Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia lt. governor’s race between Trump-, Abrams-backed hopefuls
Libertarian lt. gov candidate challenges Georgia’s leadership committee law
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Libertarian Candidate Files Lawsuit to Challenge the Duopoly Double Standard
Atlanta, GA – Libertarian Lieutenant Governor candidate, Ryan Graham has filed a legal complaint along with a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Georgia Attorney General, challenging the legality of the state’s “Leadership Committee Statute” (LC Statute).
The LC Statute allows for a “leadership committee” to be formed that can raise and accept donations beyond the current $7,600 individual limit imposed by law. However, there are added stipulations that must be met. The candidate seeking to fill a leadership committee must be running for a statewide office – such as Governor or Lieutenant Governor – and the state of Georgia must define their political organization as a “political party.” Under Georgia law, the Libertarian Party is considered a “political body,” and not a party for no reason other than the previous Libertarian candidate for Governor or President failing to receive at least 20% of the vote.
“Libertarians have a very similar setup as the Republicans and Democrats. We have bylaws and a platform, we hold conventions, and we run dozens of candidates,” says Graham. “It’s yet another way the two major parties work together to snuff out the competition.”
Graham is the former Chair of the Libertarian Party of Georgia and would like to chair his own leadership committee to help his campaign and other Libertarians statewide.
“They create barriers to stop someone like me from raising money to campaign against them. It is not only, a violation of a candidate’s rights, but a huge disservice to the voters in the state.”
Graham contends the LC Statute violates his rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, in particular, the Equal Protection Clause within the Fourteenth, as he is prohibited from starting a leadership committee and is subject to a different set of rules than his opposition. Graham has polled as high as 8 percent in the polls for Lieutenant Governor—a number he is not ashamed of considering the limitations on his campaign. Graham believes expanding the LC Statute to include all political organizations would be a game changer in statewide elections as it would open the door to serious third party and independent contenders.
Find out more about the campaign at Graham4GA.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Trump-backed election denier faces former AG candidate in 2022 Georgia Lt. Gov.’s race
Savannah Morning News
Atlanta crime becomes target in Georgia lt. gov race
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Libertarian appeal to swing voters could force Georgia elections to runoffs
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lieutenant Governor Candidate Pledges to End Civil Asset Forfeiture in Georgia
ATLANTA, GA: Libertarian Ryan Graham is highlighting a particular aspect of criminal justice reform that he plans to tackle if elected in November. The policy that leaves citizens vulnerable to having their assets taken by police without charges being filed is the focus of his message.
“Civil asset forfeiture is a policy that allows corruption to thrive,” Graham explains. “It is truly troubling that authorities can simply claim your property was connected to a crime without any proof and that property can be taken from you. I will fight to end any attempts to infringe on our fundamental right to due process.”
A vote for Ryan Graham as your next Lieutenant Governor is a vote to limit the ways in which government can interject itself into our daily lives. It is time Georgia is represented by an individual who respects not just the Constitution, but all of the people the Constitution was written to protect.
Press Release: Statement on Music Midtown Cancellation
Atlanta, GA – Today it was announced that Music Midtown was canceled due to being forced by Georgia law to allow participants to carry firearms at the event. Ryan Graham, the Libertarian candidate for Lt Governor, thinks there is a more nuanced approach to this problem that Republicans and Democrats ignore.
“Organizations have every right to set rules in order to participate in their private events. That doesn’t change just because the land is public,” Graham said. “We can support an individual’s right to keep and bear arms and balance that with others’ freedom of association. Markets can sort this out. If you don’t want to go to a gun-free event, don’t. If you don’t want to go to an event that allows guns, don’t. It’s really that simple.”
Republicans will laud the law that forces association on private organizations. Democrats are already dishonestly making this about Constitutional Carry, a law that has nothing to do with this situation. Meanwhile, Graham supports a change in law giving the decision-making ability back to organizers to set requirements for participation in their events, a real solution.
If we really want to Strike the Root of the problem we need to have a conversation about public land in general. If this were private property this wouldn’t even be a question, the owners of that private property would be able to make whatever rules they wanted regarding participation.
Find out more about the campaign at Graham4GA.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
AJC poll: Republican Burt Jones leads in lieutenant governor race
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Libertarian Candidate for Lieutenant Governor calls for Real School Choice
ATLANTA, GA – Candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, Ryan Graham, has made education choice a major focus of his campaign.
While the Georgia legislature has paid lip service to some small aspects of “school choice,” Graham believes it doesn’t go near far enough to ensure actual choices are available to parents and students seeking alternative education opportunities.
“Bureaucratic red tape is still an impediment to many families in their effort to secure the best possible education for their children,” says Graham. “Those in power want to dictate what qualifies as an educational expense and force parents to sign curriculum agreements that don’t allow for innovation. This isn’t real choice. It isn’t freedom.”
Real choice, Graham contends, allows for limitless innovation and promotes growth and individuality in a way that our current public school system fails to do. He believes that for such new options to thrive, parents and guardians must be empowered to use their child’s educational funding in the ways that best serve the child.
The Lieutenant Governor hopeful seeks to empower students, families, and teachers not only through a school choice program, but also by promoting curriculum innovation. The Libertarian candidate believes state bureaucrats and politicians have suffocated innovative ideas and would like to see teachers, parents, and local community leaders take the lead on such issues.