BREAKING update ROCKS Georgia Supreme Court

0:00 I'm joined now by candidates for the Georgia State Supreme Court,

0:03 Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan.

0:05 Thank you so much both for coming on.

0:08 Yeah, thank you for having us.

0:10 So, Georgia has been in the news quite a bit lately.

0:13 First, because in Fulton County, uh ballots received from the 2020 election,

0:17 that effort was led by Tulsi Gabbard.

0:19 But more recently, um there is there seems

0:22 to be uh a focus from the administration on even poll workers in Georgia whose

0:27 names are being shared with the administration.

0:29 So, as we look at Georgia in this upcoming election,

0:33 where that state is often the testing ground for voter suppression efforts

0:36 that are going to be exported to the rest of the country,

0:39 what do you say to folks who don't have faith that there are going to be

0:41 free and fair elections because of all

0:43 of the interference that seems to already be happening?

0:49 So, I'll jump in first.

0:50 I think the biggest thing for people to understand in the context

0:53 of this race is that all election

0:56 challenges go ultimately to the Georgia Supreme Court.

1:00 And so, whenever you're talking about interference with an election,

1:04 um or any attempts to um to monkey around with the results or whatever,

1:09 all of that ultimately goes up to the Georgia Supreme Court.

1:12 And that's why it's so incredibly important for anyone who

1:16 is concerned about this to make sure that they feel confident

1:19 that the people that they're voting for and that they're

1:21 putting on the court are really going to um you know,

1:24 make sure that their rights are protected ultimately.

1:28 Yeah.

1:29 I would agree that um the right to vote,

1:33 having access to uh poll places that are not being encumbered,

1:39 is very important and is a very sacred right to not have it interfered with.

1:44 And as Jen previously said, we have a unique opportunity here in Georgia

1:50 to decide what does our court look like,

1:52 who are those justices that will ultimately serve for the next 6 years,

1:56 and help determine some of these key moments in Georgia's history.

2:00 So, it has been an honor to run for the Supreme Court

2:04 and to give the voters of our state another opportunity and a different

2:07 choice for what the court can look like and making sure that we

2:10 stand up and uphold the Georgia Constitution and the rights of all Georgians.

2:17 So, Miracle, the the partisan makeup of the court

2:20 right now is I believe that there are nine seats on the state Supreme

2:24 Court and eight of them are are conservatives.

2:27 Is that correct?

2:29 That is correct.

2:30 So, this is, you know, this would be the beginning of a process

2:33 to rebalance out a court that is overwhelmingly Republican,

2:36 not too similar to what we saw in Wisconsin, for example,

2:39 where there is there was an overwhelmingly conservative

2:42 court and it is these election cycles where

2:45 liberals are able to chip away at the conservative

2:47 majority to the point where it actually flips,

2:49 but it has to start somewhere and it could start here.

2:52 And so, you know, we we had just spoken

2:54 about um this idea of of election uh protection,

2:59 voter protection, but what other issues come before the Georgia Supreme Court?

3:03 Why does this matter for folks in Georgia?

3:07 So, the Georgia Supreme Court matters because

3:10 the court ultimately decides what it looks

3:13 like for us in Georgia in Georgia and for um a living perspective, right?

3:17 So, be it our right to dealing with access to the vote,

3:23 health care, criminal matters,

3:25 there are so many issues that are fundamental uh what the Constitution

3:29 looks like and how is it applied across the board to all Georgians.

3:33 That ultimately goes up to the Supreme Court.

3:35 So, when we talk about a court that has the power

3:38 to ultimately decide what do the laws in our state

3:41 actually how do they get applied and how they do

3:44 they actually come out in context in our everyday lives,

3:48 that is the Supreme Court.

3:49 And so, So really important that when we're

3:52 dealing with these major issues of our rights, um,

3:55 that are very fundamentally guaranteed to us,

3:58 that we have a court that is willing to apply our Constitution fairly.

4:01 What we've seen at the federal level is

4:04 that a lot of those rights are being taken away,

4:06 those federal protections that we once had, they're not there anymore.

4:10 And so now it's coming back to the states

4:12 for the states to decide what does Georgia look like,

4:15 not just for this year, but from 5 years, 10 years from now.

