Dade Election Debate gets heated
The Dade County Public Library hosted a political debate May 14 for all contested positions ahead of the upcoming elections.
State Senator for District 53 Jeff Mullis was asked about his thoughts on Dade as a second amendment sanctuary. Mullis, who is endorsed by the NRA, said he has sponsored or co-sponsored nearly every pro-gun bill put into law. Mullis then poked at candidate Colton Moore, stating that his lack of influence in Atlanta has resulted in no gun laws being pushed.
“He has no influence,” Mullis said. “He has no ability. He has no relationships to make anything happen down there. He has done nothing for the people of Dade County or House District 1 and that is pathetic.”
“Senator Mullis, the only reason you have the endorsement of the NRA is because you are the only incumbent up here on the stage,” Moore said.
“No, it’s because of my voting record,” Mullis responded.
“One of the main reasons I decided to run for office is when we had a gun rally down there in Villanow,” Moore said. “You spoke and you took this shotgun and you waived it up in the air and said ‘I’ll never take away your gun rights.’ You got heckled off stage. Do you know why?”
“Because of your lying,” Mullis said.
“No, because you hadn’t sent forth HB-2,” Moore said.
“That bill is in the House,” Mullis said. “I am in the Senate. Do you not know the difference between the House and the Senate?”
Moore answered the original question saying he was a co-author of constitutional carry in Dade County and a third author on a bill that made Georgia a sanctuary state.
“Where was my Senator?,” Moore asked. “The Senator who accuses me of not getting anything passed.”
“Mr. Moore is deceiving the people of Dade County once again,” Mullis responded. “He is in the House of Representatives. House Bill 2 – I have no jurisdiction in the House of Representatives. I authored plenty of other bills, pro-life and pro-gun. You authored that [too] but you made it go nowhere because you have no influence. You have no ability.”
Candidate Todd Noblitt turned to face Mullis and said,”Senator Mullis, you’ve spent 20 years almost down in Atlanta. With all due respect, you stood at the meeting in Villanow and you said you would make it happen. Eighteen years out and you have not made [constitutional carry] happen. People have wanted it for years. You’re one of the most powerful people in the state of Georgia and yet we don’t have constitutional carry. The people I talk to, they want to know why.”
“The reason is, I have endorsed many, many pro-gun bills,” Mullis said. “Any member can introduce that.”
“You can’t have it both ways,” Noblitt said. “You can’t say you’re the most powerful guy and the chairman and you get these things done and it hasn’t happened because other people haven’t made it happen.”
“I didn’t say that, you did,” Mullis said.