State Rep. Vance Smith thanks Georgia House after his controversial firing stirs emotions
State Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain) gave an emotional thank-you Tuesday in the Georgia House of Representatives.
During the House’s morning orders, Smith came to the podium on the House floor to express his gratitude to his family and colleagues for their support after he was fired Friday from his job as president and CEO of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce.
“This is a family in here,” Smith said. “You won’t believe the calls and texts I’ve had. Wow. It’s amazing. And I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”
His comments stem from when the Harris County Chamber of Commerce executive committee told him in a Zoom meeting Friday he was fired after voting against Gov. Brian Kemp’s tort reform bill, Senate Bill 68.
“The gist of it was my vote on the tort reform was not representative of what the chamber stood for,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer on Monday. “Therefore, they wanted to part ways.”
Also during his speech Tuesday in the Georgia House, Smith quoted a Bible verse, Jeremiah 29:11, when he said, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
While Smith read that verse through a choked-up voice, state Reps. Teddy Reese (D-Columbus), Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), Al Williams (D-Midway) and James Burchett (R-Waycross) came to the podium to comfort him as he paused and held back tears. Reese, Hugley and Williams voted against the tort reform bill. Burchett voted in favor of the bill and is listed as one of its sponsors.
“Thank you,” Smith said as he concluded his speech. “I love y’all, every one of you.”
After leaving the podium, other House members from both sides of the aisle lined up to give Smith hugs and words of encouragement.
In response to the Ledger-Enquirer’s questions about Smith’s firing, Theresa Garcia Robertson, board chair of the Harris County Chamber of Commerce, said in an email Tuesday after Smith’s speech, “We do not comment on personnel matters. What we can tell you is that we hold Vance in high regard personally and appreciate his service to our community and his district.”
Robertson is the wife of state Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), who voted in favor of the tort reform and is listed as one of the bill’s sponsors.
This story was originally published March 25, 2025 at 12:08 PM.