4:19 And so that's very important, it's a very pivotal moment because it also leaves

4:23 the opportunity for states to have different rules in play,

4:26 different laws that govern.

4:28 And it shouldn't be that way,

4:29 but when we don't have the federal protections giving us the baseline,

4:33 then now we leave it up to the states to make those important decisions.

4:36 And so ultimately in Georgia, a lot of that will land at the Supreme Court.

4:40 Jen, do you have anything to add?

4:43 Yeah, I mean, I think Miracle is exactly right.

4:46 I I what we see is this devolution, right?

4:49 Where it's like things that we've relied on for so

4:51 long in terms of the federal courts to really, um,

4:54 protect the individual rights of of people

4:57 in this country and in this state, um, you know,

5:00 we've been we've been told, you know,

5:03 there's nothing here for you to see anymore, right?

5:05 Whether we're talking about when Dobbs came out and after 50 years, um,

5:09 now women, um, don't have fundamental right to autonomy and to privacy, right?

5:15 And then just last week with the Cale decision in terms

5:18 of the Voting Rights Act where it was completely gutted.

5:22 Now, forever, because Georgia is a former slave state, right?

5:25 It was governed by the VRA, so any challenge went to the federal courts.

5:31 So in terms of our state courts,

5:33 we've really never had to grapple with any of those issues or had any

5:37 challenges arising under the state constitution like

5:40 a First Amendment or political association challenge.

5:43 Now, because we can't go to the federal courts anymore,

5:47 that's going to open up a whole other lane in terms

5:49 of state courts and ultimately to the state Supreme Court level.

5:53 So, um Jen, I want to I want

5:55 to discuss the difference then between the existing members

5:59 of the Georgia Supreme Court and and both of you

6:02 in terms of some of these issues in particular.

6:04 You know, as there is more onus on state courts,

6:08 given the fact that for example, the Voting Rights Act will no longer apply

6:11 and these issues won't be uh litigated in in federal court,

6:15 but rather in state court.

6:17 Can you talk about some of the biggest differences

6:18 between the existing members of the Georgia Supreme Court,

6:22 your opponents, and both of you?

6:25 Yeah, I think the biggest thing is that our state Supreme Court really now is

6:30 controlled um by folks who are members

6:33 and leaders of the Federalist Society in this state.

6:37 And um for those folks listening who

6:40 may not know what the Federalist Society is,

6:43 I can I can tell you that members of the US Supreme

6:45 Court that are members of the Federalist Society in a line are Alito,

6:50 um Thomas, um Amy Coney Barrett, you know,

6:54 if all of the ultra-conservatives are all Federalist Society folks.

7:00 And so, our court right now kind of follows,

7:04 you know, what the US Supreme Court is doing.

7:06 And and that's kind of whatever they do, it kind of gets dictated down.

7:10 Um the problem with that now is, you know,

7:13 what are they going to do now that we have

7:16 rights that need to be adjudicated under the state Constitution.

7:20 And I'll have to tell you that historically,

7:21 Georgia's state Constitution has been um interpreted much

7:26 more expansively um in a more progressive way.

7:30 Um I like to quote a former a former

7:33 Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court who

7:35 basically said his judicial philosophy was that the federal

7:38 Constitution is kind of the floor for people's rights.

7:42 And the Georgia Constitution always gives people in this state more,

7:47 more protections, more rights.

7:49 Right now, the folks on the court, they don't believe in that.

7:52 They don't subscribe to that.

7:54 And we've seen that in terms of a lot of um the decisions that have come down.

7:59 Um and probably what is more significant is what

8:01 we know what's heading toward us in the future.

8:05 Miracle, when when you've spoken with Georgia voters,

8:08 I'm curious what the principal issue that has been brought up to you has been.

8:13 Um and especially like in an environment like this where where, you know,

8:18 we have seen uh a Republican party kind of campaign on one

8:22 thing and then when it came time for them to govern,

8:24 deliver on something entirely different.

8:26 So, has that been a theme in your conversations with voters?

8:30 It has been.

8:31 Um people are really concerned what what our state looks like,

8:35 what our nation looks like.

