Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and "Foreign Agent" Law

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed a measure that would bar foreign nationals from making political contributions.

While such contributions are already prohibited by federal law, Senate Bill 368 would have mandated that agents of "foreign principals" register with the Georgia State Ethics Commission.

In a veto statement, the Republican governor said some of the measure's provisions "were unintended by the bill's sponsor," prompting him to veto it at the sponsor's request. One Foreign Agent Registration Act expert tells The Center Square that was the right move.

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was among the Georgia leaders who backed the bill as it progressed through the Legislature.

Georgia's governor is Republican Party member Brian Kemp. His official start date was January 14, 2019. His term will expire on January 9, 2023.

Trump supporters have made Brian Kemp and State Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger their targets, claiming that there was election fraud in the state:

Trump made a strong statement against Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, on Fox News, as he continues to mount legal challenges to his defeat in Georgia and other swing states.

Regarding Kemp, Trump remarked, "The Governor's done nothing." "He has done nothing at all. I feel bad about supporting him.

During a "Stop the Steal" rally, two well-known attorneys who support Trump, Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, launched an offensive against Georgia's Republican governor. Wood even went so far as to suggest that Brian Kemp ought to be imprisoned.

The legal actions of Powell and Wood have been widely ridiculed, mocked, and rejected in court; Powell's typo-ridden "Kraken" lawsuit is one example of this.

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Who is Brian Kemp?

Since January 2019, American politician and businessman Brian Porter Kemp has held the office of 83rd Governor of the state of Georgia.

Kemp, a Republican Party candidate, sought Georgia's governorship. On November 6, 2018, he was victorious in the general election. In the 2018 election, Kemp defeated former state representative Stacey Abrams by a margin of slightly more than 1 percentage point, taking over for term-limited governor Nathan Deal. Kemp's first political victory came in 2002 when he defeated state senator Doug Haines and went on to win another term in 2004. Kemp attempted to become agriculture commissioner in 2006 but lost the Republican primary.

Kemp was appointed to the secretary of state position in 2010 by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue, replacing Karen Handel, who had resigned to pursue a governorship.

2010 saw Kemp win a full term in elections, and 2014 saw him win another term. Kemp ran the Athens-based Kemp Properties as a small business before going into politics.

Biography of Gov. Brian Kemp

Kemp grew up in Athens, Georgia, where he was born. Following his graduation from Clark Central High School, he attended the University of Georgia to earn a bachelor's degree in agriculture. According to Ballotpedia, he is a member of Habitat for Humanity, the chair of the Sexual Assault Center's committee, and the former president of the Athens Area Homebuilders Association.

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Gov Brian Kemp, with his wife, Marty, was the guest speaker Wednesday at the Home Builders Association annual luncheon. Photo: Valdosta Daily Times

Kemp was a member of the Georgia State Senate from 2003 to 2007 before he was appointed secretary of state. In the 2006 Republican primary, he was defeated in his bid to become the state's agriculture commissioner.

Using a pick-up truck and a shovel, Brian Kemp founded Kemp Development and Construction Company. He is a prosperous businessman with ventures and holdings in banking, farming, forestry, manufacturing, and real estate, more than thirty years later.

In addition to being a founding director of First Madison Bank and the St. Mary's Hospital Board in Athens, Kemp served on the boards of Suncrest Stone in Tifton. Governor Kemp understands how to successfully grow businesses, hire start-ups, and close deals on the global stage—from the backhoe to the board room—while also giving hundreds of hardworking Georgians opportunities, according to the Governor Brian P. Kemp Office of the Governor.

Education: Clark Central High School, Bachelor's of Science degree, University of Georgia in agriculture.

Brian Kemp's Wife

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Photo: Kemp for Governor

Kemp, 56, is wed to Marty Kemp, the ex-Marty Argo of Athens.

Marty Kemp, the First Lady of Georgia, is a mother of three daughters, a small business owner, and a volunteer in her community. After graduating from the University of Georgia and Clarke Central High School, Marty started her professional career at World Wide Travel, her family's travel agency. Later, she started working at Kemp Development and Construction Company with her husband, Brian, where they created a number of projects around the area.

The Kemps have been married for 26 years and have three daughters: Amy Porter, Jarrett Porter, and Lucy Porter. Marty Kemp has worked at their school as a volunteer, substitute teacher, and preschool teacher while raising their girls. The Kemp family is involved in the neighborhood. They have also been longtime members of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, where Marty held positions as Junior Warden and on the vestry.

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Kemp's Family. Photo: Twitter

Political Career

Out of frustration with government, Brian Kemp ran for public office in the early 2000s:

Governor of Georgia (2019-present)

Kemp was elected as the governor of Georgia in 2018.

Georgia Secretary of State (2010-2018)

Kemp was appointed secretary of state by Governor Sonny Perdue on January 8, 2010, filling the vacancy left by former Secretary of State Karen Handel. He won his first election to the office in November 2010. He was re-elected in 2014.

When Kemp was appointed as secretary of state, he became only the second Republican since Reconstruction to hold the office in Georgia.

Georgia State Senate (2003-2007)

After barely defeating Democratic incumbent Doug Haines in November 2002, Kemp was elected to the Georgia State Senate, representing District 46, which includes all of Oconee County and portions of Walton and Clarke counties. He held the positions of secretary of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee, chairman of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, and member of the Appropriations Committee during his four years in office.

Kemp played a key role in the State Senate's efforts to reduce mandates, taxes, and fees for Georgian families and job creators. During his tenure as Secretary of State, Kemp reduced spending, streamlined government, and eliminated bureaucratic red tape by leveraging technology and innovation.

As governor, Brian Kemp is working to reform regulations so that Georgia is the best state for small businesses. He'll make sure that Georgia's rural areas and all other regions of the state have equal opportunity to develop and prosper. Kemp is radically reorganizing state governance, ensuring the safety of every Georgian family, and consistently prioritizing the needs of hardworking Georgians.

Kemp’s net worth grew by more than $3M

According to Gov. Brian Kemp's most recent financial report, since he assumed office in 2019, his wealth has increased by more than $3 million, in part because of a number of investments in businesses and real estate that have increased in value.

The Republican's approximate net worth was revealed in documents he filed on Thursday. It included over $4.6 million in real estate and a roughly $420,000 ownership in a stone supply company. Kemp disclosed a net worth of $5.2 million in 2018.

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