WILL: ALL RIGHT, LUCAS, THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS REPORT THIS
MORNING.
LET’S BRING IN GEORGIA GOVERNOR
BRIAN KEMP WHO IS AT THE CENTER
OF A FIRESTORM RIGHT NOW.
GOVERNOR, SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU
THIS MORNING.
AS EVERYONE WHO IS WATCHERRING
KNOWS BY NOW, MAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALL HAS ELECTED TO YANK ITS
ALL-STAR GAME OUT OF THE CITY OF
ATLANTA IN RESPONSE TO YOUR NEW
VOTER INTEGRITY BILL.
THAT BILL HAS BEEN PAINTED.
IT HAS BEEN SMEARED AS A VOTER
SUPPRESSION BILL.
AND THAT HAS CAUSED MANY
CORPORATIONS, NOT JUST MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL FROM DELTA AND
COCA COLA.
TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TO SAY
THAT GEORGIA HAS EMBARKED ON A
PROCESS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION AND
THEY WILL NOT BE IN BUSINESS
WITH THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT?
>> WELL, IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HAS CAVED
TO THE CANCEL CULTURE AND QUITE
HONESTLY, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND
STACEY ABRAMS AND A LOT OF OTHER
PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY LYING ABOUT
THIS BILL.
TO PRESSURE THESE ORGANIZATIONS,
IT’S REALLY A SAD DAY FOR MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL AS SOMEBODY THAT
GREW UP PLAYING BASEBALL AS A
KID AND A FAN, PLAYED IN HIGH
SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, BIG BRAVES
FAN.
I MEAN, THIS IS TERRIBLE FOR THE
ORGANIZATION.
IT’S TERRIBLE FOR THE FANS.
IT’S TERRIBLE FOR THE SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE METRO
ATLANTA COMMUNITY IN OUR STATE
THAT WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO
HOSTING THIS GAME.
IT PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO
IT.
ALL BECAUSE OF A BIG LIE.
I MEAN, THIS BILLS TO NOT
SUPPRESS ANYTHING.
IN FACT, NEW YORK, WHERE MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL IS
HEADQUARTERED, THEIR VOTING LAWS
ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE WHEN IT
COMES TORLLY VOTING THAN
GEORGIA’S ARE.
WE HAVE 17 DAYS OF IN PERSON
EARLY VOTING.
NEW YORK HAS 10.
THIS BILL ADDS THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR PEOPLE POTENTIALLY TO VOTE
ON TWO OPTIONAL SUNDAYS, WHICH
WOULD GIVE POTENTIALLY SOME
COUNTIES 19 DAYS.
ARE WE BOYCOTTING THEM BECAUSE
THEY ARE IN NEW YORK?
NO.
THIS IS JUST THE CANCEL CULTURE
AND I WILL TELL YOU, THE PEOPLE
AT HOME SHOULD BE SCARED BECAUSE
THEIR BALLGAME IS NEXT.
THEIR BUSINESS WILL BE NEXT.
THEIR WAY OF LIFE WILL BE NEXT.
IT IS TIME TO STAND UP AND FIGHT
THIS.
AND JUST SAY, LOOK, WE ARE NOT
GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE.
IT’S RIDICULOUS.
PETE: GOVERNOR, HOW DOES THE LIE
GET SO BIG SO FAST?
TAKE THE CEO OF DELTA, FOR
EXAMPLE, WHO INITIALLY SAID HEY,
THIS HAS SOME REASONABLE THINGS
IN IT AND THEN THE MOB DESSENDS
AND HE HAS CHANGED HIS POSITION.
HOW DOES THE LIE ECHO AND GROW
SO INSIDIOUSLY?
>> WELL, IT SURELY DOESN’T HELP
WHEN YOU HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES SAYING THAT
AND NOBODY IN THE NATIONAL
MEDIA, AT LEAST IN THE
MAINSTREAM MEDIA WILL EVEN ASK
FOR A CORRECTION WHEN HE SIMPLY
LIES, GETS FOUR PINOCCHIOS OF
ALL PEOPLE, OF ALL PLACES FROM
"THE WASHINGTON POST, I MEAN,
THAT SHOULD TELL YOU RIGHT THERE
HE IS NOT BEING TRUTHFUL.
HE CONTINUES TO LIE AND MISLEAD
ABOUT WHAT THE BILL DOES.
IT ACTUALLY ADDS OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, IT SECURES
BALLOT DROP BOXES THAT WERE
NEVER IN THE LAW BEFORE WE
PASSED THIS LEGISLATION REQUIRED
CONTINUOUS COUNTING.
SIMPLY USES A VOTER I.D. WHICH
IS FREE IN GEORGIA.
WE HAVE BEEN USING FOR IN PERSON
VOTING SINCE THE MID 2,000S FOR
ABSENTEES SINCE WE HAD 350%
INCREASE IN MAIL BALLOTS THIS
ELECTION TOO HELP THE COUNTY
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS BE MORE
EFFICIENT.
BE MORE SECURE AND TAKING
ARBITRARY PROCESS OUT.
