Political Rewind with Bill Nigut

Almost a year after the 2020 election, new revelations continue to emerge about former President Donald Trump pressuring Georgia officials to overturn the election results. A recent Senate Judiciary Committee report sheds light on the departure earlier this year of former Georgia U.S. Attorney Byung J. "BJay" Pak, who abruptly announced his resignation just before the Senate runoffs. Investigators say Trump forced Pak to resign for refusing to go along with Trump’s false claims of election fraud. We break down what's in the preliminary Senate committee report and hear what the findings could mean for elections to come.

Drug company Merck is awaiting word on its emergency use authorization application for its recently announced drug molnupiravir. If approved, the anti-viral drug developed at a lab at Emory University could become the first-ever pill to treat COVID-19. The latest Georgia Today podcast examines the journey that led to this potential breakthrough and its connection to Emory. 

Most of Georgia’s landmass is rural. But less than a quarter of the population lives in rural areas. And, according to the latest figures from the United States Census, that percentage is dropping as the state grows more diverse and more urbanized. With redistricting getting underway, some small-town Georgia officials worry their shrinking populations could also cost them political influence at the state Capitol.