{"id":2248791,"date":"2024-05-20T15:16:03","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T19:16:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marred-by-lobbying-conflicts-georgia-election-board-member-resigns\/"},"modified":"2024-05-20T15:16:38","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T19:16:38","slug":"marred-by-lobbying-conflicts-georgia-election-board-member-resigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marred-by-lobbying-conflicts-georgia-election-board-member-resigns\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Election Board Member Resigns Due to Lobbying Conflicts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmarred-by-lobbying-conflicts-georgia-election-board-member-resigns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2248791&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Georgia State Election Board member Ed\u200c Lindsey resigned due to conflict of interest issues. He had voted on\u2064 cases involving\u200c clients he lobbied\u200b for, violating \u200dthe\u2064 board&#8217;s Code \u200bof \u2064Conduct. Lindsey expressed concerns about the\u200d upcoming election, emphasizing the importance of transparency. Janelle King was appointed as his replacement by Speaker \u200dJon Burns. Ed Lindsey, a Georgia State Election\u200c Board \u2062member, resigned following conflicts\u200c of\u2064 interest by voting \u2063on cases \u200cinvolving his clients. His\u2064 departure highlighted the need for transparency\u200c in the upcoming elections.\u2064 Speaker Jon Burns appointed Janelle King as Lindsey&#8217;s successor.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>Georgia State Election Board (SEB) member Ed Lindsey resigned his post on Friday, months after The Federalist uncovered his history of voting on cases before the board involving clients he lobbied for.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI very much am concerned about this coming election, and I want to make sure that regardless of the outcome, that folks can have confidence in the accuracy of the results,\u201d Lindsey said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/politics\/gop-media-personality-janelle-king-appointed-to-georgia-election-board\/BJ3CGB2PJZCKPCO5FKIT5FCEVA\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>. \u201cI enjoyed being part of the process to make that happen, and I wish my successor luck in getting the state through 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-133787105\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7f85f12c1d102c3e70e6b669e2d050d6 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7f85f12c1d102c3e70e6b669e2d050d6\"><\/div>\n<p>Lindsey was <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/page\/about-state-election-board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appointed<\/a> to serve on the SEB by Georgia\u2019s Republican-controlled House of Representatives in January 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Friday\u2019s revelation came nearly two months after The Federalist <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/18\/georgia-election-board-member-voted-on-cases-involving-counties-he-lobbied-for\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> that Lindsey presided over several cases involving DeKalb and Cobb Counties during his time as an SEB member. According to Georgia lobbyist registration and disclosure <a href=\"https:\/\/media.ethics.ga.gov\/search\/Lobbyist\/Lobbyist_Name.aspx?&#038;FilerID=L20160004\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a>, not only is Lindsey registered as a lobbyist for the governments of DeKalb and Cobb Counties, he\u2019s also a lobbyist for Dentons US LLP, a global law and lobbying firm that was contracted with both localities as recently as last year.<\/p>\n<p>Lindsey also <a href=\"https:\/\/media.ethics.ga.gov\/search\/Lobbyist\/Lobbyist_Name.aspx?&#038;FilerID=L20160004\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously lobbied<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/media.ethics.ga.gov\/search\/Lobbyist\/Lobbyist_Group.aspx?&#038;FilerID=L20160004&#038;LGID=18883\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">behalf<\/a> of the National Vote at Home Coalition, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/antifa-leftists-get-censored-by-social-media-platforms\/\" title=\"Antifa, leftists get censored by social media platforms\">left-wing organization<\/a> that pushes insecure mail-in voting policies and notably interfered in the 2020 election to the benefit of Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Georgia SEB\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/sos.ga.gov\/page\/about-state-election-board\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Code of Conduct<\/a>, members of the board are required to \u201cavoid any appearance of conflict and\/or impropriety\u201d and are expected to recuse themselves from any matter before the SEB in which the member or member\u2019s employer has provided services to a \u201crespondent, complainant, or witness.\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/georgia\/2022\/title-45\/chapter-10\/article-1\/section-45-10-3\/#:~:text=Never%20take%20any%20official%20action,outcome%20of%20such%20official%20action.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">State law<\/a> also prohibits members of state boards from \u201cengag[ing] in any business with the government, either directly or indirectly, which is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his governmental duties.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-109e97473d5ee1bf0735faca29001867 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-109e97473d5ee1bf0735faca29001867\"><\/div>\n<p>When pressed on why he resigned from the State Election Board, Lindsey provided The Federalist with a copy of his resignation letter. Sent to Speaker Jon Burns on May 16, Lindsey described conversations the two purportedly had earlier this year about how \u201cthe 2024 election year will be a challenging one for the SEB and all of Georgia\u2019s election officials, as the State will face complex, and at times over heated, election issues, claims, and counter claims over the coming months.