June 26, 2022 / Newsletter 282 |
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June 27th: Special Meeting of HCDP for Biennial Committee Elections
When: Monday, June 27, 6:00 pm
Where: Gainesville Civic Center
Agenda: To elect Committee members for those seats whose terms expire in 2022.
Everyone is encouraged to attend to help elect our committee members. Doors open at 6 pm. Everyone should check-in to receive an election ballot. Those planning to run for a committee seat will also get a candidate form and an affidavit from the check-in table.
NOTE: This meeting is in lieu of our regular July meeting. There will be no general party meeting in July.
Nominations for committee membership are open to all Hall County registered voters who sign an affidavit that they are a Democrat & will support Democrats in elections. See article below for more details.
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PUBLIC FORUM:
Education in Georgia
When: July 13th, 2022
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Where: Hall County Library (Downtown Gainesville Branch)
127 Main Street NW
Gainesville, GA 30501
Our Hall County Democratic candidates have set up this event, open to the public, to listen to the concerns and issues of students, parents, teachers, and administrators, to better serve our community. Click on the image below for more details.
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On Tuesday last week, the eyes of the nation were on several Georgians who testified in front of the Select Committee on January 6th. But none were more impactful than 2 women from Fulton County, Ruby Freeman (“Lady Ruby”) and her daughter Weandra Arshaye (Shaye) Moss. Their testimony was heart-rending evidence of how Donald Trump’s coup attempt affected every day citizens just trying to do their jobs.
We salute their courage and wish them well in their journey to reclaim their names.
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ARE YOU TIRED OF THE GOP STRANGLEHOLD ON OUR POLITICS?
RUN FOR A SEAT ON THE HCDP COMMITTEE!
THANK YOU to all who have contacted us about running for election to our committee! If you are interested but haven’t notified us yet, there is still time to put your name in the hat. We will be accepting candidates up to the start of our special election meeting.
The Hall County Democratic Party will be holding elections for 9 seats on our Committee on June 27th. We are looking for Democrats who are excited to work towards electing Democrats in Hall County, the 9th District, and Georgia as a whole!
We've made great strides over the past 6 years in fielding Democratic candidates, registering voters, and turning out the Democratic vote in Hall County. This is your chance to make even more progress towards a Georgia that is governed by people who truly care about Georgians.
What does a Committee member do?
Committee members serve a 4-year term and have a vote in how our party is run. We hold quarterly meetings to coordinate all the critical activities of a political party, including fundraising, candidate recruiting, candidate training, communicating with our members, and getting out the vote. Being a member of the Committee also provides networking opportunities not only in Hall County, but throughout the state of Georgia.
What seats are up for election this year?
Seats up for election this year include at least one seat in each district in Hall County. Districts coincide with the districts for the Hall County Commission. To run for a post in a district, your address on the voter rolls much be in that district. We also have some at-large seats up for election this year; those standing for these seats may live anywhere in Hall County.
We are currently seeking candidates to run for these seats:
District 1 (South Hall) 2 seats ( map) District 2 (Southwest/West Hall) 2 seats ( map) District 3 (East/North Hall) 1 seat ( map) District 4 (Gainesville) 1 seat ( map) At large (anywhere in the county) 3 seats
What are the qualifications for running?
You must be registered to vote in Hall County and sign an affidavit that you are a Democrat and will support Democratic candidates.
How do I become a candidate?
Send an email to hallcountydemocrat@gmail.com with "Run for Committee seat" in the subject line. In the body of the email, include your name as it appears on the voter rolls and your street address (so we can verify your district). Then come to our meeting on June 27th to participate in the election. |
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Donate to our Democratic Candidates
Using the secure website ActBlue, you can donate to these Hall County Democrats running for office. Use the links below:
We'll add links for our other Hall County candidates as they become available. Candidates can email us at HallCountyDemocrat@gmail.com with information about their campaigns.
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WE HAVE STACEY ABRAMS YARD SIGNS!
Show your support for Stacey Abrams for Governor with a yard sign. Come by HQ during office hours (at the bottom of this email). For a donation to Hall County Democratic Party, you can walk out with a sign! All donations welcome.
