Cobb commissioners voted Tuesday to adopt commission electoral maps approved by the Georgia legislature more than two years ago, after using different maps that were recently ruled unconstitutional.
But commissioners couldn’t pass a resolution that would have begun a process to vacate the seat held by Jerica Richardson because her East Cobb residence is no longer in District 2.
On Tuesday night, a lengthy meeting created more heated rhetoric—along partisan and racial lines—and included a citizen launching a blistering tirade at another commissioner.
It also created more confusion about how long Richardson may be in office. County code requires that commissioners vacate their offices if they don’t live in their districts.
The board voted 3-2 to adopt the legislative maps, but with Richardson recusing herself, commissioners were knotted 2-2 on approving a motion to declare a vacancy.
If that resolution had passed, the county would have had 10 days to declare a vacancy in a process that allowed for Richardson to contest her removal in court.
On Wednesday, Cobb government issued a statement saying that Richardson is still a commissioner, but didn’t indicate for how long.
The statement said that the failure to pass a resolution declaring the District 2 seat vacant allows Richardson “to continue serving as the district’s representative.”
During Tuesday’s lengthy discussion, Republican Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, whose District 3 includes most of East Cobb in the state maps, said she didn’t want Richardson to have to leave immediately.
“I do struggle with this,” Birrell said, “but I don’t support this, giving notice kicking her out. I think she should finish her term.”
‘Two years of hell’
Richardson is part of the three-Democrat majority that voted in Oct. 2022 to adopt maps drawn by former State Rep. Erick Allen, then the Cobb legislative delegation chairman, that would have kept Richardson in her seat.
They claimed “home rule” authority to adopt those maps after the legislature approved maps that placed Richardson, who moved to a home off Post Oak Tritt Road in 2021, into District 3.
But Birrell and fellow Republican commissioner Keli Gambrill were among those saying that the Georgia Constitution allows only the legislature to conduct county reapportionment.
They read statements into the record before casting votes in meetings starting in January 2023 objecting to the “home rule” maps.
Birrell didn’t like the Allen maps because her district would be majority Democratic. She said that “she looked at all scenarios to keep Jerica in District 2, but the numbers didn’t warrant that. . . .
“It has been two years of hell going through this.”
Sheffield had previously noted that legislators told them that “when we draw maps we don’t consider political parties. It’s for the citizens of Cobb County.”
Gambrill was an initial plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging those maps and later eventually dismissed by the Georgia Supreme Court due to a lack of standing.
Another legal complaint was filed by Republican Alicia Adams in April, after she was disqualified from running in District 2 under the home rule maps that were being followed by the Cobb Board of Elections.
On July 25, Cobb Superior C0urt Judge Kellie Hill ruled in favor of Adams, declaring the “home rule” maps unconstitutional.
Hill also ordered special elections for early 2025 in District 2 and District 4, since those maps were used for May primaries.
Richardson is a first-term Democrat who decided not to seek re-election earlier this year, opting instead for an unsuccessful Congressional bid, as the map dispute lingered.
Her term expires on Dec. 31. The same goes for District 4 Commissioner Monique Sheffield of South Cobb, who won a May Democratic primary based on the county-adopted maps.
They voted against the resolution to adopt the legislative maps on Tuesday.
Sheffield, who on Monday described the partisan squabbling on the board as “political Crips and Bloods,” wanted to pull the item for further discussion. She also was “all for” seeing Richardson complete her term.
But Birrell, who has been insisting her colleagues “follow the law,” said the matter has dragged on too far.
“This has to end tonight,” she said. “It has gone on too long.”
While what happened to Richardson “isn’t fair,” Birrell continued, “the bottom line is we don’t have the authority to draw a map.”
She, Gambrill and Chairwoman Lisa Cupid voted in favor of adopting the state maps.
Cupid continued to claim that “a great harm” was done to Cobb by the legislature in bypassing local delegation courtesies during reapportionment.
On the motion to declare a vacancy, Gambrill and Cupid voted in favor, while Birrell and Sheffield voted against.
‘You are a joke’
After Richardson returned to the dais, several public commenters had their say.
One of them, East Marietta resident Don Barth, tore into Cupid and Sheffield.
Barth is a Democrat who was disqualified in District 2 by the Cobb County Democratic Committee in the primaries for not living in that district according to the home rule maps.
A frequent public commenter, Barth greeted commissioners by saying, “you are a joke,” and ramped up the rhetoric from there, attacking Cupid, Sheffield and Cobb County Attorney Bill Rowling in particular.
“You wonder why there’s no trust? You earn trust. You haven’t earned anything lady,” he said to Cupid. “You have been the worst thing for Cobb County.”
But Cupid cut off his comments after he yelled at Sheffield, with him shrieking that “I don’t work for you, you work for me!”
