After the “one time” Reagan amnesty of 1986, Hispanics rewarded Republican George H.W. Bush with 30% of their vote – Trump got 29% in 2016.

Clinton finished the San Diego border fence in 1994 and still got 72% of the Hispanic vote in 1996. It doesn’t look like capitulation pays off for Republicans or that enforcement costs Democrats.

Stats from LatinoVoteMatters.org :”If one hopes to analyze current trends and anticipate where we’re going, one must understand where we’ve been. Below, you’ll find the Hispanic voter breakdown for presidential elections from 1980 to present.”

1980 Jimmy Carter, 56% Ronald Reagan, 35% +21
1984 Walter Mondale, 61% Ronald Reagan, 37% +24
1988 Michael Dukakis, 69% George H.W. Bush, 30% +39
1992 Bill Clinton, 61% George H.W. Bush, 25% +36
1996 Bill Clinton, 72% Bob Dole, 21% +51
2000 Al Gore, 62% George W. Bush, 35% +27
2004 John Kerry, 58% George W. Bush, 40% +18
2008 Barack Obama, 67% John McCain, 31% +36
2012 Barack Obama, 71% Mitt Romney, 27% +44

*2016 Hillary Clinton, 65% Donald Trump, 29% +36

*According to widely accepted estimates in the liberal Atlanta Journal Constitution and the conservative National Review.

And doesn’t this mean that Amnesty-en-Espanol John McCain and “Build the Wall” Donald Trump had the same spread?

Huh…

 

 

*Update: Mr. Jorge Gomez (really nice guy!) replied this morning to my open records request mentioned below:

Mr. King,

Thank you for our conversation the other day. I have looked into this
matter for your requested documents and there are no documents responsive
to your request (affidavits and/or secure IDs).

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Jorge Gomez
Executive Director of Administration and Policy
Office of the CEO/Superintendent
Gwinnett County Public Schools
J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center
437 Old Peachtree Road, NW
Suwanee, GA 30024-2978

Phone: 678 301-6005
Fax: 678 301-6007

—

January 18, 2017

Official complaint and request for investigation and prosecution

Sent electronically via email

Sheriff Conway,

Please regard this letter as my complaint and request for enforcement action on the violations described and documented below.

Violation of OCGA 50-36-1
Gwinnett County Board of Education, Gwinnett County Public Schools/ International Newcomer Center et al

Under Georgia law Public Benefits may only be administered to eligible applicants.

OCGA 50-36-1
“(f) (1) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, an agency or political subdivision providing or administering a public benefit shall require every applicant for such benefit to:

(A) Provide at least one secure and verifiable document, as defined in Code Section 50-36-2, or a copy or facsimile of such document. Any document required by this subparagraph may be submitted by or on behalf of the applicant at any time within nine months prior to the date of application so long as the document remains valid through the licensing or approval period or such other period for which the applicant is applying to receive a public benefit; and

(B) Execute a signed and sworn affidavit verifying the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States under federal immigration law; provided, however, that if the applicant is younger than 18 years of age at the time of the application, he or she shall execute the affidavit required by this subparagraph within 30 days after his or her eighteenth birthday. Such affidavit shall affirm that:

(i) The applicant is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident 18 years of age or older; or

(ii) The applicant is a qualified alien or nonimmigrant under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, Title 8 U.S.C., 18 years of age or older lawfully present in the United States and provide the applicant’s alien number issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other federal immigration agency.

(2) The state auditor shall create affidavits for use under this subsection and shall keep a current version of such affidavits on the Department of Audits and Accounts’ official website.”

Adult education is listed in the law as a Public Benefit in Georgia law.

According to various news reports, including one HERE and conversations with staffers at Gwinnett County Public Schools, the Gwinnett County Board of Education, is conducting Adult Education classes at an official entity known as the ‘International Newcomer Center.’ Apparently, there is no system in place to comply with state law that requires verification of eligibility for this public benefit.

In my educated opinion, the leadership of Gwinnett County Board of Education, Gwinnett County Public Schools and the International Newcomer Center are in violation of state law.

I am confident that your office will begin the process of investigation and enforcement and forward the results to the Attorney General’s office and any other office that may have an obligation to enforce or adjudicate state law.

Please note that I have sent similar complaints and documentation to the AG’s office in the past and have not received a reply and am not aware of any action taken.

Please know that I am among the majority of Georgians who value the work you and your officers and staff do every day and that I express my utmost gratitude for your attention to duty and the rule of law.