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Want to do something about the overturning of Roe v Wade?
Here are some actions you can take
No matter that we were expecting it, the decision released Friday was a punch to the gut for of all those who believe in a woman's right to bodily autonomy and in the right to privacy. With Clarence Thomas brazenly saying he wants to reverse decisions legalizing contraception, same sex marriage, and same sex intimacy, there are millions of lives that will be affected.
After the grief and anger, it's time to act. Here are some steps you can take:
Educate yourself
Learn what the law in Georgia will mean to those seeking abortion healthcare. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said that states can't prohibit FDA-approved abortion medications due to safety reasons, but the so-called heartbeat bill prohibits physicians from proceeding with surgical or medicinal abortions after about 6 weeks (from the patient's LAST PERIOD. This is NOT the same as 6 weeks pregnant.). Here is an article that may answer your questions about current law versus the new law that will probably go into effect soon.
Protest
Donate or volunteer
National association for independent community-based, abortion care providers and their allies. Together we work to ensure the rights of all people to experience respectful, dignified abortion care.
Will split your donation between 86 organizations across state lines — and gives you the option to customize different amounts for different groups. The group has links to organizations in every state, so you have the option of targeting your donations to the areas most hostile to abortion, where women have the least access.
works to protect and advance abortion rights around the world by removing restrictive laws and policies, promoting measures to improve access to safe and legal abortion, and countering efforts to undermine access to abortion care.
a non-partisan, nonprofit organization assisting women who are financially unable to pay for safe, legal abortions or emergency contraceptives. The group works directly with pre-screened health clinics across the U.S., on a case-by-case basis.
Access Reproductive Care Southeast offers “funding and logistical support to ensure Southerners receive safe and compassionate reproductive care including abortion services.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America
Organizes and mobilized to protect freedom by fighting for access to abortion care, birth control, paid parental leave and protections from pregnancy discrimination.
SisterSong’s mission is to strengthen and amplify the collective voices of indigenous women and women of color to achieve reproductive justice by eradicating reproductive oppression and securing human rights.
working to advance access to sexual health care and defend reproductive rights.
The ACLU of Georgia is committed to using every tool at our disposal to keep abortion safe and legal in Georgia,
Campaign for candidates who support abortion rights
Sign up to canvass, phone bank, write postcards, text on behalf of Democratic candidates. The state Attorney General race is particularly crucial in 2022, since the AG can prioritize what crimes the state prosecutes. Jen Jordan is the Democrat running for Attorney General in Georgia. Sending more Democrats to Congress is also a way to support women's access to abortion healthcare. Mike Ford is the Congressional candidate in Georgia's 9th District, and Senator Raphael Warnock is up for re-election this year. Helping with their campaigns can make a difference.
Register voters, especially young people.
Vote for Democrats in EVERY RACE on the ballot.
Vote in every election--local, state, federal. It will take time to take back our rights, so make voting an annual exercise!
Democrats across the country are mobilized in the fight for reproductive freedom. The US House has passed a bill codifying the right to abortion nationwide, but Mitch McConnell has stalled it in the Senate. We need at least 2 more Democratic Senators to end the filibuster and bring this bill (along with many others) up for a vote. If you can, support Democratic Senatorial candidates in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, where we have a chance to flip those seats.
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Security and Privacy Tips for People Seeking An Abortion
Given the shifting state of the law, people seeking an abortion, or any kind of reproductive healthcare that might end with the termination of a pregnancy, may need to pay close attention to their digital privacy and security. We've previously...
Read more
www.eff.org
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Election News: Winners of Democratic Primary Runoff |
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The primary runoff on Tuesday has set the Democratic ticket for statewide races. All the winners got over 60% of the vote. Thank you for everyone who voted, whether early or on Election Day. We’re proud to have hosted all the winners or their surrogates as featured speakers this year. As we go into November, look for us to have more great speakers at our monthly meetings.
