Brian Kemp American politician, Governor of Georgia since 2019 Date of Birth: 02.11.1963 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Political Career: State Senator and Secretary of State
3. Gubernatorial Campaign and Allegations of Voter Suppression
4. Controversy over Cybercrime Allegations
5. Gubernatorial Tenure and COVID-19 Response
6. Personal Life and Legal Issues

Early Life and Education

Brian Kemp was born in Athens, Georgia, and graduated from the University of Georgia. Before entering politics, Kemp owned several businesses, including agribusinesses, financial services, and real estate ventures.

Political Career: State Senator and Secretary of State

Kemp was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2002. In 2010, he was appointed Georgia Secretary of State by then-Governor Sonny Perdue and was subsequently elected to a full term in 2010 and reelected in 2014.

Gubernatorial Campaign and Allegations of Voter Suppression

In 2018, Kemp ran for governor, facing Democrat Stacey Abrams. During the campaign, he faced allegations of voter suppression, including a 2015 incident where his office mistakenly released the social security numbers and birthdates of Georgia voters. Kemp also declined to accept federal assistance to protect against potential Russian interference in the 2016 election. Additionally, his office canceled over 1.4 million voter registrations between 2012 and 2018, and during the 2018 election, he put over 53,000 voter registration applications on hold, nearly 70% of which were from African Americans.

Controversy over Cybercrime Allegations

On the eve of the election, Kemp falsely accused the Georgia Democratic Party of election-related cybercrimes. A 2020 investigation by the Georgia Attorney General's Office found no evidence to support Kemp's claims. It was later revealed that the supposed cybercrime his office had claimed to be a victim of was actually a planned security audit that Kemp's chief information officer had signed off on three months earlier.

Gubernatorial Tenure and COVID-19 Response

Kemp was declared the winner of the election on November 6th with 50.2% of the vote. As governor during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kemp prohibited cities and counties from enforcing face mask requirements despite recommendations from public health experts.

Personal Life and Legal Issues

Kemp is married to Marty Argo, the daughter of long-time Georgia House Member Bob Argo. They have three daughters and are members of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens. In May 2018, Kemp was sued for failing to repay $500,000 in business loans. The lawsuit alleged that Kemp had personally guaranteed $10 million in business loans to Hart AgStrong, a Kentucky-based canola processing company. The company came under investigation for allegedly providing collateral for guarantees it did not own and using insurance proceeds to pay suppliers instead of making loan payments. The Georgia Agriculture Department's attorney stated that these actions "may constitute a felony under Georgia law." No charges were filed, and Kemp and the plaintiffs reached a settlement shortly before he became governor. In October 2018, it was reported that companies owned by Kemp owed over $800,000 in loans to a community bank in which he was a founding board member and shareholder. Such "insider loans" are legal as long as they are made on the same terms as the bank would offer any other borrower. Kemp's campaign declined to disclose the terms of the loan.