Very Respectfully submitted,

D.A. King

Marietta, Ga. 30066

Update: Mr. Jorge Gomez (really nice guy!) replied to my open records request this morning:

Mr. King,

Thank you for our conversation the other day. I have looked into this
matter for your requested documents and there are no documents responsive
to your request (affidavits and/or secure IDs).

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Jorge Gomez
Executive Director of Administration and Policy
Office of the CEO/Superintendent
Gwinnett County Public Schools
J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center
437 Old Peachtree Road, NW
Suwanee, GA 30024-2978

Phone: 678 301-6005
Fax: 678 301-6007

Gwinnett Complaint Attachment to official complaint

18 January, 2017           #3

Violation (s) of OCGA 50-36-1
Gwinnett County Board of Education, Gwinnett County Public Schools/ International Newcomer Center et al

Under Georgia law Public Benefits may only be administered to eligible applicants.

OCGA 50-36-1
“(f) (1) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, an agency or political subdivision providing or administering a public benefit shall require every applicant for such benefit to:

(A) Provide at least one secure and verifiable document, as defined in Code Section 50-36-2, or a copy or facsimile of such document. Any document required by this subparagraph may be submitted by or on behalf of the applicant at any time within nine months prior to the date of application so long as the document remains valid through the licensing or approval period or such other period for which the applicant is applying to receive a public benefit; and

(B) Execute a signed and sworn affidavit verifying the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States under federal immigration law; provided, however, that if the applicant is younger than 18 years of age at the time of the application, he or she shall execute the affidavit required by this subparagraph within 30 days after his or her eighteenth birthday. Such affidavit shall affirm that:

(i) The applicant is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident 18 years of age or older; or

(ii) The applicant is a qualified alien or nonimmigrant under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, Title 8 U.S.C., 18 years of age or older lawfully present in the United States and provide the applicant’s alien number issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other federal immigration agency.

(2) The state auditor shall create affidavits for use under this subsection and shall keep a current version of such affidavits on the Department of Audits and Accounts’ official website.”

Adult education is listed in the law as a Public Benefit in Georgia law.

According to various news reports, including one HERE and conversations with staffers at Gwinnett County Public Schools/the Gwinnett County Board of Education, is conducting Adult Education classes at an official entity known as the ‘International Newcomer Center.’ Apparently, there is no system in place to comply with state law that requires verification of eligibility for this public benefit. It is my impression from my conversations that neither is there any knowledge of this law.

In my educated opinion, the leadership of Gwinnett County Board of Education, Gwinnett County Public Schools and the International Newcomer Center are in violation of state law regulated by the IERB and separately (and additionally) by the Georgia Attorney General.

Please begin the process of investigation and enforcement.

D.A. King
Marietta
I am a registered voter

Update: Mr. Jorge Gomez (really nice guy!) replied to my below request this morning:

Mr. King,

Thank you for our conversation the other day. I have looked into this
matter for your requested documents and there are no documents responsive
to your request (affidavits and/or secure IDs).

If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Jorge Gomez
Executive Director of Administration and Policy
Office of the CEO/Superintendent
Gwinnett County Public Schools
J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center
437 Old Peachtree Road, NW
Suwanee, GA 30024-2978

Phone: 678 301-6005
Fax: 678 301-6007

—

18 January 2017

Open records request

Compliance with state Public Benefits law
Re; OCGA 50-36-1

To; Mr. Jorge Gomez
Gwinnett County Public Schools

Mr. Gomez, please regard this as my official request for public records under Georgia’s open records law.

Please send me copies of any and all documents, including applications, affidavits and Secure ID associated with the administration of the adult education classes for English language and computer skills conducted by GCPS as described in this AJC news report.

Please contact me with any questions. I hope for an electronic response.

Thank you,

D.A. King

Marietta, Ga. 30066

IERB Jan 2017 #2 Attachment to official complaint,

17 January, 2017 #2

Violation (s) of OCGA 50-36-1
DeKalb County School District/Cross Keys High School et al

Under Georgia law Public Benefits may only be administered to eligible applicants.

OCGA 50-36-1
“(f) (1) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, an agency or political subdivision providing or administering a public benefit shall require every applicant for such benefit to:

(A) Provide at least one secure and verifiable document, as defined in Code Section 50-36-2, or a copy or facsimile of such document. Any document required by this subparagraph may be submitted by or on behalf of the applicant at any time within nine months prior to the date of application so long as the document remains valid through the licensing or approval period or such other period for which the applicant is applying to receive a public benefit; and

(B) Execute a signed and sworn affidavit verifying the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States under federal immigration law; provided, however, that if the applicant is younger than 18 years of age at the time of the application, he or she shall execute the affidavit required by this subparagraph within 30 days after his or her eighteenth birthday. Such affidavit shall affirm that:

(i) The applicant is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident 18 years of age or older; or

(ii) The applicant is a qualified alien or nonimmigrant under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, Title 8 U.S.C., 18 years of age or older lawfully present in the United States and provide the applicant’s alien number issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other federal immigration agency.

