Democrat McBath’s candidacy faces residency questions

Residency is again an issue for this year’s Democratic Party candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Karen Handel, R-Ga. Only a year after Democrat candidate Jon Ossoff– who never moved into the suburban Atlanta 6th Congressional District– was defeated by Handel, challenger Lucy McBath is facing probing questions raised by the Handel camp and journalists.

InsiderAdvantage has learned that McBath’s family is claiming a homestead exemption on property in Cobb County, while being registered to vote in Tennessee and not Georgia. Her family has registered personal vehicles in Tennessee, further calling into question her residence and eligibility for homestead exemption. Consider these specifics:

1) In a May 1 public debate McBath said that her husband was a permanent resident of Tennessee. Yet Curtis McBath has claimed a homestead exemption in Cobb County, Georgia, since 2002. So here’s a question now being asked: How many years did the McBath family financially benefit from a tax exemption to which they were not legally entitled while residents of another state?

2) The McBath’s cars appear to be still registered in Blount County, Tennessee. Curtis McBath is still registered to vote in Tennessee. Georgia law requires those claiming homestead exemption to register cars owned at the same address. If registering to vote, homestead also determines residency. How do the McBaths explain continuing to receive the homestead exemption without meeting these requirements?

Both Democrat and GOP political observers agree that Ossoff’s candidacy was hurt since he did not have close ties or lived in the 6th Congressional District. That’s why longtime resident Handel believes that the district’s voters again have a right to know the truth about where their candidates have lived, and for how long.

Some basic answers can be obtained if McBath would be specific about when she moved to Tennessee and when she again became a Georgia resident — if she has. As this is written, there is “no comment.”