8:37 Um and one of the things that I've constantly heard is what you just said.

8:41 We were sold one thing and now we have a totally different existence, right?

8:45 But beyond that, when it comes to the courts themselves,

8:48 one thing that I've consistently heard Georgia voters say is it they

8:52 don't feel like it's a place where they can get a fair shot.

8:54 Yeah.

8:55 And because they don't feel like it's the place where they can get a fair shot,

8:57 I think more people are tuning

8:59 in to judicial elections than they probably have before.

9:03 Um because now they realize I actually get to pick who's going to sit

9:07 on our state's highest court or any other court in our state, right?

9:10 So, that has been a underlying theme that I've heard,

9:14 but I was hearing that before I even made the decision

9:17 to run as representing individuals across the state who've been really injured.

9:21 Um my clients, when they come to me because

9:23 they've lost a limb or they lost a loved one,

9:26 they always ask me, "Will I get a fair shake?

9:28 Will they take me seriously?

9:30 And will I be treated the same?" And we hear about equal justice under the law,

9:35 but it has to be a lived-out principle.

9:37 It can't be something that we're just espousing, but not actually applying.

9:41 And so, that's why it's so important that we have justices on the court who will

9:45 actually stand up and make sure that the rule

9:47 of law is being applied for everyone,

9:49 and that our Constitution is being read in its most broad sense

9:53 to ensure that all the protections that were guaranteed are set forth.

9:56 So, those are the things that I've been hearing

9:58 from the trail as I've been going around campaigning.

10:00 To that end, um and I feel like I buried the lead here,

10:03 but but can both of you give um uh an idea of what

10:07 your background is and what your and why you've decided to run this race.

10:12 What's most important to you?

10:13 What was the impetus to jump in here?

10:16 Yeah.

10:17 Well, I I grew up in a South Georgia, you know,

10:20 raised by a single mother who had a beauty shop,

10:22 and it's one of those things where I didn't have lawyers in my family,

10:26 um but the most important thing was always about, you know,

10:30 how you helped your neighbor in your community,

10:32 and really trying to lift everybody up.

10:35 And it was only because of pro-education policies in this state at the time

10:41 that I was even able to go to college and then ultimately law school.

10:45 And for the last 25 years, you know,

10:47 my entire career has been dedicated to representing

10:50 individuals a lot like Miracle who are facing

10:53 some of the most significant issues they've ever

10:56 had to deal with, whether it's, you know,

10:59 the single mother who's facing eviction on Christmas Eve,

11:02 or, you know, trying to run predatory lenders out of the state,

11:05 or or folks um who can't get their health

11:08 insurance um to actually cover their breast cancer treatments.

11:12 I mean, but but what it comes down to is always about an individual

11:16 who has to get a lawyer involved just to get what they're due.

11:20 And that's not right, right?

11:22 And and so, something has to fundamentally change,

11:25 and and that's also in terms of the way the courts are working.

11:28 Right now, people aren't getting a fair shot.

11:32 People aren't being treated fairly.

11:34 You know, Uh if you're powerful and you've got money,

11:36 man, you got a lot better shot,

11:38 you know, in front of of the courts as they are in Georgia right now.

11:42 And so, I know that's why I'm running and I know

11:44 that's a lot of the reason why Miracle is running, too.

11:47 Yes, so I am originally from Louisiana.

11:50 So, the Cale decision really hits a little differently

11:53 for me because my family lives in Louisiana right now,

11:56 the vast majority of them.

11:58 And so, they're having to grapple with what

12:00 what does it mean when elections are getting canceled?

12:02 And what does it mean when we may not have the representatives

12:06 of our choosing in front of us like for us to select from?

12:09 So, growing up in the South, I've seen firsthand how sometimes

12:14 our laws disproportionately affect individuals.

12:17 And that's one of the reasons that led me to law school

12:20 and ultimately spending the last two decades or so of my career

12:22 fighting for individuals and standing up against powerful corporate interests

12:26 that try to harm the Some people call it the little person,

12:30 which has been an interesting term to me, but harming individuals, right?

12:33 Because I think we all matter and when we are harmed,

12:37 somebody needs to be there to stand up for you.