(2) The state auditor shall create affidavits for use under this subsection and shall keep a current version of such affidavits on the Department of Audits and Accounts’ official website.”

Adult education is listed in the law as a Public Benefit in Georgia law.

According to various news reports, including one HERE, Cross Keys High School has in place an ongoing program of adult education for parents of students. Apparently, this program is at least two years old.

I filed an open records request in December, 2016 seeking the required affidavits and Secure ID documents that should be offered and collected from applicants for these adult education classes. It can be seen HERE, along with a response saying it would take 10 days to complete ( HERE ). I have not received the required documents and I submit the reason is that they do not exist.

In my educated opinion, the Cross Keys High School/DeKalb Schools is/are in violation of state law regulated by the IERB and separately and additionally by the Georgia Attorney General. Again.

Please begin the process of investigation and enforcement.

D.A. King
Marietta
I am a registered voter

IERB Jan 2017 #1 Attachment to official complaint

17 January, 2017 #1

Violation (s) of OCGA 50-36-1
City of Atlanta

Under Georgia law Public Benefits may only be administered to eligible applicants.

OCGA 50-36-1
“(f) (1) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section, an agency or political subdivision providing or administering a public benefit shall require every applicant for such benefit to:

(A) Provide at least one secure and verifiable document, as defined in Code Section 50-36-2, or a copy or facsimile of such document. Any document required by this subparagraph may be submitted by or on behalf of the applicant at any time within nine months prior to the date of application so long as the document remains valid through the licensing or approval period or such other period for which the applicant is applying to receive a public benefit; and

(B) Execute a signed and sworn affidavit verifying the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States under federal immigration law; provided, however, that if the applicant is younger than 18 years of age at the time of the application, he or she shall execute the affidavit required by this subparagraph within 30 days after his or her eighteenth birthday. Such affidavit shall affirm that:

(i) The applicant is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident 18 years of age or older; or

(ii) The applicant is a qualified alien or nonimmigrant under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, Title 8 U.S.C., 18 years of age or older lawfully present in the United States and provide the applicant’s alien number issued by the Department of Homeland Security or other federal immigration agency.

(2) The state auditor shall create affidavits for use under this subsection and shall keep a current version of such affidavits on the Department of Audits and Accounts’ official website.”

Adult education is listed in the law as a Public Benefit in Georgia law.

According to at least one news report – complete with photos – which can be seen and printed out HERE from the AJC, the City of Atlanta has in place an ongoing adult education classes/program aimed at immigrants. In addition, the City of Atlanta advertises its “MyCity Academy Atlanta” education program HERE. The application for these taxpayer services provided as adult education can be viewed HERE. There is no provision for verifying eligibility. There is no system that I can find in place to follow the law on these adult education classes.

Note: Having been through the process of trying to obtain public documents such as affidavits and Secure ID records from the City of Atlanta using Georgia’s open records law, I leave it to the IERB to ask that any existing affidavits and copies of secure ID be disclosed.

In my educated opinion, the City of Atlanta is in violation of state law regulated by the IERB and separately and additionally by the Georgia Attorney General. Again.

Please begin the process of investigation and enforcement.

D.A. King
Marietta
I am a registered voter

• Update: 9:30 AM – State Senator Hunter Hill has asked to be cosponsor and first co signer on SR24. “It’s a good bill” says Sen. Hill.

Insider Advantage Georgia

January 16, 2017

SR 24 Would Change Rule on Unrecorded Senate Votes: Goes to Committee on Rules for Floor Vote

Josh McKoon

Georgia state Senator Josh McKoon

Like most Georgians, it is my opinion that all votes under the Gold Dome should be recorded and the record readily available to the public.

As D.A. King has noted on InsiderAdvantage (‘State Senate rule allowing unrecorded votes should be scrapped’, January 4), in the Georgia Senate, the default method for approving amendments to legislation that has already cleared public scrutiny in the committee process is an unrecorded, hand vote. When this happens, there is no record of the vote from any member on the vote machine or in the permanent Senate Journal.

