The Georgia Hour, episode 58: Ballot Manipulation by Georgia GOP Inc: Josh McKoon and Team Accused of Rigging the Process

The Geor­gia GOP Inc, led by Chair­man Josh McK­oon and sup­port­ed by senior advi­sor Travis Bow­den and for­mer Cobb Coun­ty GOP Chair Salleigh Grubbs, is manip­u­lat­ing the can­di­date selec­tion process for the state GOP exec­u­tive com­mit­tee to favor their pre­ferred slate despite the numer­ous denials of the action. McK­oon has dis­qual­i­fied can­di­dates Lisa Pierce and Kylie Kre­mer from run­ning for 1st Vice Chair and Assis­tant Sec­re­tary, respec­tive­ly, cit­ing pro­ce­dur­al require­ments like sub­mit­ting a let­ter of intent and resume by a March 15 dead­line. McK­oon shifts blame to the state and nom­i­nat­ing com­mit­tees, which he con­trols, while mis­lead­ing the details around the can­di­dates’ sub­mis­sions. Although the nom­i­nat­ing com­mit­tee, chaired by Katie Frost, has not received the can­di­date appli­ca­tions, the 14th dis­trict McK­oon team has a head­start in del­e­gate out­reach which should be released to all can­di­dates at the same time.

McK­oon is push­ing for stand­ing votes over pri­vate bal­lots at con­ven­tions to intim­i­date del­e­gates, cit­ing past exam­ples like David Shafer’s re-elec­tion where paper bal­lots were denied. This is part of a broad­er strat­e­gy to rig elec­tions, with Travis Bow­den poised to pic­ture dis­sent­ing voic­es at con­ven­tion as he is slat­ed to become exec­u­tive direc­tor if McK­oon wins. Ques­tions sur­round­ing the res­i­den­cy of can­di­date Mary Clarise Hath­away have caused action to change home­stead from South Car­oli­na. Did McK­oon have influ­ence after a pic­tured dis­cus­sion? McK­oon is a pol­ished politi­cian orches­trat­ing a “swamp” with­in the GA GOP, with fig­ures like Stan from Vet­er­ans For Amer­i­ca First alleged­ly back­ing his slate, includ­ing Grubbs and Car­o­line Jef­fords. A Cobb Coun­ty forum is not­ed as an upcom­ing event amid these ten­sions.