Atlanta

State Sen. Colton Moore allowed back in state House for first time since arrest

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ATLANTA — Two weeks after his arrest outside the Georgia House of Representatives chamber, state Sen. Colton Moore has been allowed back in.

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot was at the Georgia State Capitol on Tuesday when Moore returned without having to give an apology.

Supporters of the Trenton state senator greeted him and cheered him on as he prepared to enter the House for the first time in more than a year for a joint session of the legislature.

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Current Speaker of the House Jon Burns agreed to let Moore in after initially banning him for refusing to apologize for controversial remarks about late Speaker David Ralston.

“The Ralston family has expressed to their family here in the House that they desire for our chamber to resume business as normal, with all members of the General Assembly present for any future joint sessions with or without the apology they and the House deserve,” Burns said.

Earlier this month, Moore tried to defy the ban and force his way inside the chamber for Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State address.

The state senator was arrested after what were described as “despicable, hurtful actions.” After some time and pushback from some Republican leaders, Burns removed the ban.

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On Tuesday morning, Elliot said Moore still seemed unapologetic.

“People say Burns lifted the ban, and I said I was never banned to begin with. It was an unconstitutional ban. Burns recognizes that now. I don’t think he’s ever felt so much pressure, so many phone calls coming in,” Moore said.

Georgia law gives the Speaker of the House leeway over how he runs the chamber.

Moore remains an outlier for the Republican party. Last year, fellow Republicans voted to throw him out of the GOP Caucus after other controversial remarks.

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