Political Rewind: Verdict in Brunswick; 1912 Racial cleansing in Forsyth Co.; Walker on state of GOP

Caption

Attorney Benjamin Crump holds up the arms of Ahmaud Arbery's parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022 outside the federal courthouse in Brunswick, Ga. The three men convicted of murder in Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal shooting have been found guilty of federal hate crimes.

Credit: Lewis Levine, AP

The panel :

Dr. Amy Steigerwalt — Professor of Political Science, Georgia State University

Benjamin Payne — Reporter, Georgia Public Broadcasting

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fred Smith — Professor of Constitutional Law, Emory University

Leroy Chapman — Managing Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Breakdown:

1. Parents of Ahmaud Arbery celebrate verdict in hate crimes case

• The federal hate crimes trial ended just one day before the two-year anniversary of Arbery's murder.
• The three white men who murdered Arbery were found guilty of violating his civil rights.
• GPB's Benjamin Payne says lawyers for Arbery's family have filed a civil case as well. 

2. The 1912 racial cleansing in Forsyth County revealed deep racial hatred in Georgia, but will it be taught in schools?

• White residents set fire to Black-owned businesses and churches and drove out nearly the entire Black population of the county.

• Efforts among conservative state legislators to outlaw the teaching of racial history in Georgia schools could mean students would not learn of this event.
  • The education agenda of the GOP-controlled General Assembly includes measures censoring the teaching of "divisive concepts" in history.

3. Herschel Walker said GOP divide in the gubernatorial primary is hurting the party. 

• On Monday, the Republican challenger for U.S. Senate said he does not support either of his party's leading primary candidates for governor, in audio obtained by the AJC.

4. Kemp seeks crucial support from state's teachers for his reelection campaign.

• The incumbent governor promised raises for teachers.
• But several of his proposals this legislative session will affect how teachers conduct day-to-day learning in the classroom. 
  • The Parents' Bill of Rights has passed committee.
  • Kemp supported a bill to allow parents to decide if they want to their children to wear a mask during school. 

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