12:39 So, that's something that I prided myself in doing throughout my career,

12:43 taking tough cases and getting great results for my clients.

12:46 My decision to run for the Supreme Court

12:49 really came when I looked in my baby's eyes.

12:51 I have two young kids that are under the age of 10

12:54 and I frequently tell them you can be whatever you want to be,

12:57 you can do whatever you want to do.

12:58 But if you see something, you need to say something.

13:01 And if you can do something, then you need to do something about it.

13:04 And I'm in a position to be able to do the something, right?

13:08 I don't agree with many of the decisions that have

13:11 been coming down from the courts in our state.

13:13 And I understand that there're going to be

13:15 a lot of decisions that Georgians have to have made

13:19 by our Supreme Court and we need to have

13:21 individuals on that court that we know will be fair,

13:23 that will not lean towards corporate interests or special interests,

13:27 but that will lean towards making sure we

13:29 ensure that the rights of every Georgian are

13:30 protected under our law and our constitution because

13:34 we're leaving a Georgia for somebody else, right?

13:36 I have kids following up behind me and I need to make

13:39 sure that I leave this state better than what I found it.

13:42 And so that's one of the main reasons

13:43 that I'm running because my babies deserve better,

13:46 Georgians deserve better and we need a court that will protect all of us.

13:50 Jen, for folks who are looking to help

13:52 your and Miracle's campaigns, where can they go?

13:56 They can go to jenforgeorgia.com, justiceforgeorgia.com,

14:01 and miracle um Miracle what's the website?

14:05 miracleforgeorgia.com.

14:07 So for both of us the four Georgia's Well,

14:09 for me four Georgia's f o r g e o r g i a.com.

14:13 So miracleforgeorgia.com.

14:15 Okay, great.

14:16 the same for you, Jen?

14:17 I use the number.

14:18 Yeah, yeah.

14:19 I'm going to I use the number actually.

14:21 So just the four and then Georgia spelled out.

14:24 But look, follow us on social media, share, you know,

14:28 that's part of this is educating folks cuz like look,

14:32 no one has done this successfully since 1922.

14:35 Since 1922, an incumbent justice on the Supreme Court has not been beaten.

14:40 So it's one of these things folks don't even know you can vote for somebody

14:44 on the Supreme Court cuz they think about kind of at the federal level.

14:48 And so part of this process has been about educating people to say,

14:51 "Look, it is about transparency, it is about accountability,

14:55 and you have the ability to actually choose the people who are going to make

14:59 some of the biggest decisions in the coming

15:02 years that absolutely not only impact your life, your children's life,

15:06 but even your grandchildren down the line." And might

15:08 I add Brian that it's happening right now.

15:11 This is in November.

15:13 We have one race one race only.

15:16 It's here in May.

15:17 We're voting currently in Georgia.

15:19 If you're listening and you're a Georgia voter,

15:21 you have until May 15th to early vote.

15:24 The election day is the May 19th.

15:26 We don't show back up on your ballots in November.

15:29 This is our only race and our only

15:31 time this term to change what the Georgia Supreme

15:34 Court can look like and for you to have that option to do so as the electorate.

15:38 Well, I appreciate I appreciate you both being here.

15:41 For everybody who's watching and listening right now, we all have a job to do,

15:45 which is to make sure that everybody knows that this race is happening.

15:48 If you can contribute, then please contribute.

15:51 But otherwise, there's no excuse for um for everyone who

15:54 is watching and listening right now not to let people know,

15:56 whether it's through social media, whether it's through word of mouth,

15:58 that this race is happening in Georgia right now.

16:01 And as I mentioned at the top, um the process for flipping a deeply entrenched

16:07 conservative Supreme Court uh begins with two seats

16:11 in this case um in terms of flipping that flipping

16:14 the the political uh makeup of the court altogether.

16:17 So, um both of you, thank you so much for taking the time to be here.

16:21 And again, I'm going to put the links to both of your websites

16:24 right here on the screen and also in the post description.

16:25 For those who are listening on the podcast,

16:27 I'm going to put it in the show notes.

16:28 And uh best luck in the campaign trail.

16:31 Thank you.

16:32 Thank you.

16:32 Thanks for having us.