(The Center Square) – The New Georgia Project and the New Georgia Project Action Fund are facing a record $300,000 fine for failing to disclose that it was campaigning for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in 2018.
The State Ethics Commission began its investigation in 2019 into whether the nonprofits should have disclosed their campaign activities with the state. Evidence presented by David Emadi, executive secretary of the commission, showed money doled out for paid canvassers and fliers supporting Abrams’ 2018 run.
The nonprofits failed to report $4.2 million in contributions and $3.2 million in expenditures.
The fine is the largest in Georgia’s history, Emadi said.
“This clearly represents the most significant incidence of an organization illegally influencing our elections in Georgia at the statewide level that we’ve ever uncovered,” Emadi said during the meeting. “And I think this sends a pretty clear message to the parties, to the public and to potential bad actors moving forward that if you break the law to influence our elections, we’re going to be diligent in our pursuit and we’re going to hold you accountable for what you’ve done.”
David Fox, who represents the nonprofit groups, called the consent decree a “reasonable resolution.”
Abrams founded the organization but was not a part of it during the 2018 campaign.
