Political Breakfast from WABE

Georgia's bi-partisan mental health overhaul bill is getting push back from right-wing fringe advocates including gun rights activists. WABE's Politics Reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas talk with Editor Susanna Capelouto about challenges to this and other bills still in limbo with just about a week to go in the 2022 legislative session. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former president Donald Trump has a rally planned this weekend in Commerce, but will it be enough to give former Senator David Perdue and the other candidates he’s backing a boost in the polls? And the Rabun County GOP issued a resolution bashing any candidate that refuses to take the debate stage, which Republican senate candidate Herschel Walker has done. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

With only two weeks to go in the 2022 session controversial proposals on gambling, guns, abortion, education and voting are getting a lot of attention. WABE's Rahul Bali, Sam Gringlas and Susanna Capelouto talk about what's at stake. They also have updates on the big bi-partisan mental health reform bill. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacey Abrams kicked off her campaign this week with a rally in Atlanta at which she called Governor Brian Kemp's response to the pandemic 'lazy' or 'inept.' And Georgia Republican party chair David Shafer drew criticism from his own party after quoting a tweet that's been called Russian propaganda.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawmakers consider eliminating the state gasoline tax and Republicans continue to pass laws affecting elections in Georgia. WABE's Politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas talk with Editor Susanna Capelouto about these and other topics, including Georgia's mental health overhaul bill and the official start of the 2022 campaign season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week was a hectic one under Georgia's Gold Dome as current and aspiring lawmakers filed the paperwork needed to qualify for a run for office.   Three candidates caught the eye of the Political Breakfast Team--Herschel Walker, Raphael Warnock and Marjorie Taylor Greene-- all for different reasons. Strategists Brian Robinson, Tharon Johnson and Host Lisa Rayam take...

This week Georgia politicians who want to run for office have to register with their respective parties as many incumbents have seen their districts change for the 2022 election. WABE's Susanna Capelouto speaks with politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas about what's at stake for candidates. They also discuss important legislation moving forward, including controversial education bills and...

Political Breakfast is joined by Atlanta Civic Circle Director Saba Long, filling in for Tharon Johnson, to discuss the far-reaching impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the surrounding political rhetoric. Later in the episode, special guest Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid joins the show to talk about the county’s achievements and challenges – namely four potential cityhood...

Several divisive education bills are moving ahead in the state legislature including banning trans students from sports teams and allowing parents not to mask their kids despite a mask mandate. Politics Editor Susanna Capelouto talks with WABE Education Reporter Martha Dalton and Politics Reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas about several controversial education bills, as well as updates on redis...

In part two of Political Breakfast’s examination of the debate around Critical Race Theory, Atlanta Public Schools board member and former chair Jason Esteves critiques the argument from conservatives that certain concepts about race have no place in the classroom. And Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced a series of events this week meant to foster peace and community to stem the rising tide of...

Georgia's massive bi-partisan mental health overhaul has people hopeful, but Republicans are flexing their muscle in drawing political boundaries to their party's benefit. WABE's politics team of Susanna Capelouto, Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas talk about these and other bills, including controversial education measures, that are moving forward during this legislative session. See omnystudio.com/lis...

State Rep. Will Wade (R-Dawsonville) joins Political Breakfast to discuss school masking policies in the wake of legislation proposed by Gov. Brian Kemp that would allow parents to opt out of mask mandates. And Rep. Wade makes the case for legislation he’s sponsored as a member of the House Committee on Education that would limit the teaching of certain race-based concepts in schools, as well as g...

Bills dealing with divisive issues in education are taking the bulk of the legislative energy at the state capitol this session. WABE's Susanna Capelouto, Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali talk about the progression of bills that deal with whether transgender kids can participate in sports, what materials should be banned from libraries and how race and racism should be taught in the classroom. See omny...

Georgia Democrats and Republicans engage in renewed debate over masking requirements after Stacey Abrams’ campaign posts a controversial photo of the candidate in a classroom without her mask. Vernon Jones drops out of the race for governor and declares his intent to run for Georgia’s 10th congressional district, leaving former Sen. David Perdue and Gov. Brian Kemp to go head-to-head in the R...

Georgia legislators take up bills on transgender kids and sports, a parents' bill of rights, permitless weapons carry and how Gwinnett County residents pick their leaders. WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali break the bills down with WABE's Emil Moffatt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent polls show Vernon Jones attracting only a slim percentage of voters in Georgia's Republican gubernatorial primary, especially after Trump-endorsed David Perdue entered the race. Will he stay in the running, possibly siphoning votes from Perdue, or drop out to consider a run for U.S. Congress? And multiple bills currently before the General Assembly would limit what could be taught in Georgi...

Georgia lawmakers want to control how schools teach race and racism with a list of definitions they call "divisive concepts". WABE Politics editor Susanna Capelouto talks with reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas about the effort by Republicans to set rules about what can be taught about race and racism in classrooms. They also tackle bills about mental health reform and partisan school board ele...

Mayor Andre Dickens received a standing ovation and a lot of support from state legislators, but then he gets a tough test on violent crime when a 6-month-old is shot and killed during a drive by shooting in the city.  We’ll look at how this latest tragedy could shed more light on the Buckhead City movement. The Constitutio...

Georgia's state agency heads complain about massive turnover, but it's not clear a $5,000 dollar jump in pay will help. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas talk with editor Susanna Capelouto about the great resignation among state employees. They also look ahead to an expected mental health reform proposal and some controversial bills that will spill onto the 2022 campaign trail. S...

Just a week into the 2022 legislative session voting rights are back on the table in Georgia, where many politicians used the national Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to draw attention to the issue that was highly important to the civil rights icon. Republican state senator Brian Strickland is chairman of the judiciary committee where he could oversee the passing of some controversial bills this s...

It's budget hearing week at the Georgia state capitol where lawmakers will hear from members of the executive branch about how they want to spend money in the coming year. WABE Politics Editor Susanna Capelouto talks with Politics Reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas about the details in Governor Brian Kemp's record spending proposal that comes in an important election year. See omnystudio.com/li...

Georgia’s 2022 legislative session began Monday with many hot-button issues on the table for lawmakers to consider, including voting, gambling and Medicaid expansion, among others. On the same day the the Georgia Chamber of Commerce holds its annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast to lay out he business community’s priorities for the session, Lisa Rayam, Tharon Johnson, and Brian Robinson host a live...

The 40 day Georgia legislative session starts this week. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas talk with politics editor Susanna Capelouto about what's ahead. Some state leaders already signaled they will loosen gun laws and take up crime fighting bills as Republicans try to prove their conservative credentials ahead of contentious May primaries. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

   On this week’s Political Breakfast podcast, host Lisa Rayam along with strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson discuss the latest move by some Georgia school districts to protect students against the spread of the Omicron variant. Will a week of on-line learning have a severe impact on kids and schools? Brian and Tharon weigh in on both sides of the issue. Pl...

Former U.S. Sen. “Johnny” Isakson passed away earlier this month at the age of 76 after a long, accomplished political career. Brian Robinson hosts a special tribute episode featuring three former chiefs of staff and friends of the late Georgia lawmaker: Attorney General Chris Carr, along with political strategists Joan Carr and Heath Garrett. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.