LOCATSTATE
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Thursday, December 6, 2018
9A
‘Full plate’ of voter issues for
Georgia’s new secretary of state
BY RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press
The Republican elected to oversee
Georgia’s elections for the next four
years will inherit an office tasked with
replacing the state’s aging electronic
voting machines, ensuring security
flaws that exposed voters’
personal information to poten
tial hacks have been patched
and dealing with lawsuits
that allege voter suppression
marred the 2018 midterms.
“We are moving forward as
fast as we can,” Brad Raffens-
perger said Wednesday,
acknowledging the big work
load he faces as Georgia’s next
secretary of state. “It’s a full plate.”
The Republican state lawmaker won
a runoff election Tuesday to become
the state’s new elections chief, defeat
ing former Democratic congress
man John Barrow. Their race gained
unusual attention after GOP Gov.-elect
Brian Kemp, who stepped down as sec
retary of state the day after the Novem
ber election, was loudly criticized by
Democrats for overseeing his own
election and accused of suppressing
votes to improve his odds of winning —
allegations Kemp strongly denies.
Perhaps the biggest challenge
Raffensperger will face: restoring the
rattled confidence of Georgia voters.
“I think this election brought a lot of,
I guess you could say, the underbelly of
elections into the light,” said Cathy Cox,
a Democrat who served as sec
retary of state from 1999 - 2007
and is now the dean of Mercer
University’s law school.
A federal judge scolded
state elections officials ahead
of November for failing to
replace electronic voting
machines despite experts’
warnings that they’re vulner
able to hacking. Meanwhile,
the secretary of state’s office has faced
criticism at least three times since 2015
for security breaches that risked expos
ing information on millions of voters.
A sweeping lawsuit filed after the
election by Fair Fight Action, a non
profit backed by Democratic guberna
torial nominee Stacey Abrams, alleges
broad violations of citizens’ rights and
asks that Georgia be required to get a
federal judge’s approval before enact
ing any voting rules to ensure that the
change won’t disenfranchise minori
ties. Other pending lawsuits challenge
Georgia’s rejection of absentee ballots
with signatures that don’t match those
on file or when certain information is
missing or inaccurate.
Voters at some Georgia precincts
also faced wait times of two hours or
more Nov. 6 as the state saw record
turnout for a non-presidential election.
Even Kemp had problems with his vot
ing card when he tried to cast his ballot,
though the issue was fixed quickly.
In an interview Wednesday, Raffens
perger said he hopes to get state law
makers to approve and fund a new,
more secure voting system in time for
Georgia’s municipal elections next fall.
That would allow election officials and
voters to try out the new system before
the presidential primaries in 2020.
As for problems voters encoun
tered at the polls this year, Raffens
perger said they seem to have been
“rather minor” overall and largely
caused by glitches by election officials
at the county level. Like Kemp, he
denied arguments that officials tried
to dampen turnout among poor and
minority voters, citing record turnout
and big increases in voter registration.
Raffensperger
Audit: Atlanta police failed to use body cameras
Associated Press
ATLANTA — An audit has found
Atlanta police officers failed to turn
body cameras on and off at required
times in more than half of cases.
Officers failed to record two-thirds
of dispatched calls between Novem
ber 2017 and May 2018, according to
the audit report. Auditors also found
officers deleted videos they were not
authorized to and mislabeled some
too.
Police Chief Erika Shields had
asked the City Auditor’s Office for
the review. Shields said she wanted
to document how widespread the
problems were so she could begin to
address them.
“I am not happy with it,” said
Atlanta Police Erika Shields told The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “But I’m
not surprised. I knew that what we are
asking of officers is a culture shift.”
The department has made a com
mitment to transparency and there
will be more proactive discipline as a
result of internal audits, Shields said.
Shields said her department has dis
ciplined officers for failing to follow
department policy on body cameras.
The discipline most often occurs
when a complaint has been lodged
against an officer and “the camera
footage is not there.”
