Political Rewind: DeKalb DA leaves 'Cop City' prosecution, DoJ investigates false electors

Caption

Dekalb District Attorney Sherry Boston speaks at a press conference March 22, 2023. She announced her office will drop out of prosecutions for 42 defendants charged with domestic terror around protests against the public training center.

Credit: Amanda Andrews / GPB News

The panel

Michael Thurmond, CEO, DeKalb County

Patricia Murphy, @MurphyAJC, political reporter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rick Dent, vice president, Matrix Communications

Sam Olens, @samolens, former state Attorney General

The breakdown

1. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston will not work on "Cop City" prosecution.

• Citing a difference in “prosecutorial philosophy,” Boston will leave 42 cases related to the public training center for the Attorney General Chris Carr's office.
• The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged defendants with domestic terror, citing their affiliation with what they call "domestic violent extremists". 
• Attorney General Carr stated his office is continuing their prosecution against the defendants.

2. Donald Trump and Chris Christie get differing reactions from Republican crowds.

• While calling for accountability, Christie was booed by a crowd at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, D.C..
• Donald Trump claimed to be the "most pro-life" president at the same conference, noting his role in nominating Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. He was met by cheers over his hour-and-a-half-long speech.

3. Special Counsel Jack Smith may focus on false electors.

• Smith compelled two false electors in Arizona to testify in front of a federal grand jury. It's possible he could look to Georgians next.
• Earlier this month, Donald Trump was indicted in Smith's investigation into 2020 election interference, marking the first time a former president has been indicted in a federal case.

4. One year after Dobbs, more Americans are increasingly supportive of abortion rights.

• Support for abortion access has grown at an unusual rate, especially for first trimester abortions.
• While abortion may have not dominated discourse around the 2022 midterms, it could be an albatross around Republican candidates' necks ahead of 2024.

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