Obamacare enrollment down sharply in Georgia

Georgia saw one of the biggest drops in Obamacare sign ups nationwide with nearly 94,000 fewer people enrolling in health coverage this year compared with 2016.

That’s a 16 percent decline — the fourth biggest drop among states that use the federal health insurance exchange Healthcare. gov, according to new federal data reported Tuesday in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The enrollment slump was likely spurred, in part, by continued uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act and a decision by the Trump administration to pull advertising for the exchange website in the days leading up to the end of open enrollment when there is typically a surge in sign ups as people rush to meet the deadline.

Read the entire story: on-ajc. com/Obamacare_down

Bribery case targets 2nd contractor

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday charged a second contractor with conspiring to payoff officials to win contracts at Atlanta City Hall.

Charles P. Richards Jr., the owner of a Lithonia construction company, was led into federal court in handcuffs and leg irons to be arraigned in the widening federal probe of corruption in Atlanta’s government.

From 2010 to August 2015, Richards allegedly paid at least $185,000 in bribes to an unnamed person, believing some of the money would be given to city officials with influence over contract awards, prosecutors alleged.

Richards paid the money so that his companies, C.P. Richards Construction Co., and C.P. Richards & Associates, would be given contracts, according to the federal charging document. Those payoffs are connected to $1 million in bribes paid over the same time frame by Elvin “E.R.” Mitchell, prosecutors say.

Mitchell pleaded guilty last month to his role in the scheme and is cooperating with prosecutors. Richards is expected to plead guilty at a hearing scheduled Feb. 16 before U.S. District Court Judge Steve Jones.

Read entire story: on-ajc.com/ Second_contractor

■ Also see related story in the Agony. After 51 years wandering in the desert, the Atlanta Falcons came within hailing distance of the Promised Land, only to have it evaporate like a familiar mirage.

The underdog Falcons suffered the biggest collapse in Super Bowl history Sunday night, handing over a big lead and the game to the Super Bowl’s second-biggest winners.

The New England Patriots, down 28-3 in the third quarter, scored 25 unanswered points, corruption probe on today’s front page and Bill Torpy’s At Large column on the Metro cover. forced the game into overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history and snatched away a victory that seemed all but assured.

Said Ryan Tweedle, 26, of Vinings, watching among the crestfallen faithful at Stats in downtown Atlanta: “It hurts. It really does hurt.”

A win would have completed a storybook season in which the Falcons said goodbye to their old Dome Jan. 22 by taking apart Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, 44-21.

Read entire story: on-ajc.com/Falcons_fizzle from Middle East carriers.

Read entire story: on-ajc.com/ Trump_Delta

Meeting disrupted over ‘racist pig’ post DA won’t push for new trial against ex-CEO

Former DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis was finally freed of corruption charges Monday after a four-year saga that included two trials, an eight-month prison sentence and a successful appeal.

DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston said she won’t seek yet another trial against Ellis after the Georgia Supreme Court threw out his convictions Nov. 30.

A jury had found Ellis guilty in July 2015 of trying to shake down a contractor for campaign contributions, but the state’s highest court found he had been denied a fair trial. The charges of attempted extortion and perjury remained pending until Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson on Monday granted Boston’s request to drop them.

Boston said another trial wouldn’t be worthwhile.

Read entire story: on-ajc. com/Ellis_freed

Federal suit alleging discrimination settled