A dramatic confrontation at the Georgia State House left State Sen. Colton Moore hospitalized after he was thrown to the floor while attempting to enter the chamber.
According to Fox News, the Republican lawmaker's chamber ban was eventually lifted following the violent incident that occurred when he tried to attend Gov. Brian Kemp's State of the State Address despite being prohibited from entering.
The incident escalated when Keith Williams, a lawyer for House Speaker Jon Burns' office, enforced the ban by physically preventing Moore from entering. The confrontation resulted in Moore being pushed to the ground, arrested by state troopers, and later seeking medical attention for injuries sustained during the altercation.
Moore, who represents Trenton in Dade County, made multiple attempts to enter the House chamber despite being banned. The situation turned physical when Williams intervened, causing Moore to fall awkwardly to the floor. After another attempt to gain entry, state troopers arrested Moore and escorted him from the premises.
Following the incident, Moore shared a video from his hospital bed showing him wearing a blood pressure monitor and displaying a swollen, purple hand. He was awaiting X-rays to assess potential injuries from the confrontation.
House Speaker Burns initially defended the actions taken against Moore, characterizing the senator's behavior as dangerous. Burns stated, as quoted below:
Today they took my freedom and liberty away as I was fighting for your freedom and liberty. But I tell you what, we still have a constitutional duty to do work, and I'll still be in that legislature tomorrow morning.
The ban stemmed from Moore's previous criticism of former House Speaker David Ralston, who is now deceased. Moore had strongly opposed a resolution to name a University of North Georgia building after Ralston, accusing the former speaker of corruption related to his legal practice.
This isn't Moore's first clash with fellow Republicans. In 2023, the Republican Senate Caucus suspended him after he challenged their opposition to his proposal to impeach Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for indicting former President Trump. Moore's impeachment initiative gained Trump's endorsement but was dismissed by Gov. Kemp as a fundraising scheme.
The incident resulted in Moore being booked into Fulton County jail on a misdemeanor charge of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. A supporter posted his $1,000 bail after Moore took a mug shot intentionally mimicking Trump's famous booking photo at the same facility.
The situation found resolution when Speaker Burns revoked the chamber ban on Friday, following pressure from the state Senate and Republican Party leadership. Burns acknowledged that while Moore's actions broke longstanding decorum rules, the Ralston family expressed their desire for normal legislative operations to resume.
The decision to lift the ban came without requiring an apology from Moore, with Burns citing that such a move would align with former speaker Ralston's wishes to prevent hindrance to legislative work. Lt. Edward Starling, speaking for the state troopers, provided no updates regarding the status of charges against Moore.
The confrontation at the Georgia State House involving Sen. Colton Moore highlighted tensions between state legislative chambers and within the Republican Party. What began as an attempt to attend the governor's State of the State Address resulted in a physical altercation, arrest, and hospitalization of a sitting state senator.
The subsequent lifting of Moore's chamber ban by Speaker Burns marked a pragmatic resolution to the dispute, though questions about the legal consequences of the incident remain unanswered.
