The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations has issued subpoenas to former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and two of her close associates, probing campaign finance violations associated with the New Georgia Project during the 2018 election cycle.
Abrams, along with Lauren Groh-Wargo, CEO of Fair Fight Action, and Nsé Ufot, the ex-CEO of the New Georgia Project, must appear before the committee at the State Capitol in Atlanta.
The Georgia Voting Project and its associated New Georgia Project Action Fund were established to enhance voter turnout among non-white demographics, which Abrams claimed was necessary to combat unsubstantiated claims of “voter suppression.” The closure of these organizations largely stemmed from hefty legal fees due to a substantial fine imposed on them.
Last January, the Georgia Ethics Commission slapped a $300,000 fine on the Georgia Voting Project for breaching state campaign finance laws during the 2018 elections.
These entities were penalized for failing to register as independent campaign committees and neglecting to report approximately $4.2 million in contributions and $3.2 million in expenditures that principally supported Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign. This fine marks the largest in the history of the Georgia Ethics Commission.
Founded by Abrams in 2018, Fair Fight Action has also faced scrutiny over claims of financial mismanagement. Similar to the New Georgia Project, it aimed to combat alleged voter suppression, including policies that Abrams criticized as purging inactive voters from the rolls and implementing strict voter ID laws.
Organizations associated with Abrams reportedly secured tens of millions in funding as the 2020 presidential election and subsequent Senate races approached.
Fair Fight Action spent $9.4 million between 2019 and 2020 on legal fees to a firm led by Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Abrams’ ally and campaign chairwoman, primarily for a voting rights lawsuit against the state. Total legal expenses for the case reportedly exceeded $39 million from 2019 to 2021. As of 2024, Fair Fight Action is grappling with $2.5 million in debt and has laid off 75 percent of its staff due to financial strains.
The Senate committee, which previously looked into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, has broadened its investigation to include the New Georgia Project after the Ethics Commission’s findings. Committee leaders aim to uncover accountability for the alleged violations and evaluate the necessity for reforms or enhanced enforcement in the future.
“The integrity of our political process demands strict adherence to the law. The Ethics Commission uncovered significant violations within the campaign finance system,” committee Chair Bill Cowsert stated. “Our objective is to ascertain accountability and decide whether further reforms or enforcement actions are essential to uphold public trust.”
