Republican Georgia Commissioner Bridget Thorne Calls Out Suppression Of Free Speech In Fulton County's Reparations Task Force

This order came shortly after Fox News Digital interviewed Task Force member Mike Russell last month. Thorne, in a recent interview with Fox News Digital, stated that she would prefer her appointees to feel welcome to speak to the media, as they are privy to all the information and closely follow the task force's work. Thorne emphasized the importance of dialogue and the need for voices to be heard without censorship or suppression.

Thorne was puzzled when she learned that Russell had been given the instruction not to speak to the media. The Reparations Task Force has been allocated $250,000 to investigate Fulton County's history and determine whether financial reparations should be made to its Black population. Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia and home to the capital city of Atlanta, will provide $210,000 of the approved funding to hire researchers.

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In June, Russell spoke to Fox News Digital, expressing his belief that America should be proud of its efforts to correct past wrongs. He stated, "Of all the places I've been, I've never been anywhere where the society has taken such an effort to, in blood and treasure, correct past wrongs."

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The creation of the Reparations Task Force in Fulton County was not unanimously supported by the board, with a 4-to-3 vote in favor of funding it in January. Thorne, one of two Republicans on the Board of Commissioners, voted against it. The task force has promised transparency and fiduciary responsibility, making the potential restriction on members speaking to the media about their work a cause for concern.

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July 24, 2023

Thorne sought clarification from the county attorney regarding the attempted gag order. The attorney confirmed that such an order would be a violation of the First Amendment and the right to free speech. However, when Russell argued that he had the right to speak to the press, the chair of the task force, Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado, issued an executive order preventing all 14 task force members from speaking to the media. Thorne believed that the chair did not understand the members' First Amendment rights and sought direct clarification from Sims-Alvarado.

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According to Thorne, Sims-Alvarado explained that the task force members were not educated enough on the task force and had not been on it long enough to speak. Thorne clarified that the chair's executive order applied to all task force members, not just her appointees. She believed that the chair wanted to limit public speech to Sims-Alvarado and vice chair Marcus Coleman, while allowing them to express their viewpoints. Thorne expressed concern that opposing viewpoints were being suppressed, emphasizing the need for both sides to be heard and for discussion and dialogue to take place.

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After Fox News Digital reached out, Sims-Alvarado clarified that task force members had the right to speak to the press about reparations as long as they did so in their own name. Thorne criticized the open-ended nature of the discussions around reparations, arguing that the process lacked clarity regarding the amount of money involved and the number of people affected.

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She believed that Fulton County should prioritize its pressing duties, such as rebuilding jail facilities and addressing healthcare disparities, before considering reparations. Thorne encouraged commissioners to come together and find a solution by understanding the root of the problem.

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The recommendations on reparations from Fulton County are due in October 2024, coinciding with the presidential election. Georgia, once a reliably red state, narrowly voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and is expected to be a fiercely contested battleground in the upcoming election.