Judge orders Trump on Fulton ballots; Rural health funds; Ossoff rally in Atlanta

Summary

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Georgia Today Podcast – Episode Summary

Date: February 9, 2026
Host: Orlando Montoya (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Main Theme:
This episode covers major developments in Georgia, including a federal judge’s order regarding Fulton County ballots, new federal funding for rural healthcare, Senator Jon Ossoff’s Atlanta rally, legislative efforts on income and body cam tax laws, and notable stories from across the state.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Release Fulton Ballot Records

• [00:01; 00:39] Orlando introduces the episode’s lead story: a federal judge in Atlanta has ordered the Trump administration to produce documentation justifying the FBI-led seizure of hundreds of Fulton County ballots from a 2020 election storage facility.
  • The judge, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulay, also unsealed records related to a lawsuit brought by Rob Pitts (Fulton County Commission Chairman) after the FBI raid on January 28th.
• Implication: There are increasing transparency demands regarding federal actions in Fulton County and ongoing scrutiny of 2020 election procedures.

2. Senator Jon Ossoff Rally in Atlanta

• [00:27; 01:49] Reporter Sarah Kalis covers Senator Jon Ossoff’s rally, which directly responds to the recent FBI search and seizure of ballots:
  • Ossoff energizes a crowd of hundreds by positioning the federal action as a violation of the civil rights heartland:

    "But they made a big mistake. They came to Fulton County, Georgia. They came to the political and spiritual heart of the civil rights movement." – Jon Ossoff [00:27; 01:49]

  • Ossoff further accuses the Trump administration of politicizing federal law enforcement:

    "Is corrupting the Department of Justice." – Jon Ossoff [02:06]

• [02:08] Republican response: National Republican Senate Committee asserts Ossoff is out of touch with Georgia interests.
• Significance: The raid becomes a flashpoint in ongoing political debates, linking past civil rights legacies to current federal actions.

3. Trial of Colin Gray: Gun Access and School Shooting

• [02:11] Jury selection begins in the trial of Colin Gray, whose son is charged with a deadly 2024 high school shooting:
  • Colin Gray faces 29 counts for allegedly allowing gun access despite warnings.
  • His son, Colt, faces 55 counts, pleading not guilty.
• Context: Case highlights gun access, parental responsibility, and school safety issues.

4. $218 Million Federal Boost for Rural Health Care

• [03:14] Georgia hospitals will receive $218 million under a federal Rural Health Transformation Program:
  • Funds originate from "the big beautiful bill," a major Trump-era package.
  • [03:35] Hospital CEOs, like Van Laskoski of Stevens County Hospital, discuss the need for improvements in emergency preparedness:

    "We just in the last two weeks have had two events where we've had to shelter staff in place for an extended period of time with snowy and icy weather. And there's funding built into this package that helps hospitals in emergency situations..." – Van Laskoski [03:35]

  • Funds aim to relieve the financial stress on small hospitals, particularly amid disaster scenarios.

5. State Senate Proposals to Reduce or Eliminate Income Tax

• [04:13] Two bills introduced:
  • Senate Bill 476: Gradually eliminates state income tax over six years, with two-thirds exempted in year one (those earning less than $100,000 joint / $50,000 single).

    "It takes six years to do it, but in year one you eliminate the income tax on two thirds of Georgians, all of those making less than $100,000." – Sen. Blake Tillery [04:32]

  • Senate Bill 477: More modestly reduces rates to below 5% for all.

    "We still reduce the tax rate at a greater rate than we're moving right now." – Sen. Blake Tillery [04:52]

  • Initial funding by cutting select corporate tax breaks.
  • Governor Kemp supports tax reduction in principle, but no comment on full elimination.