Here are the winners:
For Lieutenant Governor
For Secretary of State
For Labor Commissioner
For Insurance Commissioner
In general across the state, the *most* extreme Republicans had a bad night, with Trump-endorsed candidates like Vernon Jones losing decisively and several 1776-Project believers losing races for their county school boards. However, the GOP ticket is still rife with election deniers, voter-suppression advocates, and white nationalist supporters. It will take all our energy to elect Stacey Abrams and down-ticket Democrats to make sure Georgia doesn’t fall to those who wish to impose their vision of Jim Crow onto the state.
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Message from the Acting Chair:
You're invited
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Note: While Mike Ford is taking a leave of absence from the chairship to focus on his campaign for U S House in Georgia's 9th District, Acting Chair Jackie Sosby shares her thoughts with our readers. |
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We're holding our biennial elections for the Hall County Democratic Party Committee this Monday, starting at 6 PM at the Gainesville Civic Center.
Whether you want to run for a seat on our committee to help set the direction of our party or want to meet fellow Democrats, this meeting is the place to be. If you are ready to get to work to replace the extremist Republicans with Democrats who will work for YOU, join us on Monday.
I hope to see a bunch of you there.
Let's get fired up and ready to go!
Democratically yours,
Jackie Sosby
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On the Brink of a Coup—Week 3:
How Trump Used Pressure & Intimidation in his Efforts to Overturn the Election
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Select Committee on January 6th Hearings 4 & 5
This past week has seen five major national stories compete for our attention:
- Two more hearings on the January 6th insurrection that presented evidence of a calculated campaign to pressure state and local election officials to overturn certified results, to arouse rabid supporters to physically and verbally intimidate elections workers in Atlanta, and to compel the Department of Justice to support the big lie.
- Three Supreme Court decisions moving our country far to the extreme right: ending the requirement for police to give the "Miranda warning" explaining a citizen's rights when being arrested, overturning a New York law requiring a license to carry a concealed firearm, and overturning Roe v Wade and Casey v Planned Parenthood.
You may rightfully feel shell-shocked after such a week. We get it. It's exhausting to be assaulted on all sides with evidence of the threats to our liberties and even our lives. And Friday's decision to overturn Roe v Wade may have knocked all thoughts of the January 6th hearings right out of your head.
Yet it was only three days ago that we learned how Trump installed a mole in the DOJ to get the Department to ignore the rule of law and the names of several GOP Congresspersons who sought pardons for their actions around the coup attempt.
Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, whose home the FBI searched on Thursday morning, was going behind his boss's back to meet directly with Trump. Working with another Trump sycophant that Trump installed after the election, Clark drafted a letter to go out Georgia and other states to pressure officials to overturn the election results and certify a slate of fake electors. Trump was ready to fire Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen and replace him with Clark until the entire leadership team at Justice threatened to resign on the spot.
From contemporaneous notes,former acting U.S. deputy attorney general Richard Donoghue testified that the President told him, "Just say it was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen." As if that weren't bad enough, Trump even latched on to a crazy theory that Italian satellites had flipped votes from Trump to Biden, an idea Donoghue called "insanity."
And just this past Tuesday, two brave women told stories of intimidation, harassment and violence because the President of the United States singled them out for stealing the election by...exchanging a ginger mint.
These women still fear for their lives because Trump named them publicly and set his followers after them. "Lady Ruby" Freeman had to close down her online business because of the threats, and her daughter Shaye Moss fought back tears as she recounted how the president's actions had taken away her sense of safety and security. Rabid Trumpites even tried to break through the door of Ms Moss's grandmother in a search for evidence of fraud.Someone sent Ms Moss a message saying "Be glad this is 2020, not 1920" a thinly-veiled reference to lynching.
Earlier in Tuesday's hearing, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling, and Arizona Speaker of the House Rusty Bowers--all staunch Republicans who had voted for Trump--testified in detail about how they were pressured by Trump, Rudy Giuliani and others to throw out the legitimate results of their states' election. As with Ms Moss and Ms Freeman, these men and their families were subjected to death threats and protestors outside their homes, Trump acolytes who believed the Big Lie.
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WATCH: 'There is nowhere I feel safe,' says Georgia...
The Jan. 6 House committee heard from former Georgia election workers Wandrea ArShaye "Shaye" Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman, who testified on how Trump's ...
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www.youtube.com
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Watch: Gabriel Sterling describes moment he 'lost it'...
