Trump lashes out at Georgia officials over effort to remove Greene from ballot

Former President Trump lashed out at top Georgia officials amid an effort to challenge Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) candidacy for reeelction, though neither official was involved in a recent federal judge’s ruling on the matter.

“The Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, and Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, perhaps in collusion with the Radical Left Democrats, have allowed a horrible thing to happen to a very popular Republican, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She is now going through hell in their attempt to unseat her, just more of an election mess in Georgia,” Trump said in a statement issued through his Save America PAC.

Trump also took the opportunity to amplify his endorsement of Georgia gubernatorial candidate and former Sen. David Perdue (R), who is running against Kemp for the Republican gubernatorial primary.

“Brian Kemp should be voted out of office—vote for David Perdue,” Trump said. “REMEMBER, Brian Kemp will never be able to win the General Election against Stacey ‘The Hoax’ Abrams because a large number of Republicans just will not vote for him.”

Earlier this week, Judge Amy Totenberg, an Obama appointee, ruled that a legal challenge against Greene’s candidacy by a group of Georgia voters could move forward. The decision did not involve Kemp.

The complaint, filed on behalf of the voters by Free Speech For People, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP and civil rights lawyer Bryan Sells, alleges that Greene “voluntarily aided and engaged in an insurrection to obstruct the peaceful transfer of presidential power,” which would disqualify her from serving in Congress under the 14th Amendment.

According to a section of the 14th Amendment, no lawmaker, among other requirements, “shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

However, Greene claimed in a statement in March that she had “never encouraged political violence and never will” and added that the effort came from “the same evil playbook the dishonest Communist Democrats use against President Trump and his family.”