6. Proposed Limits on Public Access to Death Recording Videos

• [05:22] Legislation introduced to restrict public access to videos showing a person’s death:
  • Would allow access for investigators and victims’ families, but not the media or general public.
  • Supported by Rep. Joseph Gullett (R-Dallas):

    "Final moments of someone's death shouldn't become online viral material." – Rep. Joseph Gullett [05:40]

  • Rep. Eric Bell (D-Jonesboro) raises transparency and civil rights concerns:

    "I think public outcry is a huge factor in some of these investigations." – Rep. Eric Bell [05:58]

  • The bill, with bipartisan support, still awaiting committee review.

7. Profile: Sonny Perdue as a “Georgia Legend”

• [06:43; 07:14] Jeff Hullinger discusses his TV profile on Sonny Perdue:
  • First Republican Georgia governor since the Dixiecrat era, ex-U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, now Chancellor of the University System.
  • Hullinger on Perdue’s longevity:

    "This has been a man of tremendous impact and has been for so many years... not someone who is Haley's Comet who comes streaking across the horizon, but somebody who has been here over the decades and continues to influence public policy and our lives." – Jeff Hullinger [07:39]

  • From athlete to politician; described as "full of ideas" and driven by lifelong ambition.

8. Upcoming Hindsight Film Festival in Savannah

• [10:49] Savannah will host the nation’s first major film festival exclusively for historical documentaries. Ken Burns involved in promotion.

9. Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia Names New CEO

• [11:09] Miriam Langley to lead Savannah-based nonprofit, distributing 25 million pounds of food last year throughout 21 counties.

10. Right Whales Detected Off Tybee Island

• [12:04] Buoy picks up endangered right whale contact calls for the first time (after two years). Mark Baumgartner explains: > "We call it a contact call because we believe it's designed for animals to stay in contact with one another." – Mark Baumgartner [12:23]
  • Detection crucial for alerting boaters, preventing deadly strikes with fewer than 400 whales remaining.

11. Economic Development: Manufacturing Plant in Screven County

• [12:56] $17 million facility by Pressabol USA will create 65 jobs for precision ball manufacturing.

12. Georgia Connections to the Super Bowl

• [13:19] Centennial High’s Mike McDonald coaches the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win; Georgia alumni on both roster and practice squad. Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. makes cameo in Super Bowl halftime performance.

13. Marcell Ozuna Trades to Pittsburgh Pirates

• [14:24] The Atlanta Braves slugger is reported to have signed a $12 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "But they made a big mistake. They came to Fulton County, Georgia. They came to the political and spiritual heart of the civil rights movement." – Sen. Jon Ossoff [00:27; 01:49]
• "We just in the last two weeks have had two events where we've had to shelter staff in place for an extended period of time with snowy and icy weather." – Van Laskoski [03:35]
• "Final moments of someone's death shouldn't become online viral material." – Rep. Joseph Gullett [05:40]
• "I think public outcry is a huge factor in some of these investigations." – Rep. Eric Bell [05:58]
• "This has been a man of tremendous impact and has been for so many years... continues to influence public policy and our lives." – Jeff Hullinger on Sonny Perdue [07:39]

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Important Timestamps Breakdown

• 00:01-02:08 – Federal Judge orders; Ossoff rally & remarks
• 02:11-03:14 – Colin Gray trial; 2024 Apalachee High School shooting
• 03:14-04:13 – $218M for rural health care; hospital administrator perspectives
• 04:13-05:22 – Income tax reduction bills; commentary from Sen. Tillery & Governor posture
• 05:22-06:03 – Proposal to exempt death-related videos from public record; debate between Gullett & Bell
• 06:43-10:40 – Interview/profile: Sonny Perdue as “Georgia Legend” by Jeff Hullinger
• 10:49-11:09 – Hindsight Film Festival; Savannah news
• 12:04-12:33 – Right whale buoy detection; Baumgartner explains significance
• 12:56-13:19 – Screven County manufacturing plant investment/job creation
• 13:19-14:00 – Georgia ties to Seahawks Super Bowl triumph; Braves at halftime
• 14:24 – Marcell Ozuna signs with Pirates

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Summary

This episode of Georgia Today touches on significant legal, political, health, and cultural events in the state. Federal scrutiny of Fulton ballots stokes political tensions, with Senator Ossoff rallying public sentiment against what he frames as unjust federal actions. New rural health funds and major legislative proposals indicate high-stakes maneuvering on state finances and healthcare. The episode features a nuanced look at political legacy through Sonny Perdue and highlights both local wildlife conservation and economic development. Sports champions with Georgia roots add local pride, while legislative debates on transparency and privacy underscore evolving state policy.

