STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Attorney General Chris Carr’s office has moved to have the lawsuits dismissed against Stone Mountain over its planned exhibit on the history of the Civil War in Georgia.
The Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter in Georgia filed the lawsuits in July.
Channel 2 Action News previously reported in 2023 that it was designed by Warner Museums as an $11 million “truth-telling museum.”
Park officials said in the announcement that the planned galleries would cover the the monument’s racist past, though the decision to do so was not without controversy.
”It’s a long and complicated story. it’s not very pretty in some parts of it, but we think it’s important to tell the whole story about the park,” Bill Stephens, the CEO of the Stone Mountain Memorial Association, told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims in 2023.
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The AG’s office called for them to be tossed out on grounds that the petitioners lack standing, do not allege a justiciable controversy and fail to state a claim that can be granted relief in court.
The SCV filed the lawsuits in July to block it from opening. In a statement from their spokesman shared with Channel 2 Action News, the organization said the exhibit would “profoundly modify the Stone Mountain State Memorial Park considerably to conform with modern prejudices of a political faction.”
The organization said the exhibit’s “target” was “all of traditional American history.”
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The AG’s motions to dismiss also says that the SCV is time-barred for any relief because they waited years to bring legal action.
A previous lawsuit by the SCV that made its way to Georgia’s highest court was also cited by the Attorney General’s office, saying that even if there were a cognizable injury to the organization, it cannot be redressed by a judge because there is no order requiring action based on a legal duty for any officials.
No specific officials are named in any of the SCV’s complaints, either, according to the state’s motions to dismiss.
Filings for motions to dismiss say the SCV “leaves out important statutory language that makes it clear there is no injury,” when it comes to their claims.
The filings also say that other options for legal remedy are available, making the ones requested by SCV unavailable and unable to provide relief.
Court filings also say the petition by SCV “does not and cannot plead facts sufficient” to support their claims.
The motion to dismiss goes further, saying that no legal right was violated and in order to pursue relief, there must be a clear legal right violated to pursue the changes they seek.
In response to the motions to dismiss, a statement from the SCV, “It is worth noting that Attorney General Chris Carr has never acted to defend any monuments,“ also mentioning his gubernatorial campaign for 2026, saying he “will not defend the monuments and indeed, is defending the changes to the Park.”
The Attorney General’s Office also said that the management of the park is set by law as under the jurisdiction of the Stone Mountain Memorial Association, and the AG serves as legal counsel to it as the office does for all state agencies, boards and authorities.
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