Georgia Sen. Colton Moore Arrested After Trying to Defy a Ban on House Floor

A Georgia state senator previously barred from the state House chamber was arrested Thursday when he tried to enter the chamber for the governor’s State of the State address and got into a shoving match with House staff.

State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, is among the chamber’s most right-wing members. He signaled Wednesday that he would seek a showdown when he called House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, a “tyrant” on social media.

The arrest is one of several examples of government officials trying to detain legislators or bystanders when legislative sessions begin in 2025.

Burns banned Moore from the House chamber last year after Moore denounced the late Rep. David Ralston on a day when Ralston was honored and his relatives looked on. In a speech, Moore called Ralston “one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we will ever see” over allegations that Ralston has improperly delayed litigation he acted as a lawyer. Burns called Moore’s remarks “outrageous” when he announced the ban and said it would remain until Moore apologized.

Before his arrest Thursday, Moore told reporters that Burns could not legally prevent him from attending a joint session of the House and Senate to listen to Gov. Brian Kemp on the floor of the House. He said he met with Burns on Wednesday but couldn’t find out anything.

“You can’t prevent a General Assembly,” Moore said as he tried to push past House staffers blocking the door. “I have a constitutional obligation to participate.”

Keith Williams, a lawyer from the speaker’s office, pushed Moore and the senator fell to the ground after one of Moore’s attempts to enter the chamber. Troopers handcuffed Moore and took him to the Fulton County Jail. Online jail records show Moore was charged with misdemeanor willful obstruction of law enforcement.

Supporters said online they were working to free Moore. Jail records said he had to post $1,000 bond to be released.

Moore was thrown out by the Senate Republican caucus in September 2023 after launching attacks on other Republicans for refusing to agree to a special session to act against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for impeaching former President Donald Trump. Kemp condemned the call as “something grifter scam” to raise campaign contributions for Moore.

In 2018, troopers arrested 15 people, including Nikema Williams, then a Democratic state senator and now a member of Congress, for an election-related protest at the Georgia Capitol. Police arrested state representative Park Cannon in 2021 after she knocked on the door of the governor’s office as he delivered a speech.

Charges were dropped both times.