Listeners come away informed on both pressing headlines and deeper currents shaping Georgia’s political, economic, and cultural life.

Transcript

[A]

Hello and welcome to the Georgia Today Podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to produce records behind the Fulton county ballot seizure. Georgia is set to receive more than $200 million this year as part of a federal effort to shore up rural health care. And Senator Jon Ossopp held a rally in Atlanta on Saturday.

[B]

But. But they made a big mistake. They came to Fulton County, Georgia. They came to the political and spiritual heart of the civil rights movement.

[A]

Today is Monday, February 9th. I'm Orlando Montoya, and this is Georgia Today. A federal judge in Atlanta has given the Trump administration until Tuesday to give the court the documentation that led to the seizure of Fulton county ballots from the 2020 presidential election. The order signed on Saturday by U.S. district Judge J.P. boulay also unsealed the court file for the subsequent lawsuit against the administration brought by Fulton County Commission Chairman Rob Pitts. Pitts sued after the January 28 raid on a county elections warehouse was when FBI agents entered a county property and left with hundreds of boxes of ballots. US Senator Jon Ossoff rallied hundreds of voters in Atlanta on Saturday. GPB Sarah Kalis has that story. Ossoff energized the crowd by hitting back against a recent FBI search and seizure of 2020 ballots in a Fulton county elections warehouse.

[B]

But they made a big mistake. They came to Fulton County, Georgia. They came to the political and spiritual heart of the civil rights movement.

[A]

Ossoff also said that the Trump administration.

[B]

Is corrupting the Department of Justice.

[A]

A spokesperson for the National Republican Senate Committee said in a statement that Ossoff does not vote in the interest of Georgians in the Senate. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis in Atlanta. Jury selection began today in the trial of Colin Gray, whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers at northeast Georgia's Apalachee High School in 2024. Gray faces 29 counts, including second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors say he gave his son access to a gun despite warning signs. The trial will be held in Winder, but jury selection is taking place in Gainesville. Gray has remained in custody since his arrest. His son, Colt, has pleaded not guilty to 55 counts, including murder and aggravated assault. Georgia is set to receive $218 million this year as part of a federal effort to shore up rural health care. The Rural Health Transformation Program was funded under President Trump's signature spending package known as the big beautiful bill. GPB's Sophie Gratis has more on how Georgia hospitals are preparing to take advantage of the funds.

[B]

Hospitals will have to apply for the federal funding through the Department of Community Health, which has until October to allocate the money.

[A]

It's a tight deadline, says Van Laskoski.

[B]

CEO at Stevens County Hospital in Toccoa. He and other hospital leaders recently gathered at the state Capitol to share ideas for the funds. We just in the last two weeks have had two events where we've had to shelter staff in place for an extended period of time with snowy and icy weather. And there's funding built into this package that helps hospitals in emergency situations to shelter in place and to beef up their infrastructure so that they're better prepared for these types of events, easing pressure.

[A]

Off an already tight operational budget common.

[B]

For small hospitals like his.

[A]

For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gratas. State senators filed two bills today that would reduce Georgia's income tax if they become law. Senate Bill 476 aims to eliminate the income tax entirely in the next six years. VIDALIA Republican State Senator Blake Tillery says the bill would eliminate the tax for some Georgians sooner.

[B]

It takes six years to do it, but in year one you eliminate the income tax on two thirds of Georgians, all of those making less than $100,000.

[A]

That's the amount for joint filers and for single filers it's 50,000. And Senate Bill 477 would reduce the income tax rate to just under 5% for all taxpayers.

