State Senator Taken Into Custody At Georgia Capitol While Trying To Enter House Chamber

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A Georgia state senator was arrested after he refused to leave the House chambers during Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State address.

The Georgia House floor barred state Senator Colton Moore, R-Trenton, from appearing last year. The Georgia State Patrol withdrew Moore when he attempted to enter the chamber.

State Sen. Colton Moore arrested

On Thursday, Moore attempted to enter the chamber but was stopped by the house doorkeeper.

“This is a joint session of the General Assembly. Your House rules do not apply,” Moore told the man. “I’m going into the chamber.”

Moore had a difficult time gaining entry and was forcefully pushed to the ground. Subsequently, he found himself encircled by individuals from the Georgia State Patrol.

Moore’s attorney has confirmed that the senator was arrested and subsequently taken to the Fulton County Jail.

Moore stepped out of Fulton County Jail later that Thursday afternoon, following his release. The charges he may be facing remain unknown at this time.

The background story is as follows: In March 2024, Moore faced consequences for his disparaging remarks about the late House Speaker David Ralston, which resulted in his prohibition from entering the House chambers.

During the Georgia Senate’s deliberation on a resolution to designate a building at the University of North Georgia in Ralston’s honor, Moore passionately appealed to the senators to reject the proposed name change. In his critique, he vehemently criticized Ralston’s accomplishments as both a lawyer and a politician.

“This body is about to memorialize, in my opinion, one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders that we are ever going to see in my lifetime,” exclaimed Moore, as some of Ralston’s relatives watched from the Senate balcony.

Senators from both sides of the aisle vehemently criticized his statements, leading to a room filled with audible whispers and expressions of disbelief.

Shortly after, Jon Burns, the Republican House Speaker of Newington who succeeded Ralston, strongly condemned Moore’s remarks as “some of the most despicable things one can say about a respectable individual”. Burns took immediate action and instructed the House doorkeepers to prevent Moore from entering.

Moore announced on Wednesday that he would defy the ban and attend the Georgia General Assembly’s joint session and Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State Address on X.

“I will NEVER back down,” Moore wrote. “I will ALWAYS speak the truth and represent the people of Northwest Georgia as their trusted America First Senator.”

The senator criticized Burns, labeling him as a “tyrant” and arguing that the ban amounted to censoring the senator’s voice as an elected official.

Moore had already been expelled from the Senate Republican caucus for criticizing his fellow Republicans for failing to convene a special session in 2023 to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis due to the county’s indictment of President-elect Donald Trump.

Was Moore’s arrest constitutional? 

What comes next: State Senator Colton Moore confirmed that he will resume his duties in the legislature on Friday, following his arrest by troopers outside the House chambers on Thursday.

State Senator Moore took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share an update on his condition. Despite being confined to a hospital bed at Emory Midtown, he made sure to connect with his followers and provide them with the latest information.

“Today, they took my freedom and liberty away as I was fighting for your liberty and freedom,” he said.

There has been a division among Republicans regarding who was at fault.

Speaker Jon Burns, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones reacts

The opposing perspective: Josh McKoon, the chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, expressed his deep disappointment over the arrest of Moore. He was shocked by the fact that Moore was not allowed entry into the chamber and was subsequently taken into custody.

“It was not only legally appropriate to admit him to today’s proceedings — it was simply the right thing to do,” McKoon wrote in a statement to FOX 5. “Our focus should be on the excellent agenda being outlined by Governor Kemp today to continue to make Georgia the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family — not internal conflicts.”

In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, Speaker Jon Burns expressed his thoughts.

“The situation outside of the House Chamber this morning was incredibly unfortunate. The Senator refused to cooperate with doorkeepers and law enforcement, and created a dangerous situation when he chose to use force against our law enforcement officers, dedicated doorkeepers and House staff. I want to thank every House staff member and our entire House family for holding the line to honor Speaker Ralston’s legacy of dedicated service to our state. As you saw today, the integrity and decorum of this House are non-negotiable—period.”

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones issued the following statement:

“Whatever personal differences Senator Moore has with others, he is a member of the body over which I preside. All elected 56 senators and 180 representatives deserve the opportunity to fulfill their responsibility to attend joint sessions of the General Assembly. There is real work to be done this session and the focus should be on delivering for the people of Georgia instead of personal grievances and egos.”

Democrats side with Moore

Republican Speaker Jon Burns maintained his stance of not allowing the state senator from Trenton to attend Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State speech. However, Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Georgia GOP chairman Josh McKoon expressed their disagreement with this decision.

Surprisingly, the left also saw some unexpected figures joining their cause, including the chairwoman of Georgia’s Democratic Party.

“While Colton Moore and I don’t agree on much, the Speaker nor the doorkeeper should be allowed to prevent him from representing the people of his district,” Congresswoman Nikema Williams said in a statement.

Gerald Griggs, a civil rights activist, shared the same sentiment.

“It appears as though his rights may have been violated because the [Georgia] Constitution is quite clear on whether or not somebody can be arrested during session,” Griggs said. “We can disagree politically, but legally people are entitled to their rights.”

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