I MEAN, HOW IS THAT SUPPRESSION?
IT IS NOT.
IT’S JUST A BUZZ WORD THAT THEY
USE, THEN THEY GO TO THE CE Os
AND THE CORPORATE BOARD ROOMS TO
BROWBEAT THESE FEEL FALL UNDER
PRESSURE.
THAT’S WHAT’S HAPPENING.
NONE OF THEM ARE CITING
SPECIFICS IN THE BILL IF YOU
WILL NOTICE.
THEY ARE JUST SAYING IT’S A STEP
BACKWARDS OR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
WRONG OR WHATEVER.
LIKE NONE OF THEM ARE POINTING
TO SPECIFICS IN THE BILL BECAUSE
THEY KNOW DAMN WELL THEIR PEOPLE
WERE IN THE CAPITOL WORKING WITH
US ON THE BILL.
THEY KNEW WHAT WAS IN IT.
AND NOW THEIR POSITION HAS
CHANGED.
RACHEL: RIGHT.
THEY JUST SAY JIM CROW AND THEY
DON’T EXPLAIN.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
RACHEL: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS WEIGHED IN, HE SAID BASEBALL
IS ALREADY LOSE LOSING
TREMENDOUS MEMBERS OF FANS AND
NOW THEY LEAVE ATLANTA WITH
THEIR ALL-STAR GAME BECAUSE THEY
ARE AFRAID OF THE RADICAL LEFT
DEMOCRATS WHO DO NOT WANT VOTER
I.D. WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED
TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR
ELECTIONS.
BOYCOTT BASEBALL AND ALL OF THE
WOKE COMPANIES THAT ARE
INTERFERING WITH FREE AND FAIR
ELECTIONS.
ARE YOU LISTENING COKE?
DELTA AND ALL?
DO YOU AGREE WITH WHAT THE
PRESIDENT IS SAYING THAT WE --
THAT YOU KNOW, CONSERVATIVES,
THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT FREE AND
FAIR ELECTIONS SHOULD BOYCOTT
DELTA AND COKE AND ANY OTHER
COMPANIES THAT WEIGH IN ON THIS
OR INTERFERE IN GEORGIA’S
ELECTIONS?
>> I THINK THE PRESIDENT, LIKE
ME, IS VERY FRUSTRATED AT THIS
CANCEL CULTURE.
NOT ONLY WITH THIS BUT MANY
OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GONE ON.
THE THING THAT’S UNFORTUNATE
ABOUT THIS THE ATLANTA BRAVES
ORGANIZATION DOESN’T SUPPORT
THIS CHANGE.
THEY ARE VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS.
THEY ARE UPSET FOR THEIR FANS
AND THEIR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
THAT ARE AT THE BATTERY AT
TRUEST PARK THAT WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING BIG CROWDS AT
THE GAME PATRONIZING THEIR SMALL
BUSINESSES.
THAT’S WHO THIS IS GOING TO
HURT.
AND I HAVE HAD PEOPLE TELLING
ME, LOOK, WE ARE CANCELING OUR
TICKETS TO THE BRAVES.
I SAID LOOK, DON’T BE MAD AT THE
BRAVES.
THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THIS
DECISION.
AND THEY ARE LIKE FORGET IT.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION.
WE CAN’T DO IT BECAUSE OF MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL.
YOU KNOW, THAT’S WHAT IS SO SAD
ABOUT THIS.
AND EVEN DEMOCRATS ARE COMING
OUT SAYING HOW WRONG IT IS TO
MOVE THE GAME.
THIS HELPS NOTHING TO FURTHER
DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALL SHOULD DO IF
THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH A
PROVISION IN THE BILL, THEY
SHOULD SIMPLY TALK TO ME ABOUT
IT BECAUSE I WOULD BE GLAD TO DO
IT.
THEY HAVE YET TO DO THAT.
THEY HAVE YET TO BRING UP ONE
THING THAT IS ACTUALLY IN THE
BILL THAT THEY ARE MAD ABOUT.
IT’S JUST THAT -- IT’S NOT WORTH
THE PRESSURE IS TOO GREAT.
YOU KNOW, STACEY ABRAMS AND THE
WHITE HOUSE THEY ARE JUST DONE
WITH IT.
THAT’S WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND FIGHT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I’M GOING TO
CONTINUE TO DO IT.
WILL: TO BE CLEAR, GOVERNOR,
THERE HAVE BEEN NO SPECIFIC
DEMANDS OF YOU ON HOW TO CHANGE
THIS BILL.
THERE HAS BEEN NO SPECIFIC
PROBLEMS AS YOU POINTED OUT
EARLIER THAT HAVE BEEN
ILLUSTRATED OR LAID OUT FOR YOU,
SIMPLY THE CHARACTERIZATION OF
IT BEING JIM CROW 2.0, VOTER
SUPPRESSION HAS BEEN USED AS A
CUDGEL TO BROWBEAT CORPORATIONS.
THAT’S THE END OF THE STORY.
THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF THE
STORY?
>> WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT JIM CROW
2.0, THE DOMAIN NAME WAS
REGISTERED YOU KNOW WEEKS AGO
BEFORE ANYBODY EVEN KNEW WHAT
WAS GOING TO BE IN THE FINAL
VERSION OF THE BILL.
I THINK THE PLAYBOOK FOR THIS
WAS WRITTEN OVER A MONTH AGO
BECAUSE THE LEFT AND THE
RADICALS STACEY ABRAMS INCLUDING
PRESIDENT BIDEN OBVIOUSLY HIS
TEAM DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT WAS
IN THE BILL.
I THINK THEY THOUGHT IT WAS
GOING TO BE -- IT WAS GOING TO
BE INTERPRETIVE AND IT SUPPRESSI
BE BAD.
THE END RESULT WAS NOT.
IT WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE WORKED WITH THE HOUSE, WITH
THE SENATE, WITH REAEASONABLE
PEOPLE, GOT THINGS IN THERE TO
PROVIDE EVEN MORE ACCESS BUT
ALSO JUST MAKE SURE THAT IN
GEORGIA IT’S EASY TO VOTE AND
HARD TO CHEAT.
AND I QUESTIONS THEY DON’T AGREE
WITH THAT BUT, NONE OF THE
STATEMENTS FROM DELTA, COCA COLA
OR MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WILL
THAT I HAVE SEEN CITE ONE SINGLE
THING IN THIS LEGISLATION THAT
WE NEED TO FIX.
AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING, YOU
KNOW, BRING IT ON.
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS THING HAS BEEN WORKED
ON FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS NOW
AND NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE
SAID ANYTHING.
THE ISSUES THAT THEY DID SAY
SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AT
THE END OF THE DAY, DIDN’T END
UP IN THE BILL WHICH IS HOW THE
PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK.
IT’S SO JUST SO SAD FOR BASEBALL
FANS THAT THE LEAGUE HAS MADE
BASEBALL AND THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA SO POLITICAL.
PETE: PUTTING FANS IN IMPOSSIBLE
PLACE HAVING TO TURN THEIR BACK
ON A GAME THEY LOVE BECAUSE, AS
WE POINTED OUT AND YOU POINTED
OUT, GOVERNOR, IT’S BECOME ALL
POLITICAL.
MAYBE ATLANTA SHOULD CHANGE
THEIR NAME TO BEIJING BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
HAS NO PROBLEM WITH WORKING WITH
CHINA WHICH IS A POINT THAT TOM
COTTON RECENTLY POINTED OUT.
SO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
EXPANDED THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH
CHINA IN 2017.
TOM COTTON TWEETED THIS HEY MLB
HOW MANY DAYS OF EARLY VOTING
ARE ALLOWED IN CHINA?
SO WHY IS THE LEFT SO WILLING TO
GIVE A PASS TO AUTHORITARIANS OR
EVEN STATES THAT HAVE MORE
RESTRICTIVE VOTING LAWS THAN
YOURS?
BUT THEY COME DOWN ON GEORGIA.
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S A BIGGER
AGENDA.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE SENATOR
COTTON AND SENATOR RUBIO AND
OTHERS WEIGHING IN AND CALLING
THESE COMPANIES AND LEAGUE OUT.
THAT’S WHAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN
THEMSELVES INTO.
THEY ARE IN A NO-WIN SITUATION
NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE SUBJECTING
THEMSELVES TO BE NITPICKED
EVERYWHERE THEY DO BUSINESS AND
THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR DELTA
AND COCA COLA.
YOU KNOW, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY,
WHEREVER IT IS THEY ARE FLYING
OR SELLING OR WHATEVER, COMPARE
THAT TO GEORGIA.
LOOK, I HAVE SAID FOR OVER A
DECADE THAT I BELIEVE IN THE
CONSTITUTION THAT THE STATE
SHOULD DECIDE HOW ELECTIONS ARE
RUN.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ALL
ABOUT.
THIS IS A POLITICAL PLAY BY THE
PRESIDENT AND STACEY ABRAMS AND
A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT
HR 1 TO PASS.
IT’S AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER
GRAB TO FEDERALIZE ELECTIONS AND
NOT ALLOW THE STATES LIKE OURS
TO LET THEIR ELECTED GENERAL
ASSEMBLY DECIDE HOW YOU VOTE.
YOU KNOW, IN CALIFORNIA, IF THEY
WANT TO DO ALL MAIL VOTING,
THAT’S FINE.
IF THEY DON’T WANT TO HAVE A
PHOTO I.D. REQUIREMENT, THAT IS
CERTAINLY THEIR RIGHT.
IF THEY WANT TO HAVE SAME DAY
REGISTRATION, THEY CAN DO THAT I
PERSONALLY THINK THAT’S BAD FOR
SECURE ELECTIONS.
EVEN THOUGH OURS ARE VERY
ACCESSIBLE.
BUT IT’S TO THE STATES TO DECIDE
THAT NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
IT’S THE POWER PLAY FOR HR 1.
WILL: GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR GETTING UP WITH
US THIS MORNING TELL US EXACTLY
THE SPECIFICS BEHIND THE BILL