ABC News: A Georgia state senator who was previously banned from the state House chamber was arrested Thursday when he tried to enter the chamber for the governor’s state of the state speech and got into a shoving match with House employees.
State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, is among the chamber’s most right-wing members. He signaled Wednesday that he would seek a showdown when he called House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, a “tyrant” on social media.
The arrest is one of several examples of state officials trying to restrain lawmakers or onlookers as legislative sessions begin in 2025.
Burns banned Moore from the House chamber last year after Moore denounced late House Speaker David Ralston on a day when Ralston was being honored and his relatives were watching. In a speech, Moore called Ralston “one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we’ll ever see” over allegations that Ralston improperly delayed court cases he handled as a lawyer. Burns called Moore’s remarks “vile” when he announced the ban, saying it would remain until Moore apologized.”