. Last week, Kemp instructed state agencies to disregard $200 million earmarked in the 2023 budget. These cuts come on top of $30 million he vetoed from the Legislature's approved 2023 budget.

Credit: AP Photo/Jeff Amy

The panel

Leo Smith, @leosmithtweets, president, Engaged Futures

Patricia Murphy, @MurphyAJC, political reporter and columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D), @mmo_mary, Decatur

Rahul Bali, @rahulbali, politics reporter, WABE

The breakdown

1. Gov. Brian Kemp "disregarded" several line items in the 2023 budget, including funds for mental health care and free meals for students.

• After warning of potential "holes," Kemp vetoed about $30 million from the Legislature's approved budget. In a shock to legislators, he also instructed several state agencies to "disregard" funding earmarked for them, totaling around $200 million.
• The "disregards" would affect services like free school meals for children, retiree raises, and mental health care funding. This comes as the state reported a 16% drop in collected taxes compared to April 2022.
• It also comes as Kemp approved tax breaks and rebates totaling over $2 billion dollars. Kemp advisor Cody Hall addressed the move on Twitter.

2. Is Kemp eyeballing a 2024 run for president?

• It seems like Kemp has changed his messaging on a 2024 run for president. While he once ruled it out, at a Sunday evening donor retreat at Sea Island, he noted the final decision is up to him and his family. He hasn't yet established the national infrastructure needed for a run.
• Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris made her third visit to Georgia this year — an indicator of Georgia's continued importance to President Biden's reelection bid.

3. Herschel Walker is under scrutiny for improperly handling campaign donations.

• Emails obtained by The Daily Beast reveal Walker asked Montana billionaire Dennis Washington for a $600,000 campaign donation, wiring a majority of the funding to a private business he held.
• U.S. Rep. George Santos is currently being prosecuted for a similar charge. While an ethical complaint has been lodged against Walker, it could lead to a legal challenge.

4. Unpacking CNN's town hall with Donald Trump.

• Among several other bizarre claims and references to a stolen election, Donald Trump doubled down on a "perfect" phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He maintained Raffensperger "owed" him votes. The televised town hall could lend a hand to Fulton DA Fani Willis' prosecution.
• CNN was widely criticized for the format, with an audience full of Trump's own supporters. In an opinion for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Patricia Murphy notes which lines got the most applause. She also says "America was served by seeing [...] the ongoing devotion of Trump’s biggest supporters."

Tuesday on Political Rewind: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Tamar Hallerman joins the panel.