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lindsey noted how his current term on the board has expired and his role was now that of a \u201choldover appointee,\u201d but added that he has \u201cexpressed that [he] was willing and prepared, if necessary, to stay on during this contentious election year until [Burns was] ready to appoint [his] replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn our talk yesterday, you informed me that you have found someone to appoint and wish to do so this week,\u201d Lindsey wrote. \u201cMy reading of the statute at this point in the year is that technically in order for you to be able to do so, I need to resign to give you that ability. Therefore, effective at Noon, May 17, I hereby resign my position as a Member of the State Election Board in order for you to appoint my replacement.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/politics\/gop-media-personality-janelle-king-appointed-to-georgia-election-board\/BJ3CGB2PJZCKPCO5FKIT5FCEVA\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Atlanta Journal-Constitution<\/a>, Burns selected Janelle King to replace Lindsey on Friday. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/media-ignore-bidens-threat-to-nuke-americans-lets-compare-that-to-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Media Ignore Biden\u2019s Threat to Nuke Americans. Let\u2019s Compare That to Donald Trump\">conservative media figure<\/a> and former deputy director of the Georgia GOP, King is \u201cthe co-chairwoman of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-congressmen-call-out-colleagues-for-voting-by-proxy-claim-it-could-render-congress-permanently-dysfunctional\/\" title=\"GOP Congressmen Call Out Colleagues For Voting By Proxy, Claim It Could Render Congress \u2018Permanently Dysfunctional\u2019\">conservative political action committee<\/a> Let\u2019s Win For America Action with her husband, Kelvin King, a Republican and former candidate for the U.S. Senate.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7590f1be4b0af13dfde27ebed9ebdd57 fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-7590f1be4b0af13dfde27ebed9ebdd57\"><\/div>\n<p>Speaking about her appointment on Friday, King said she believes it\u2019s the SEB\u2019s job to uncover any potential irregularities in elections, including those that occurred in the 2020 election.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf there is clear evidence that nothing happened, or clear evidence that something happened, that\u2019s what I\u2019m going to lean toward, and that\u2019s where I was even in 2020,\u201d she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/politics\/gop-media-personality-janelle-king-appointed-to-georgia-election-board\/BJ3CGB2PJZCKPCO5FKIT5FCEVA\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m going to continue to lean into clear facts and evidence, and let that be the decision maker.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lindsey\u2019s resignation came days after he cast a <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/09\/board-refuses-to-have-fulton-county-investigated-for-double-scanning-3000-ballots-in-2020-recount\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deciding vote<\/a> in a case before the board involving the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections and its purported violations of election laws during the 2020 election. As my colleague Brianna Lyman previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/09\/board-refuses-to-have-fulton-county-investigated-for-double-scanning-3000-ballots-in-2020-recount\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, the county double-scanned more than 3,000 ballots during the state\u2019s 2020 presidential recount.<\/p>\n<p>While Lindsey acknowledged the \u201cclear evidence that in 2020 there were numerous violations of regulations and statutes,\u201d he voted against sending the matter to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nevada-trump-campaign-says-clark-county-registrar-joe-gloria-hiding-from-subpoena-service\/\" title=\"Nevada: Trump Campaign Says Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria Hiding From Subpoena Service\">state attorney general<\/a> for further investigation. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/georgiarecorder.com\/2024\/05\/07\/georgia-oversight-panel-ruminates-on-2020-election-hiccups-as-2024-showdowns-loom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Georgia Recorder<\/a>, Lindsey\u2019s motion \u2014 which the SEB approved \u2014 \u201callows the county to avoid paying a fine or having the attorney general investigate the double-counting of 3,075 ballots and other allegations of irregularities during the 2020 presidential recount.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lindsey also <a href=\"https:\/\/georgiarecorder.com\/2024\/02\/13\/no-excuse-absentee-voting-in-georgia-survives-a-state-election-board-vote-to-end-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">helped<\/a> defeat a resolution brought before the SEB earlier this year that would have sent a recommendation to the Georgia General Assembly to repeal no-excuse mail-in balloting.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-51d797c93fbdf3589fa1c9eafe61fac3 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-51d797c93fbdf3589fa1c9eafe61fac3\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Georgia State Election Board (SEB) member Ed Lindsey resigned on Friday following revelations by The Federalist about conflicts of interest. Lindsey had voted on cases involving clients he lobbied for. He expressed concerns about the upcoming election and emphasized the need for fairness and transparency regardless of the results<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2248792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/unnamed-2-1.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2248791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/unnamed-2-1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2248791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2248791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2248791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2248792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2248791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2248791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2248791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}