Ga. governor seeks redesign of Confederate flag plate

WXIA-TV, Atlanta

ATLANTA — In an about face, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal announced on Tuesday that he would seek a redesign of the state-issued license plate bearing the image of the Confederate battle flag. Deal initially said he wouldn't urge changes.

Public display of the Confederate flag has come under fire in the week since nine African Americans were killed attending Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. The accused shooter, Dylann Roof, 21, is linked to a manifesto that professes white supremacy.

The design on Georgia's license plate from the Sons of Confederate Veterans features the group's logo prominently up front as the Confederate battle flag covers the background. It also has the words "Sons of Confederate Veterans" where the county name is usually placed on the plates.

Deal issued a statement Tuesday saying: "Georgia has faced down this controversy before, has found solutions that brought people together instead of dividing them and has come through those debates a more united people. I know we can do that again. Georgia celebrates its diversity, its commitment to equality for all and its tolerance of all viewpoints."

Earlier Tuesday, Deal told reporters he wouldn't urge lawmakers to take any action on the plate.

Deal, who expressed no concerns about the tag after the larger flag was added in February of 2014, told reporters Tuesday that his position had not changed. He said lawmakers have the authority to eliminate specialty plates.

"I'm not going to suggest to them one way or the other what they do," Deal said.

Deal's aides soon called reporters back to the governor's office where Deal said he backed a redesign. He said that can be completed without any action from lawmakers and said his office "will move immediately in that direction."

"It's an effort to not let this become an issue in Georgia," Deal said.

Asked whether he wants the flag removed from the plate, Deal said that would be part of discussion with the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization.

"I doubt that they would agree to not have some representation of the Sons of the Confederacy," he said. "They deserve to have us discuss it with them as well as with any other parties that have an interest in it."

Representatives for the group were not immediately available.

About 3,500 Georgia plates are the Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty plates, according to the governor's statement.

In South Carolina, Gov. Nikki Haley has called for the removal of the Confederate flag from the State Capitol grounds. On Tuesday, South Carolina lawmakers agreed to debate the fate of the Confederate battle flag.

In Mississippi on Monday, House Speaker Philip Gunn called for the Confederate emblem to be removed from the state flag. A move.org petition to remove the emblem has more than 43,600 signatures.

Also Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, moved to have the Confederate flag banished from state license plates.

On Tuesday, major retailers Amazon, eBay and Sears joined Walmart in removing rebel-flagged items from their shelves and websites.

Contributing: Matthew Diebel, William Cummings, Gregg Zoroya and Hadley Malcolm, USA TODAY; The Associated Press.

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