Sheffield said his comments, and their tone, made her feel “threatened.”
Barth replied that “you are a drama queen!”
After repeating that line twice, he was removed from the podium and escorted out of the room by law enforcement.
Related:
- Cobb commissioners feud over resolving electoral map dispute
- Cobb may consider vacating District 2 commission seat
- Cobb judge upholds decision to call special elections
- Absentee ballot request period for Cobb, Ga. underway
- Cobb Elections Board opposes county’s redistricting appeal
- Advance voting schedule for Cobb general election approved
- Cobb special elections scheduled as map dispute lingers
- Cobb to appeal court order for new commission elections
- New commission elections ordered in redistricting ruling
- MORE: Visit the East Cobb News Politics & Elections Page
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Totally agree.
I remember when Cobb County was the epitome of good governance, when other county leaders came to see how we did it. I also remember how fiscally responsible prior boards were with taxpayer monies. I never saw any frivolous use of funds. Then I saw all that change.
I also once saw JoAnn Birrell as a good commissioner and hardworking but not the Board of Commissioners Northstar. Now, she’s trying to hold the entire Board together on her own and do so with civility to keep the County from devolving at a faster pace than it is.
This debacle was entirely preventable and it’s the result of personal hubris and poor leadership. The fish, they say, rots from the head down. It’s sad what’s happening to once-great Cobb County. May the voters have the wisdom to recognize that.
Outstanding, well said. Completely agree.
Does anything about this “home rule”fiasco make you more likely to support the democrats on this council’s bid for an 11 BILLION 30 year tax that is on the ballot in November?
No way!
Let’s pray it does not pass!
The BOC violated the Constitution. The past two years regarding this have been a waste of my and all Cobb county taxpayers tax monies. Chairwoman Cupid is leading County County down a negative path and needs to be voted out.
Agreed!
IF Sheffield felt threatened, she is far too fragile for public office. She should resign now.
If on the other hand she only used the line to silence a citizen, Sheffield should resign for dishonestly suppressing a citizen’s right to criticize his government.
This majority on this council should be in for a steady diet of criticism. They deserve all of it.
Wendy you are feeding into the
” I am a victim” logic. Since you can’t read my mind (scary) I don’t want you to associate me with racism. I am highly involved in my community and while I “geterdone” my own way I can also be a team player. Your opinion is just that and as a leader please don’t lead people to believe something is wrong with the people that stand up for what is right. A lot of people put their time into shaping Cobb County to be inclusive all people.
You have a lot of guts Donald Barth. Always happy to see you approach the podium at public comment.
Wendy, question about paragraph 3: “…heated rhetoric—along partisan and racial lines…” Did you intend this story to be Op-Ed or hard news? When was there specific mention about race during the meeting?
Wait, all they had to do to keep Richardson in the Board was to vote about it? Since they didn’t vote her off she gets to stay? Could they not have done that in 2023? Why put the country through all this, millions of dollars spend, multiple court cases, two elections nullified? These people are not serious leaders.
You are correct.
The lawsuit and everything about it was NOT about Richardson. It was because the BoC violated the constitution. Making Richardson a victim was a political sideshow.
1. No, the BOC couldn’t just vote on this in 2023. The following were all required for this vote to occur:
the BOC Home Rule map vote, a lawsuit, a ruling, and the notice to vacate.
2. Millions likely haven’t been spent on this so far. Those who worked on it are salaried employees. The additional cost to Cobb will be for the new additional Special Elections required by the judge’s ruling.
The great pleasure of living in America is our right to free speech. We know that there has to be an exchange of ideas such as yours that we don’t agree with. The danger begins when we can’t exchange words and ideas between people and maybe learn.
Yes learn more about each side of any areas where there is a difference of opinion. I don’t think you’re (JB) putting forward anything with substance with a statement that ” millions likely haven’t been spent so far”. That shows that you might have doubts about the total costs associated with the actions caused by the unconstitutional Home rule map.
The only thing we can say for sure is that the action was illegal and divisive. I was directly affected by the maps and I have been actively involved in having Cobb County return our rights. The only way to make this right is to ask for indictments to figure out how many laws were broken and if they could have fixed this.
JB, I doubt the credibility of your assertion. Please provide a reference to your legal source for what was required to happen before the BOC could vote to keep Richardson in office – county ordinance, state statute, Georgia Constitution, etc.
Lisa Cupid is the problem and must be removed. She has been a divisive, race-baiting, rabble-rouser since she joined the commission. She is power hungry, inept, and unethical and has ripped this county apart spiritually. Shame on her.
Totally agree.
The home rule map has never been valid. Richardson has lived outside of her district for a couple of years now. She should have been removed a long time ago.