“What you are going to see from our
end is more proactive discipline as a
result of our internal audits,” Shields
said.
2 Iranian men face
new charges over
Atlanta cyberattack
BY KATE BRUMBACK
Associated Press
Two Iranian men already
indicted in New Jersey in
connection with a broad
cybercrime and extortion
scheme targeting govern
ment agencies, cities and
businesses now face new
federal charges in Georgia
related to a ransomware
attack that caused havoc for
the city of Atlanta this year.
A federal grand jury in
Atlanta returned an indict
ment Tuesday accusing
Faramarz Shahi Savandi
and Mohammad Mehdi Shah
Mansouri of violating the
Computer Fraud and Abuse
Act, federal prosecutors said
in a news release Wednes
day. The New Jersey indict
ment against the pair was
filed last month on conspir
acy charges that included the
Atlanta cyberattack.
Byung “BJay” Pak, the
U.S. attorney in Atlanta,
said in a news release that
the Atlanta indictment was
sought in coordination with
the earlier indictment and
seeks to ensure that “those
responsible for the attacks
face justice here as well.”
The Atlanta indictment
accuses the men of launch
ing a ransomware attack that
encrypted vital city com
puter systems. The attack
disrupted city operations and
caused millions of dollars in
losses, prosecutors said.
The Department of Justice
has said the two men remain
fugitives and are believed to
be in Iran, though they are
not believed to be connected
to the Iranian government.
No attorney was listed for
either man in court records.
In the Atlanta attack, a ran
somware known as SamSam
was used to infect about
3,789 computers belonging
to the city, prosecutors said.
The ransomware encrypted
the files on the computers
and showed a ransom note
demanding payment for a
decryption key.
The note demanded 0.8 bit-
coin per affected computer
or six bitcoin to decrypt all
affected computers. Atlanta
Mayor Keisha Lance Bot
toms said in the days after
the attack that the ransom
was equivalent to $51,000.
The ransom note provided
a bitcoin address to pay
the ransom and a website
accessible only on the dark
web, where it said the city
could retrieve the decryp
tion key, prosecutors said.
The decryption key became
inaccessible shortly after the
attack, and the city didn’t pay
the ransom, prosecutors said.
The New Jersey indict
ment filed Nov. 27 accuses
the two men of creating the
SamSam ransomware and
says it was used to encrypt
the computers of more than
200 victims, including gov
ernment agencies, cities
and businesses. Among the
other victims are the city of
Newark, New Jersey, the
Colorado Department of
Transportation, the Port of
San Diego and six health care
companies, according to the
Justice Department.
OBITUARIES
Larry Townsend DePriest
Died Dec. 1, 2018
Larry Townsend DePriest of Dahlonega
passed away at the age of 78 on Saturday,
Dec. 1, following a brief hospitalization. An
alumnus of both the University of Tennes
see and the University of Pittsburgh and a
veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Larry retired
from a career as a hospital administrator
in 2006. He was a member of Dahlonega
United Methodist Church and Rotary Inter
national, where he was recognized as a Paul
Harris Fellow. He also believed strongly in
outreach initiatives like Community Help
ing Place, where he had been a regular
volunteer.
Larry was the kind of man you would
notice in any crowd, and not just because he
stood 6 feet, 5 inches tall. He had a unique
combination of gravitas and humorous
self-deprecation that endeared him to his
co-workers, family and friends. Larry was
a living example of the concept of servant
leadership, believing that his role in any
organization was to do what was necessary
to enable others to succeed. He was unwav
ering in his principles, sometimes to his per
sonal detriment, but his commitment to what
he believed was right and good was founda
tional to both his professional and personal
life.
His Tennessee upbringing helped Larry
develop a practical and frugal approach to
life’s problems. A little-known fact about
Larry was that he had an uncanny ability to
fix almost anything around the house using
a coat hanger. He loved to fish, but disliked
eating fish, a quirk which puzzled many
people over the years. While he would claim
no deep expertise in any area, his grand
children referred to him as “The Wizard”
because he was always handy with a perti
nent fact.