Georgia election official Gabriel Sterling describes the threatening tweet that directly led him to address then-President Donald Trump during a press conference in December of 2020.
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www.cnn.com
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George Conway: Bowers recognized Trump was asking him to ...
Rusty Bowers, a Republican and the speaker of the Arizona House, testified on Tuesday about the effort by former President Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani to have the state Legislature pick a new, rival slate of electors that would favor Trump.
Read more
www.msnbc.com
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Republican lawmakers sought Trump pardons on heels of...
Up to a half-dozen Republican lawmakers who strongly supported then-President Donald Trump's false claims of ballot fraud in the 2020 election sought pardons from him in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, according to testimony and...
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www.cnbc.com
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Battleground: Ballot Box
After the 2020 election, Georgia remains at the center of debates over who we vote for, how we vote, and how those votes are counted. GPB News political reporter Stephen Fowler dives into the conflicts, controversies and conspiracies driving...
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www.gpb.org
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State election officials tell Jan. 6 committee of...
WASHINGTON - Tuesday's House hearings on the Capitol attack Jan. 6, 2021, focused on the pressure former President Donald Trump applied to state officials to overturn 2020 election results, including Trump's infamous call to Georgia Secretary of...
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www.usatoday.com
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OK, But Brad Raffensperger and Rusty Bowers Defended...
I was traveling most of Tuesday, so I had to catch up with the dramatics at the hearing of the House Special Committee investigating the events of January 6, 2021 on various evening replays.
Read more
www.esquire.com
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'Just say it was corrupt' and 3 other takeaways from...
A president desperate to retain power and enmeshed in fringe internet conspiracies engaged in a multi-layer conspiracy, pressuring top Justice Department officials and grasping for straws of legitimacy for his election lies - facts be damned.
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www.npr.org
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With all the news of illegal behavior by the Republicans leading up the the January 6th insurrection, and all the extremely political decisions handed down by the Supreme Court this week, it's hard to believe not one letter was published expressing a liberal or progressive viewpoint. Get out those keyboards, Democrats, and write!
If YOU have an opinion you want to share, you can submit a letter to the editor here: https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/about-us-main/contact-letter/ The Times has long given short shrift to Democrats, so letters to the editor are a way to get out the message that we are here, we are active, and we care about Hall County and Georgia!
If you'd like us to help with a letter to the editor, email hallcountydemocrat@gmail.com and put "letter to the editor" in the subject line.
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Laura Colaninno reflects on her appreciation of Juneteenth and why it should be meaningful to white people as well as Black Americans
Laura had a close friend who was trying to relate to the new holiday of Juneteenth as a white person. Is it OK to celebrate, or is it somehow appropriating Black culture? What meaning can I find in Juneteenth?
Laura wrote the following to express how she herself appreciates Juneteenth.
After reflecting on Juneteenth, our newest Federal holiday, I feel it is a gift given to the Nation from the former slaves of Galveston, Texas. It was a celebration of Freedom for them, when Federal troops showed up more than two and a half years after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation and said to slave owners, “Let our people go,” but for America today it is so much more.
Over two-hundred years ago a great experiment was begun. It was an experiment of self-rule in modern times. Our Forefathers put quill to parchment to write the Constitution of The United States. This document was great but flawed because it was written by great but flawed men. It was not written by God but by fallible men searching for a different kind of government. When Benjamin Franklin was asked, what kind of government have they given us, he responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” I ask, “Can we keep it?”
Juneteenth is an example of why our Constitution was flawed, because when our Forefathers wrote the Constitution it was legal to own another person. Other countries during the Ninteenth Century found slavery an abomination and took steps to free slaves and put an end to the slave trade. The United States had not seen the flaw in our Constitution and would not change it with a pen; instead powerful men with money chose to change it with guns. People say the Civil War was about States’ Rights, but it was really about the right of rich people to own another person.
