The Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations issued subpoenas on May 11 to Stacey Abrams, Lauren Groh-Wargo and Nsé Ufot as part of its ongoing investigation into alleged campaign finance law violations related to the New Georgia Project and affiliated organizations.
The committee is seeking testimony from the three individuals at the Georgia State Capitol this Friday at 10:00 a.m. The move follows findings by the Georgia State Ethics Commission that both the New Georgia Project and New Georgia Project Action Fund violated state campaign finance laws during the 2018 election cycle. Earlier this year, these organizations admitted to 16 violations of state law and agreed to pay a $300,000 fine, which officials said is the largest campaign finance penalty in Georgia history.
According to committee leaders, their investigation aims to clarify who was involved in decision-making processes, financial activity and knowledge regarding unlawful political activities uncovered by state investigators. “This committee has a responsibility to follow the facts wherever they lead,” said Sen. Greg Dolezal (R–Cumming), Vice Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Investigations. “Georgia law requires transparency and accountability in our elections. The people of Georgia deserve to know who was involved, what decisions were made and how millions of dollars flowed through organizations that admitted to violating our campaign finance laws.”
Senate Special Committee Chairman Sen. Bill Cowsert (R–Athens) said that restoring public confidence is central to their efforts: “The integrity of our political process depends on the faithful enforcement of the law,” Cowsert said. “The Ethics Commission uncovered what it described as one of the most significant campaign finance violations in state history. Our committee intends to determine who was responsible and whether additional reforms or enforcement mechanisms are necessary to protect the public trust and prevent this from ever happening again.”
Lt. Governor Burt Jones also commented on why he believes such investigations are important for upholding legal standards: “No one is above the law in Georgia,” Jones said. “When organizations secretly spend millions to influence elections while evading disclosure requirements, it undermines confidence in our democratic process. The Senate will continue pursuing the truth and ensuring accountability, regardless of political party or influence.”
The Senate Special Committee on Investigations was established with a mandate covering matters involving public integrity, misuse of public funds, campaign finance violations and other issues deemed important statewide.
Additional hearings with further witness testimony are expected over coming weeks.
Senator John F. Kennedy focused on legislative sponsorship during his time as a state senator; he held roles including President Pro Tempore for Georgia’s 18th District while chairing committees such as Administrative Affairs according to the official website.
