Georgia State Senator Colton Moore was suspended from the Senate GOP Caucus for violating Caucus Rules after “knowingly [misleading]” Georgians and “causing unnecessary tension and hostility” by requesting a special session to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ August indictment of former President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, Georgia Senate Republicans issued a statement saying Moore’s request for investigation into DA Willis was “impossible,” though conceded the state senator had a “right to his opinion.”
“During his advocacy for his ill-conceived proposal, Senator Moore has knowingly misled people across Georgia and our nation, causing unnecessary tension and hostility, while putting his Caucus colleagues and their families at risk of personal harm,” Georgia Senate Republicans’ statement reads. “Furthermore, Senator Moore was informed that he has violated multiple Caucus Rules on multiple occasions and was given every opportunity to simply adhere to the Rules going forward, not to abandon his wrongheaded policy position.”
“Unfortunately, he has refused and was suspended by Leadership from participating in the Caucus until he agrees to abide by the Rules which he voted for at the beginning of his term,” the statement added.
Statement Regarding the Indefinite Caucus Suspension of Senator Colton Moore#gapol pic.twitter.com/tPZhlYyiY0
— GA Senate Republicans (@GASenateGOP) September 28, 2023
According to the statement, Moore’s suspension only effects his ability to caucus with fellow Republican senators.
“It does not preclude him from representing the constituents of Senate District 53 as a duly elected State Senator while participating in official Senate business,” the statement concludes. “The Majority Caucus understands that we are stronger when unified and hopes Senator Moore will rejoin us in the future as we continue delivering winning conservative policy solutions for our state.”
Moore issued a response to his suspension shortly after.
“The Georgia RINOs responded to my call to fight back against the Trump witch hunts by acting like children and throwing me out of the caucus,” Moore wrote. “But I’m not going anywhere. I stand by my Republican principles. I stand by the Republican platform.”
“I will continue to serve as a Republican Senator from the great state of Georgia,” Moore continued. “Unfortunately, now I will be forced to refer to my colleagues, who ran on being ‘Trump conservatives’ as the RINO caucus. The people of Georgia are 100% with me. This is the fight of our lifetime, and I will continue to double down to defend the rule of law and do what is right.”
He added: “I will continue to EXPOSE Fani Willis and the RINOs covering for her.”
The Georgia RINOs responded to my call to fight back against the Trump witch hunts by acting like children and throwing me out of the caucus. But I’m not going anywhere.
I stand by my Republican principles. I stand by the Republican platform. I will continue to serve as a… https://t.co/3oTXMQj3pA
— Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) September 28, 2023
The Georgia Freedom Caucus also responded to Moore’s Thursday suspension.
“The establishment is angry they are being held accountable,” the Georgia Freedom Caucus wrote. “Colton Moore stands with the people, not the politicians. Let us be clear: We stand STRONG with Colton Moore.”
The GA Senate Republican Caucus has kicked @realColtonMoore out for demanding a special session to investigate and defund Fani Willis.
The establishment is angry they are being held accountable.
Colton Moore stands with the people, not the politicians.
Let us be clear: We… https://t.co/F9J0oisByh
— Georgia Freedom Caucus (@FreedomCaucusGA) September 28, 2023
Following Trump’s Fulton County indictment, Moore sent a letter to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp requesting a special session to investigate DA Willis.
In late August, Kemp responded to Moore’s request, referring to it as “unconstitutional.”
“There have been calls by one individual in the general assembly … for a special session to ignore current Georgia law, directly interfere with the proceedings of a separate but equal branch of government,” Kemp said of Moore. “We are now seeing what happens when prosecutors move forward with highly charged indictments and trials in the middle of an election.”
Kemp said the act would sew “distrust” and provide “easy pickings” for critics of DA Willis.
“Up to this point, I have not seen any evidence that DA Willis’s actions or lack thereof warrant action by the prosecuting attorney oversight commission,” he concluded. “As long as I’m governor, we are going to follow the law and the Constitution — regardless of who it helps politically.”
