State Sen. Colton Moore, who represents the 53rd Senate District, including Chattooga County, was arrested this morning after he refused to follow a ban on entering the House chamber.

The ban was imposed by House Speaker Jon Burns last year following Moore’s negative comments about the late House Speaker David Ralston. Moore was involved in a physical scuffle with staff and officers before being handcuffed and taken to Fulton County Jail, although it is unclear what charges he will face.

Moore argued that he had a duty to represent the people who elected him and expressed frustration at being blocked from attending a joint session to hear Gov. Brian Kemp’s State of the State speech. He claimed that he had informed Burns that this meeting involved both the House and Senate and should not be restricted. This conflict arose from Moore’s remarks last year, in which he called Ralston “one of the most corrupt Georgians,” prompting Burns to impose the ban.

Moore’s tensions with Ralston date back to 2019 when he publicly called for Ralston to step down following an investigation into Ralston’s legal practices. After facing backlash, Moore was expelled from the Senate Republican caucus and eventually won a Senate seat.

This incident marks the third arrest of a lawmaker at the Capitol in recent years, highlighting ongoing tensions within Georgia’s legislative body.