Disturbing emails obtained by Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican, show that local officials had all the wrong priorities after Laken Riley’s murder.
Obtained through the Georgia Open Records Act, the emails from Feb. 24th begin with Clarke County Sheriff John Q. Williams questioning Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz about the city’s “sanctuary city” status in the wake of Riley’s February murder by a criminal alien.
A shocking email exchange reveals troubling priorities of Athens Mayor and Clarke County Sheriff only two days after Laken Riley’s murder. (1/5)
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) April 4, 2024
“I am respectfully requesting that someone from the Unified Government stand up and address the ongoing banter about Athens being a sanctuary city,” Sheriff Williams wrote. “It is my understanding this may have resulted from [former] Sheriff Edward’s statements or declaration years ago.”
“I am being bombarded with emails, phone calls and social media posts blaming me for the alleged status. It is my belief that such a declaration does not and has never been an authorized or legitimate power of any Sheriff in the state of Georgia,” he added.
Williams continued the email by demanding the local government address this mater.
“If the ACCUG [Athens-Clarke County Unified Government] embraces being considered a sanctuary, then come out and say so,” he wrote. “If not please clear this up.”
“If the ACCGOV will not address this, I will do everything in my power to protect the integrity and professionalism of the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and myself. I look forward to any response and welcome any meeting or discussion to explain why this can or cannot be addressed,” he added.
As seen below, Collins personally believes this email shows that the sheriff cared more about PR concerns than anything else after Riley’s tragic and unnecessary murder by a criminal alien.
Obtained through Georgia Open Records Act, the exchange on February 24, 2024, shows Sheriff Williams questioning Mayor Girtz about the county’s sanctuary status, as he is unaware.
Sheriff Williams seems to care more about the PR than anything else. (2/5) pic.twitter.com/foSahBbefE
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) April 4, 2024
The next and final email was written by Mayor Girtz in response to Sheriff Williams’ email.
In the email, Girtz admitted that Williams’ predecessor had instituted a policy of not honoring ICE detainers for criminal aliens who hadn’t committed a regular criminal offense.
The mayor then admitted something else — that he supports this disastrous policy.
“While the community is experiencing deep trauma right now, and emotions are understandably raw, I support the detainer policy as one that is both humane and following the well-documented propensity of immigrants in the U.S. to be less criminally inclined than the native-born population,” he wrote.
So evidently, protecting criminal aliens is more important to him than protecting people like Riley, whose murderer, Jose Antonio Ibarra, was released by the New York Police Department after an arrest in 2023 instead of being turned over to ICE.
Mayor Girtz’s response is even worse, endorsing non-cooperation policies with ICE and minimizing the seriousness of illegal immigration.
He defends the subversion of federal authority by essentially saying, American citizens are worse anyways, so let the illegals go. (3/5) pic.twitter.com/vom603OGFY
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) April 4, 2024
Sadly, Girtz’s email only gets worse, with him going on to say that, in the wake of Riley’s murder, officials should focus on being comforting instead of, you know, trying to prevent another needless murder.
“My take-away for the moment is that in the immediate wake of a tragedy, to focus on the victim, avoid political messaging, focus on comfort and unity,” he wrote.
Collins was thoroughly disgusted.
“Instead of prioritizing solutions to prevent tragedies like this in the future, Mayor Girtz treats Laken Riley’s murder as a PR drill to be managed with ‘comfort and unity’ rather than enforcing the law,” he tweeted.
Instead of prioritizing solutions to prevent tragedies like this in the future, Mayor Girtz treats Laken Riley’s murder as a PR drill to be managed with “comfort and unity” rather than enforcing the law. (4/5) pic.twitter.com/zKoqfWKmEM
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) April 4, 2024
The blatant disregard of law and order by public officials is highly concerning. It reveals the need for accountability and new leadership that will prioritize public safety.
Laken’s death was preventable, but nothing will change with leaders like these. (5/5)
Read the full…
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) April 4, 2024
Responding to Collins’ reporting, users of the social media platform X blasted both the sheriff and especially the mayor over their misplaced priorities.
Look:
Resignation letters seem appropriate at this time.
— Lisa Cappiello (@LisaCappiello08) April 4, 2024
How could Mayor Gritz feel if the victim was his wife, Andrea Griffith-Girtz, or son, Noah Girtz? Was Laken Riley an acceptable sacrifice to his woke agenda?
— PhylMAGA, Trump2024 (@phylwill) April 4, 2024
This mayor is absolutely despicable. But it shouldn’t surprise us. We direct our ire at high profile woke politicians at the federal level but it’s the unknown scum like this mayor & lots of others that are destroying law & order & the necessary protection of our citizens in our…
— America First Patriot Living In NEWSOM SHITHOLE (@DoTheRightWing) April 4, 2024
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Author: Vivek Saxena
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