[B]

On 477 we take a little bit more modest approach, I would say, and we still reduce the tax rate at a greater rate than we're moving right now.

[A]

Tillery says cutting some corporate tax breaks will pay for the first round of income tax eliminations. Governor Brian Kemp has publicly supported a proposal to reduce the income tax, but he has not commented on a plan to eliminate it. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would exempt videos showing a person's death from open record laws. Legislation would allow investigators and the victim's family to request videos of a death incident, but but journalists and the general public would not. Dallas Republican State Representative Joseph Gullett is sponsoring the bill.

[B]

Final moments of someone's death shouldn't become online viral material.

[A]

Under current law, people can file an open records request of police. Body camera footage JONESBORO Democratic State Representative Eric Bell says that he worries the bill could impede civil rights investigations.

[B]

I think public outcry is a huge factor in some of these investigations.

[A]

Body camera footage has been released to the public in some police shooting incidents like Rayshard Brooks death in 2020. The bill has bipartisan co sponsors, but it still needs to make it through a committee before it receives a floor vote.

[B]

Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of FRESH AIR. Hey, take a break from the 24 hour news cycle with us and listen to long form interviews with your favorite authors, actors, filmmakers, comedians and musicians, the people making the art that nourishes us and speaks to our times. So listen to the FRESH AIR podcast from NPR and whyy.

[A]

Sonny Perdue was Georgia's first Republican governor since the Dixiecrat era, serving from 2003 to 2011. He served in the first Trump White House as secretary of Agriculture and and is now chancellor of the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents. GPB's Peter Biello spoke with Jeff Hullinger, who profiled Sonny Perdue in an episode airing tonight Monday night of Georgia Legends on GPB tv. Jeff's here with us now. Welcome to the program.

[B]

Peter. Good to be here and it's interesting and good to talk about Sonny Perdue, the former Georgia governor and the the chief of the board of Regents. He is a man of great ambition and he has never, seemingly from the time that he was a kid, ever lost that focus and that desire to succeed and to do well.

[A]

And is that what makes him stand out as a Georgia legend? I mean, Georgia's had a lot of governors. Not all of them are legends.

[B]

Well, I think, look, he is as as we know, he's the first Republican since Reconstruction to be elected. He is a two term governor, served in the administration as the director of agriculture, the secretary of agriculture, and now heading up all of the universities around the state. This has been a man of tremendous impact and has been for so many years. It's, it's extraordinary to think how long he has been a factor in, in so many lives around here. And I think that's the ultimate determination of a Georgia legend is not someone who is Haley's Comet who comes streaking across the horizon, but somebody who has been here over the decades and continues to influence public policy and our lives.

[A]

Well, let's hear a little bit from Georgia Legends where he talked about his time as governor.

[B]

You know, that era, 2003 to 2011, when I governed, had twin recessions. So I teasingly said it probably took a penny pinching farmer to try to get the money out of there. When your revenue is decreasing, sometimes at double digits in a year and you have a balanced budget amendment, you cannot spend within that year more than you.

[A]

Take in so is that what kind of characterized his success, that he managed money well as governor during tough times?

[B]

I think he is a guy who had a sense of the public pulse, the majority. And I think that is how he has been able to succeed over the years. When you look at Sonny Perdue, I look at him in a couple of contexts. One is the, this is a former quarterback, a former standout athlete. And standout athletes seemingly have a ticket towards success as adults. They, they know not to quit. They know how to lead and they know how to, to get people to support them. And, and those lessons, I think that Sonny Perdue learned as a high school quarterback is something that has served him throughout all of his life. And I think the other aspect of this is, and maybe because I'm older, I always find this curious. Certainly talking with people of great success, whether it's in a public venue or a private venue, is, you know, they can be 80 years old and this ambition, this, this fire continues in them. These, these are not guys that, that go to play golf or to fish somewhere in Florida.

[A]

Not that there's anything wrong with those.