Current rules require a total of five senators to request a traditional, recorded vote on floor amendments. Most such votes go unrecorded.

In an effort to add to the transparency of state government and eliminate the possibility of confusion on any senator’s vote in the senate chamber, I have filed Senate Resolution 24. It would change the existing Senate rule so that any one senator could ask for a recorded, Roll Call vote on floor amendments.

SR 24 is open for co-signers and I hope for full bipartisan support from the 56 Senate members next week when we return to business. I also hope that voters will make their support for SR 24 clear to their own state senators, regardless of party affiliation.

It is my experienced opinion that changing this outdated Senate rule will protect all members and aid in the public’s ability to understand the legislative process. Passage of my proposed rule change requires a two-thirds majority if SR 24 is allowed to go to the full Senate.

Georgians of all political views need to know that unless five senators say otherwise, a vote on changing the unrecorded rule could be done with an unrecorded vote — if SR 24 makes it to the senate floor.

Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, represents Georgia Senate District 29.   HERE

Atlanta Jewish Times

January 13, 2017

Letters to the editor

Senate Shouldn’t Allow Unrecorded Votes

Here is a common-sense, bipartisan idea to start the year: All official votes under the Gold Dome should be recorded so that we the people always know exactly how each one of our state legislators votes.

Believe it or not, that is not the case in the Georgia Senate.

State Senate rules used for decades allow unrecorded votes on significant amendments to legislation considered on the Senate floor after all public input and any scrutiny in the committee process have been completed.

This lack of transparency in government affairs could easily have been changed Monday morning, Jan. 9, when the Senate convened for the 2017 session and voted on the rules for the next two years. Only one senator even mentioned it. And don’t look for unrecorded votes and an in-depth explanation in the news.

Georgians need to know that the state senators vote on the Senate rules as their first order of business every other year, and 2017 is one of those years. On the first day, rules can be changed with a simple majority (29 of the 56 members).

We provide this information just in case a few state senators forgot to mention it to their constituents.

The Senate rule allowing unrecorded votes on floor amendments was not touched on Monday, Day 1 of the 40-day session.

A quick explanation is in order. High up on the front wall of the Senate chamber is a large, brightly lighted machine that displays each senator’s vote and electronically records it in the permanent Senate record. It’s called the “yeas and nays” or “roll call” voting method.

In the Senate chamber, if any senator wants to change a bill that has gone through the committee process, a floor amendment can be offered, and senators can vote on whether to approve the amendment — with an unrecorded, raise-your-hand vote. And they can decide whether that vote is an unrecorded vote with another unrecorded, raise-your-hand vote.

Oddly enough, this is inaccurately referred to as the “voice vote” or “rise, stand and be counted” voting method. See Rule 5.1-3: www.senate.ga.gov/sos/Documents/senaterules2015.pdf.

It takes five senators to quickly demand a machine-recorded vote on floor amendments.

Confusing, isn’t it?

Here is an example: In 2015, the Republican-controlled Senate killed a conservative amendment aimed at ending the practice of issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants by holding an unrecorded, raise-your-hand vote on whether to have an unrecorded, raise-your-hand vote.

Unrecorded won. We the people — and transparency in government — lost.

There was also an unrecorded vote involved in getting to final passage of the 2015 transportation tax increase. This writer watched both events.

Readers of all political stripes should contact their state senators and demand that the rule be changed. It can still be done at any time. But now the process is much more difficult and would require a two-thirds majority.

Believe it or not, it can be done with an unrecorded vote to decide whether the vote to change the unrecorded vote rule is an unrecorded vote. Got that?

Then we can start working on eliminating unrecorded votes in the House and Senate committee process.

— D.A. King, Marietta, president of the Georgia-based Dustin Inman Society   HERE

Macon Telegraph
Sunday, January 15, 2017

OPINION

D.A.King

Unrecorded vote rule in the Georgia Senate should be scrapped and all Georgians should be making that demand

For now, unrecorded votes will continue under the Gold Dome.

When they had the biennial opportunity on the first day of the General Assembly session Monday, Georgia state senators refused change the rule in place that allows an unrecorded hand-vote on changing legislation that has already passed through the public committee process. On, Monday the change could have been done with a simple majority.

Readers should ask their state senators about this one. Some of the uneasy responses are priceless. We have even heard of cases in which some senators deny the existence of unrecorded floor votes. We send all concerned to Senate Rule 5.1-3.

