Along nearly party lines, the Georgia House voted to praise President Donald Trump and the military for killing Iran’s top military leader earlier this month.
House Defense and Veterans Affairs Chairman Heath Clark, R-Warner Robins, said Thursday he introduced the resolution as a way to laud the death of Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force.
“It was a way to show our support for the men and women of the intelligence community, the men and women of our armed forces that carried out the mission and the commander-in-chief of the military for giving the order for the mission to be executed,” Clark said.
House Resolution 882 says the members of the chamber “urge the American people to support” Trump and the military for the successful killing of Soleimani.
Trump’s order to kill Soleimani has become controversial, with Democrats in Congress, as well as some Republicans, questioning the reasoning behind the attack.
State House Democrats — who emphasized their support of the military — called the move a political stunt.
“This resolution brings national politics into the Georgia General Assembly when the people of Georgia would be better served by us focusing on the pressing issues facing our state,” said state Rep. Mike Glanton, a Jonesboro Democrat and U.S. Army veteran.
Only one Republican — Tiger Republican state Rep. Matt Gurtler — crossed party lines to vote against the resolution, which passed 93-68. Gurtler, who votes “no” more than any other legislator, is known for voting against nearly every proposal that passes through the chamber.
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