Democratic Mayor Kelly Gertz of Athens, Georgia, is fighting a local recall effort against her after the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley in February. After Riley’s murder, Gertz defended sanctuary city policies in a private email.
Report from athens banner herald It details Mr. Gertz’s efforts to slow down a recall effort against him by local activists. This recall was made in response to Riley’s death, and on February 22nd, Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested on suspicion of murder on the campus of the University of Georgia (UGA). The indictment shocked the United States.
of athens banner herald report:
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Gertz is asking the county Superior Court to order a halt to the recall effort. No challenge can be brought against him until the court reviews previous proceedings in this initiative. [Emphasis added]
In the petition filed Wednesday, Gertz asks that the court’s review include consideration of the sufficiency, or lack thereof, of the basis stated for the recall effort. Gertz also asked the court to consider “…the facts, if any, on which the[recall]application is based…” [Emphasis added]
Also in his petition: Gertz alleges that county election officials mismanaged the recall effort and violated provisions of the state recall law. Gertz is being represented in his petition by a private attorney, and no county funds have been spent in connection with his efforts. [Emphasis added]
In the weeks after Riley’s murder, the Democratic mayor said that illegal aliens would not be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) even if they were charged with a felony, according to Gertz’s private emails released last month. It is clear that he was defending the sanctuary city policy. violent crime.
In an email, Gertz addressed ICE’s detainer policy, saying, “I am humane and follow the well-documented trend that U.S. immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than their native-born counterparts. I support the policy.” Local law enforcement has no respect for illegal aliens.
As reported by Breitbart News, Ybarra’s docket filed with the Senate Homeland Security Committee states that Ybarra was first arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas, on September 8, 2022. encountered. DHS officials cited “detention capacity” as the reason. Why Ybarra was granted parole and released into the interior of the United States.
On July 19, 2023, Ms. Ybarra reported to an ICE officer in New York City for a biometric appointment, where her fingerprints were taken. The fingerprints revealed that Ibarra had a past criminal history.
On September 14, 2023, Ibarra was arrested for conduct likely to endanger a child. Despite the accusations, Ibarra was not charged and his arrest was quashed.
Two months later, in November 2023, Ybarra applied for an employment authorization document (EAD) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). On December 9, 2023, Ibarra’s work permit application was approved.
Less than three months after securing a work permit, Ybarra was charged with Riley’s murder. He remains in the Clark County Jail without bail.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Please email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
