Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was so bothered by the depiction of the state’s voting laws in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” that he fired off a personal letter to star and creator, Larry David.
During the 12th and final season, David ends up getting arrested after he passes off a bottle of water to his friend Leon’s aunt while she waits in line to vote at her Atlanta precinct.
The debacle, inspired by a part of Georgia’s real 2021 Election Integrity Act, which prohibits people from giving out food and drink outside of polling places, continues to play out over the entire season.
It seems Raffenspeger didn’t take kindly to the Georgia-inspired storyline, as was revealed in a letter obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution through public records requests.
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While David’s tendency towards exaggeration is no secret, Raffenspeger wrote to him with a point-by-point correction of what went down in the “Curb” episode, which is titled “Atlanta.”
“Mr. Larry David, As the chief elections officer for the State of Georgia, we would like to congratulate you on becoming the first, and to our knowledge, only person arrested for distributing water bottles to voters within 150 feet of a polling station,” the letter began.
Violating Georgia’s ban on food and water can result in a maximum fine of $1,000 and 12 months in jail, but being carted away by the cops like David would be highly unlikely, as Raffensperger notes.
He then took a dig at Donald Trump, who was actually booked by Fulton County authorities last summer.
“We apologize if you didn’t receive celebrity treatment at the local jail,” the letter continued. “I’m afraid they’ve gotten used to bigger stars. It’s the TMZ of mugshots.”
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As he went on, Raffensperger downplayed the provision as a “limited food ban” and celebrated the speed of Georgia’s voting process under the 2021 legislature, which also implemented strict voter ID requirements and changes to how absentee ballots are handled.
“Given the obvious concern you have about access to voting in Georgia, you’ll be glad to hear that waiting times for all voters, including Leon’s aunt, were under two minutes, even as we experienced record turnout,” Raffensperger’s letter read.
“Whether wanted or unwanted, I know you’ve received a lot of attention related to your actions in a Georgia election,” the note continued.
“Believe me, I understand. And while my powers as secretary of state to perform miracles are often overstated, I’m afraid I lack the authority to grant a pardon ― even if you call me to ask for one.”
Signing off, the letter finished with, “Yours truly, Brad Raffensperger.”
While Georgia’s secretary of state dismissed David’s bit as a hyperbole, tenants of the Election Integrity Act have faced scrutiny from far more than comedians.
President Joe Biden called the legislation “Jim Crow in the 21st Century” after it was passed back in 2021.