Juneteenth reminds us that the Constitution was not written in stone by God, but by men doing the best they could. During their time they did not see slavery as the evil it is. Since the first Juneteenth, there have been other times, we have changed our Constitution and the Laws of this country. We have been fortunate to make these changes with a pen and not a gun. At the beginning of the Twentieth century, we changed the Constitution so women could vote. In the middle of the Twentieth century, we decided Separate but Equal was not really working for our children and our schools. They have changed this country, from “All Men are Created Equal” to “All People are Created Equal.”
I want to thank former slaves for Juneteenth. It is a Celebration of Freedom, but it is also a reminder that we were given a Republic and we need to keep it. We must remember to fight for this Republic with a pen and not a gun. We must remember we were given a republic by our Forefathers and not a Fascist government.
For Juneteenth is a celebration for all Americans, and may we never turn on each other ever again to solve our differences. Juneteenth is truly our most important Federal Holiday. Thanks again to the slaves of Galveston Texas. I am sorry that our Forefathers made a big mistake when they wrote the Constitution.
Your friend,
Laura Colaninno
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State & Local News (Some links may require a subscription)
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'I am appalled.' Stacey Abrams blasts Supreme Court's...
"We have good people in the state who know this is wrong. More than half of the state of Georgia disagrees with this decision. The bill that was passed and the law that was signed by Brian Kemp is a law for a small community of people so they can ...
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www.ajc.com
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What local reaction is to Supreme Court's overturning...
U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens, who represents the 9th District, said in a statement he applauded the Supreme Court for "rightfully repealing" Roe v. Wade. "Today's decision marks a major victory in the fight to protect the first and most...
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www.gainesvilletimes.com
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Abortion rights supporters gather in Atlanta after...
Hours after the Supreme Court released its decision overturning the federal right to an abortion, a crowd of hundreds gathered in Atlanta to express their anger at the decision.
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georgiarecorder.com
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What happens now to Georgia's 2019 anti-abortion law? -...
This story was updated at 5:45 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2022. The Supreme Court's decision Friday overturning Roe v. Wade began a major shift in Georgians' future access to abortion, but how exactly that shift will play out remains to be seen....
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georgiarecorder.com
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Sen. Warnock on SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade: 'This is ...
Warnock spoke to reporters about the decision on Friday. He said he believes the matter should be left between a woman and her doctor. 11Alive is Where Atlan...
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www.youtube.com
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Herschel Walker for U.S. Senate? Bad for Sports, Bad for ...
From Kareem Adbul Jabar: The once-great football player Herschel Walker is running for the U.S. Senate seat from Georgia, and I can't decide whether it's a cosmic prank from Loki or the first sign of the impending zombie apocalypse.
Read more
kareem.substack.com
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DOJ subpoenas Georgia Republican Party chairman as it...
Federal investigators subpoenaed the Georgia Republican Party chairman for information related to the fake elector scheme there -- as the Justice Department has issued a fresh round of subpoenas to people from several states who acted as rogue...
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www.cnn.com
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National News (Some links may require a subscription)
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More protests expected this weekend amid fury and...
The seismic ruling by the US Supreme Court to eliminate the federal constitutional right to an abortion has roiled the country, fueling protests that began Friday and that are expected to extend throughout the weekend.
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www.cnn.com
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'You have to say the magic words.' What the Supreme...
The 6-3 majority conservative decision concluded that failing to read someone their Miranda warning doesn't allow law enforcement to be sued for violating someone's civil rights. The decision guts a major pathway for incentivizing police to...
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www.usatoday.com
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Opinion | How the GOP is making national policy one...
About 45 percent of Americans live in the 25 GOP-dominated states, and about 40 percent in the 16 Democratic ones. In effect, we have two Americas of policy - and only a small fraction of Americans live in a place where one vision or the other...
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www.washingtonpost.com
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Law enforcement officials: Supreme Court gun ruling will ...
The Supreme Court decision which struck down a New York law placing restrictions on carrying a concealed gun outside the home will have drastic consequences for law enforcement, inhibiting their ability to remove illegal guns from the street and...
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www.cnn.com
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HCDP Office hours:
NOTE: Due to pest control activities, the office will not be open for the next few weeks. We'll resume regular office hours soon.
Monday 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday CLOSED
Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday CLOSED
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314 College Avenue
Gainesville, GA 30501
Phone: (470) 892-5825
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