Stacey Abrams, a Democratic Party activist and two-time candidate for governor, is tied to a record-breaking campaign finance fine in Georgia. On Wednesday, the state ethics commission announced a hefty $300,000 penalty against a group she founded. This fine, the largest in Georgia’s history and possibly in the entire U.S., stems from spending violations during Abrams’ first run for governor in 2018.
Here’s what happened: The group, called the New Georgia Project, along with its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund, raised and spent millions to support Abrams during her campaign. However, Georgia law requires such groups to register as independent committees and report all their fundraising and spending. This didn’t happen. The ethics commission discovered the group failed to disclose $4.216 million in donations and $3.2 million in expenses during that election cycle.
The New Georgia Project entered into a consent agreement with the commission, which was released on Wednesday after a vote. According to the agreement, the group spent unreported money to support not just Abrams but other Democratic candidates like Sarah Riggs-Amico, John Barrow, and Charlie Bailey. These funds paid for activities like canvassing, campaign literature, social media efforts, and operating field offices.
The violations didn’t stop with the 2018 election. The group also got involved in a 2019 campaign to expand the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) through a sales tax increase. They raised $646,000 and spent $173,000 on that effort, which voters ultimately rejected. The ethics commission noted that this campaign also involved improper fundraising and spending.
The $300,000 fine will be paid in two parts: the first $150,000 is due by February 15, 2025, and the remaining amount must be paid by January 15, 2026.
“This is the largest fine we’ve ever imposed for an election and campaign finance case, not just in Georgia but possibly anywhere in the country,” the ethics commission stated. They emphasized that this case sends a clear message: groups trying to bend the rules to influence elections will be held accountable.
Stacey Abrams founded the New Georgia Project in 2014 but left in 2017 to focus on her gubernatorial campaign. Afterward, the organization was led by Raphael Warnock, now a U.S. Senator, until 2020 when he began his own Senate campaign.
The ethics commission’s findings paint a picture of widespread electioneering activities funded by undisclosed money. These activities included paying staff, running field offices, and creating materials explicitly encouraging voters to back certain Democratic candidates.
Despite requests for comment, the New Georgia Project has not responded. Meanwhile, the ethics commission says this case represents the most significant instance of illegal election influence ever uncovered in Georgia. Their goal is clear: to ensure transparency and accountability in future elections.