Georgia Judge Overturns Overreach in ‘Cop City’ Racketeering Charges

In a decisive rebuke of government overreach, Fulton County Judge Kevin Farmer announced on Tuesday that he will dismiss racketeering charges against all 61 defendants accused in one of the most expansive efforts to criminalize protest in recent U.S. history. The charges stemmed from opposition to the construction of a police and firefighter training facility derided by critics as “Cop City.” This ruling exposes a troubling abuse of prosecutorial power that undermines Georgia citizens’ constitutional rights. The core issue is not simply a procedural misstep; it’s about whether state officials can weaponize laws like Georgia’s RICO statute to silence dissent...