Larry is survived by his wife of 57 years,
Janice; his daughter Karen and son Michael;
and six grandchildren, along with his sisters
Linda and Cindy and brothers Douglas and
Edward. The family requests in lieu of flow
ers that you consider making a donation to
the Dahlonega United Methodist Church in
Larry’s name.
Dahlonega Funeral Home, Dahlonega
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Dec. 6,2018
Dorothy “Dot” Bennett McClure
Died Dec. 4, 2018
Dorothy “Dot” Bennett McClure, 97, of
Oakwood passed away Tuesday, Dec. 4,
2018, at her residence.
Born in Forsyth County, Mrs. McClure
had lived in Hall County for
most of her life. She was the
daughter of the late Grady
and Mary Phillips Bennett.
She was a homemaker and
a member of the Oakwood
First United Methodist
Church.
Survivors include her
daughter and son-in-law,
Martha Nix and James Smith of Oakwood;
son and daughter-in-law, John and Stevie
McClure, Oakwood; son, Brad McClure, Oak-
wood; grandchildren, Page Arnette (Jeff),
Cumming; Scott Nix, Boone, N.C.; Kaitlin
Merwin (Winn), Hoschton; great-grandchil
dren, Claire Nix, Boone, N.C., Kennedy and
Jackson Arnette, Cumming; dear friend and
caregiver, Viola McClure, Flowery Branch.
A number of nieces, nephews and cousins
also survive.
Mrs. McClure is preceded in death by her
parents and husband, John Mark McClure.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, at the Oakwood First
United Methodist Church. The Rev. Sandra
Skinner will officiate. Interment will follow
in the Memorial Park Cemetery. The fam
ily will receive friends at Little & Davenport
Funeral Home Thursday, Dec. 6, from 5 p.m.
until 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked
that memorial contributions please be made
to Oakwood First United Methodist Church,
4315 Allen St., Oakwood, GA 30566 or The
Lumpkin Campground in memory of Mrs.
McClure.
Those wishing to send online condolences
to the family may do so at littledavenport.
com.
Little & Davenport Funeral Home and
Crematory, Gainesville
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Dec. 6,2018
Bobby John “Bob” McMahan
July 22, 1933-Dec. 4,2018
Bobby John “Bob” McMahan, 85, of
Gainesville passed away Dec. 4,2018, follow
ing an extended illness.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on
Friday, Dec. 7,2018, in the Chapel of Memo
rial Park Funeral Home with Sheriff Gerald
Couch and the Rev. Mike Burgamy officiat
ing. Interment will follow in Antioch Baptist
Church Cemetery.
Born on July 22, 1933, he was the son of
the late Harold Ellis and Viola Youngblood
McMahan. Mr. McMahan
was a veteran of the United
States Army where he was
an Army Ranger. While in
service he was awarded
the Army Commendation
Medal, Parachutist Badge,
Ranger Tab, Combat Infan
try Badge, Permanent
Aircraft Crewman Badge,
Bronze Star Medal, Purple
heart, 3 Overseas Service Bars, Vietnam
Campaign Medal w/ 60 Device, National
Defense Service Medal w/PLC, Good Con
duct Medal (5th Award), Vietnam Service
Medal w/1 Silver Star.
Mr. McMahan was retired from the Hall
County Sheriff’s Department where his
career began in January 1973 as a patrol
man until 1978. In 1978, he was promoted to
Sergeant “A” Shift Road Supervisor. In 1980
Mr. McMahan was promoted to Training
Sergeant and continued in that position until
1984. In 1984 he was promoted to Lieutenant
“C” Watch Supervisor. Mr. McMahan started
the Hall County Sheriff’s first SWAT Team.
He was of the Baptist faith.
In addition to his parents, Mr. McMahan
is preceded in death by his brother, Billy
McMahan.
