Georgia A ban on a state senator from entering the House chamber has been revoked following a gruesome incident on Thursday that led to him falling to the ground, being arrested and subsequently hospitalised.
State Sen. Colton Moore, a die-hard supporter of President-elect Trump who previously tried to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for impeaching the former president, was involved in a heated exchange at the entrance to the House chamber as officials denied him entry for Gov. Brian Kemp's State of the State address.
Moore, of Trenton in Dade County, ended up being pushed to the floor by Keith Williams, an attorney for House Speaker John Burns' office, who was trying to enforce the Speaker's ban on Moore. Moore was banned from the chamber after he criticized the state Senate's decision last year to consider the matter resolution To name a building at the University of North Georgia after the now deceased former Speaker of the House David Ralston.
State Senator Colton Moore is in the hospital, left, and Moore is pushed to the ground, right. (Senator Colton Moore via Storyful/Fox News)
On Thursday, Moore made several attempts to bypass House staff, but was blocked on several occasions. Then, at some point, he sent William Moore flying, and the senator fell awkwardly to the ground. After another attempt to gain entry, state troopers arrested Moore and took him away.
Later in the evening, Moore posted a video of himself sitting in a hospital bed with a blood pressure monitor strapped to one arm. His other arm was raised on the bed's guardrail.
“I got beat up a little bit, my hand was a little swollen and purple, and we're waiting to get some x-rays to check that out,” Moore said.
“They took away my freedom today while I was fighting for your freedom and mine. But I tell you what, we still have a constitutional duty to do the work, and I will still be in that legislature tomorrow morning. Thank you all.” For support.”
Burns initially said the incident was “deeply unfortunate,” and said Moore “created a dangerous situation when he chose to use force against our law enforcement officers, dedicated doormen and House staff.” “A non-negotiable period.”
On Friday, Burns, a Republican from Newington, lifted his ban after state Senate and GOP leaders lined up to support Moore.
Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, is detained by the Georgia State Patrol as Moore attempts to enter the state House of Representatives to deliver his state of the art address at the Georgia Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)
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He said Moore's desire to “cause disruption and gain notoriety in the press violates the rules and good precedents that every member of the General Assembly has a responsibility to uphold.” But he said he would allow Moore to attend joint sessions without apologizing because Ralston did not want to obstruct the work of the Legislature.
“For this reason, the Ralston family has expressed to their family here in the House their desire for our chamber to resume business as usual — with all members of the General Assembly in attendance — for any future joint sessions with or without the apology they have offered and the House deserves,” Burns said.
Moore's ban stemmed from a speech he gave last year in which he criticized former Speaker Ralston, who was also a Republican.
Moore accused Ralston of using his office to delay court cases for criminal defendants he represented as a lawyer. Ralston claimed in 2019 that The actions were completely legal.
“This body is about to commemorate one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we will ever see,” Moore said at the time.
This is not the first time Colton, a self-described “Reno wrestler,” has clashed with fellow Republicans.
Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, was pushed to the floor. (AP Photo/Jeff Emme)
In 2023, the Republican Senate in Georgia suspended Moore for attacking him for opposing his plan to impeach Willis for impeaching Trump in the case. The issue of interference in elections
Moore was the most prominent supporter of a special session to impeach Willis and remove or divest funds from her office, and received Trump's endorsement. Kemp denounced the call as a “cunning scam” to collect Moore's campaign contributions.
Willis' case eventually unraveled, in part because of her presence in it Romantic relationship with the prosecutor I was hired.
Moore was booked into the Fulton County Jail on a misdemeanor charge of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.
After Moore took a photocopy of a photo taken by Donald Trump in the same prison, a supporter posted $1,000 bail for Moore.
Lt. Edward Starling, a trooper spokesman, said he had no update on whether the charges would be dropped.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