As we explained here last week (‘State senators hide behind a rule that allows unrecorded votes on controversial issues’) amendments made on the floor of the Senate chamber to bills about to be voted on for final passage are often altered with no record of how — or if — any senator voted on the amendment. If you are thinking that this leaves room for, ahem, hanky panky, you would be correct.

To quickly repeat the lesson in how the Georgia Senate works, when any senator suggests a change in a bill on the floor of the Senate (called a floor amendment), the default manner of voting on that amendment is a raise-your-hand vote that is not recorded anywhere. Neither is a non-vote.

It takes five senators to insist on a recorded vote, that is put on the vote tally machine and in the permanent Senate Journal. Most floor amendments do not get a recorded vote.

Let us make it clear here that one of the most dependable tools used by politicians is the knowledge that most Americans have no idea how their government works. If you are looking for a voluntary explanation on all of this from your own state senator, regardless of party, it will be a very long wait.

Let us be equally clear here that this writer has watched numerous times while some senators scurry around the chamber or get under the overhang of the Senate gallery to avoid being seen during an unrecorded hand vote — even by citizens watching in person.

Monday’s vote on Senate rules was recorded on the Senate tally machine. It should be noted that Columbus Sen. Josh McKoon made remarks noting this problem with the Senate rules and it is likely that the topic will be revisited.

Curious critics of this lack of transparency in government who take the time to talk to their own state senator about the above should also be armed with the knowledge that it is never too late to change the rule allowing unrecorded votes.

According to Secretary of the Senate, the Senate rules can be changed anytime. But now it requires a two-thirds majority vote. Which could be unrecorded.

The unrecorded vote rule in the Georgia Senate should be scrapped and all Georgians should be making that demand.   HERE

Photo from previous (2016) Atlanta open borders rally

WHAT: Press conference to announce demand that Atlanta declare itself a sanctuary city and address a list of demands to protect the human rights of our communities

WHERE: In front of the Atlanta City Hall, 68 Mitchell St SW

WHEN: Friday, January 20, noon

PRESS RELEASE

Project South —- Staff HERE

January 12, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, January 12, 2017

The Georgia January 20th Coalition Launches Action to Demand that Atlanta Declare Itself a Sanctuary City

Press conference will be at noon on January 20th in front of the Atlanta City Hall,

68 Mitchell St SW

Atlanta, Georgia – On January 20th, the Georgia January 20th coalition will engage in the People’s Inauguration, demanding that the City of Atlanta declare itself a Sanctuary City by addressing a list of demands to protect the human rights of our communities. The coalition will gather at 11:00 am for a march starting from the Troy Davis Park.

The Georgia J20 Coalition is a solidarity-building partnership of local community grassroots organizations and networks, faith-based organizations, and labor unions. The Georgia J20 is led by impacted communities, who know that the growing climate of hatred, bigotry, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia has poisoned our political process and damaged our society’s moral compass. As our nation continues to move toward a more right-wing, corporatist, and exclusive form of leadership, we seek to lift up the concerns of our communities and our neighbors. We affirm the resilience and self-determination of our people who are the most directly impacted by forces of oppression. We will continue to center our voices and amplify our initiatives. We will organize, strategize, and build unity in our defense and will continue to follow the guidance and leadership of our communities. We seek to create a sanctuary space to support and defend our communities’ human rights from a system rooted in income inequality, white supremacy, racism, and misogyny. We realize that in unity and solidarity there is strength.

The coalition will present its demands at a press conference to be held at noon in front of the City Hall, 68 Mitchell St SW.

WHAT: Press conference to announce demand that Atlanta declare itself a sanctuary city and address a list of demands to protect the human rights of our communities

WHERE: In front of the Atlanta City Hall, 68 Mitchell St SW

WHEN: January 20, noon

###

Member organizations of the Georgia January 20th Coalition include: A World Without Police, Black Lives Matter Atlanta, Compassionate Atlanta, the Council on American-Islamic Relations: Georgia Chapter, Create Community 4 Decatur, Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), Georgia AFL-CIO, Georgia Detention Watch (GDW), Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition (GPJC), Georgia WAND, Industrial Workers of the World General Defense Committee (IWW GDC), Interfaith Peace Builders, Jewish Voice for Peace – Atlanta, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM), Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America (MADSA), National Lawyers Guild – Georgia Chapter, Project South, Respetrans -Georgia Chapter, Showing Up for Racial Justice – Atlanta, Solutions Not Punishment Coalition (SNaP-Co), Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Southerners On New Ground (SONG), United Students against Sweatshops Georgia State University, US Human Rights Network , Workers World Party

PRESS RELEASE HERE