Mr. McMahan is survived by his wife of 62
years, Beatrice “Dixie” McMahan of Gaines
ville; daughters, Cheryl Robinson (James) of
Dawsonville, Vicki King (Jerry Hudgins) of
Clarkesville; grandson, Josh Robinson (Amy
Robertson) of Gainesville; granddaughter,
Dreama Huffstatler (Michael), Maggie Bur
ton (Shawn) of Dawsonville; grandson, Zach
King (Zoe) of Huntsville, Ala.; four great
grandchildren; and his beloved dog Nick.
Send online condolences to www.memori-
alparkfuneralhomes.com.
Memorial Park Funeral Home,
Gainesville
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Dec. 6,2018
Wanda Ruth Mitchell
July 15, 1938-Dec. 3, 2018
Wanda Ruth Mitchell, 80, of Flowery
Branch, Ga., passed away Monday, Dec.
3, 2018. She was preceded in death by son,
Mike Wayne Shackelford. Mrs. Mitchell is
survived by her sons and daughter-in-law,
Mark Allen Shackelford and Martin Lee and
Frances Shackelford, Flowery Branch, Ga.;
four grandchildren, Crystal Shackelford,
Jennifer Shackelford, Joshua Shackelford
and Jesse Shackelford; and 16 great-grand
children. Mrs. Mitchell was born on July 15,
1938, in Petersburg, Ind. She was a graduate
of Owensville High School, Owensville, Ind.
Mrs. Mitchell was a retired cashier. She was
a member of Blackshear Baptist Church, aka
Christ Place Church, Oakwood, Ga. There
will be no formal services.
To express condolences, please sign our
online guest book at www.flaniganfuneral-
home.com.
Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory,
Buford
Sign the online guest book at
gainesvilletimes.com.
The Times, Gainesville, Ga.
Dec. 6,2018
DEATH NOTICES
Patsy Wilson Allbright
July 18, 1952-Dec. 3, 2018
Patsy Wilson Allbright, 66, of Buford
died Monday. Memorial service, 3:30
p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, funeral home chapel.
Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory,
Buford.
William A. Anderton III
Jan. 10, 1949-Dec. 4,2018
William A. Anderton III “Bill,” 69, died
Tuesday. Memorial service, 6 p.m. Thurs
day, Dec. 6, funeral home. Ingram Funeral
Home & Crematory, Cumming.
Frank James Bell
May 19, 1953-Dec. 4, 2018
Frank James Bell, 65, of Cornelia died
Tuesday. Funeral service, 3 p.m. Friday,
Dec. 7, funeral home chapel. McGahee-Grif-
fin & Stewart Funeral Home, Cornelia.
Judith Canady Dodge
Died Dec. 5, 2018
Judith Canady Dodge, 77, of Gainesville
died Wednesday. Memorial Park North Riv
erside Chapel, Gainesville.
Mary Willene (Poss) Gipson
July 20, 1961-Dec. 5,2018
Mary Willene (Poss) Gipson, 57, died
Wednesday. Celebration of life service,
3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, funeral home cha
pel. Anderson-Underwood Funeral Home,
Dahlonega.
Ralph Donald Hadaway Jr.
Feb. 17, 1959-Dec. 4, 2018
Ralph Donald Hadaway Jr., 59, of Clarkes
ville died Tuesday. Barrett Funeral Home,
Cleveland.
Buford Oglesby
Died Dec. 5, 2018
Buford Oglesby, 73, of Hartwell died
Wednesday. Dexter T. Sims Mortuary,
Royston.
Sam Scaffide
April 29, 1942-Dec. 4,2018
Sam Scaffide, 76, of Duluth died Tues
day. Funeral service, 10:30 a.m. Saturday,
Dec. 8, St. Benedict Catholic Church, Johns
Creek. Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory,
Cumming.
Obituary information
Death notices are printed free as a public
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For additional information, please call
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INTRODUCING
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Little & Davenport
Funeral Home
To inquire about pricing packages available to
memorialize a pet in print, please contact Megan Lewis
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