[B]

Not that there's anything wrong or go for the early bird dinner at 4:30 somewhere in Destin, Florida. I mean, this is a guy just sitting across from him and talking to him for, I think I talked to him for about 40 minutes on camera. He was just full of ideas, full of things he wanted to accomplish. And look, he is, you know, he's 80 years old. It's amazing how some men and women have that fire of ambition that burn within. It is an extraordinary thing to see and it always gives me pause for reflection.

[A]

Georgia Legends airs tonight at 9 on GPB TV. The subject tonight is Sonny Perdue. Host Jeff Hollinger, thank you for speaking with me.

[B]

Thank you, Peter.

[A]

Well, are you a fan of Ken Burns? I imagine since you're listening to gpb, you probably are a fan of his historical documentaries. While Ken Burns is promoting what organizers are calling the nation's first major national film festival dedicated exclusively for historical documentaries. And it's going to be hosted in Savannah. It's called the Hindsight Film Festival and it's set for the first week in March. You can find out more about it at the Hindsight Film Festival webpage. In other news from the coast, Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia has announced a new CEO. The Savannah based nonprofit last week said Miriam Langley will lead the organization. Langley most recently served in leadership roles at non profits in Charleston, South Carolina. Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia last year distributed 25 million pounds of food to fight hunger in 21 southeast Georgia counties. A buoy off the coast of Tybee island listening for the calls of endangered right whales heard a few for the first time late last month. GPB's Peter Biello has that story. The buoy had been listening for two years before it picked up this sound. That's a contact call, says Mark Baumgartner, senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which monitors the buoy.

[B]

We call it a contact call because we believe it's designed for animals to stay in contact with one another. I call and then maybe you call and then I know you're there and you that I'm there.

[A]

Knowing where the right whales are is essential to protecting them. Boaters are notified when the buoy indicates whales may be nearby. If boaters then slow down, they could avoid deadly boat strikes. And with fewer than 400 right whales left, Baumgartner says these buoys serve as a reminder that they need protection. For GPB news, I'm Peter Biello. A global manufacturer of precision balls for industrial use plans to build a $17 million facility in southeast Georgia's Screven County. Pressabol USA, a pooler based division of Belgium based Seluk International, said on Friday the investment will create 65 new jobs. The company makes products for bearings, pumps, valves and other industrial uses. In Georgia sports A Georgia high school is congratulating one of its alumni for coaching a Super bowl winning NFL team. Coach Mike McDonald led the Seattle Seahawks to a 2913 win over the New England Patriots last night. He graduated from Centennial High School, home of the Knights, in Roswell, north of Atlanta. The school's social media today called him an incredible knight. And that's not all the Georgia natives who woke up this morning as super bowl champions. Jared Ivey, a graduate of North Gwinnett High School, and Ernest Jones from Ware County High School were both part of the Seahawks active roster, while Chris Paul Jr. From Crisp County High School and Ricky White of Marietta High School are members of the Seahawks practice squad. Congratulations to the Georgia connected Super bowl champs and congratulations to all Seattle Seahawks fans. The Atlanta Braves made a blink and you'll miss it. Appear at the super bowl last night when Ronald Acuna Jr. Appeared on stage during Bad Bunny's Super bowl halftime show. What did you think of the show? There are lots of opinions out there. You can send us feedback to the usual address and I'll also point you to the NPR Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. On their latest episode, they dig into the performance and tell you why it was such a a landmark. Find that wherever you get your podcasts. And finally today, Atlanta Braves slugger Marcel Ozuna is heading to Pittsburgh. The Associated Press is reporting the 35 year old free agent has reached a $12 million, one year deal with the Pirates. The right handed ozuna last season hit.232 with 21 home runs for the Braves. And that's it for today's edition of Georgia. Learn more about these stories at the GPB News webpage. That's gpb.org news. Hit subscribe on this podcast so you never miss an episode. Stay current with Georgia today by hitting subscribe. Send us feedback. We'd love to hear your ideas and opinions@georgia todaypb.org I'm Orlando Montoya. Peter Biela so we'll be back tomorrow for another edition of Georgia Today.