Attorney General Chris Carr this week filed an appeal seeking to continue the State’s civil enforcement action against New Georgia Project, an organization founded and first led by Stacey Abrams.
“New Georgia Project spent millions of dollars in express political advocacy, fought state investigators for years to avoid disclosing any information, and then rushed to federal court to stop this civil proceeding entirely,” said Carr. “This continued attempt to circumvent the rule of law is completely unacceptable and serves only to undermine transparency in our elections. We are filing this appeal to ensure that our state statute is upheld and Georgia’s ongoing proceeding is protected.”
In 2019, the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, following its ordinary procedures, began investigating a complaint against New Georgia Project. The complaint alleged that the organization had engaged in undisclosed election spending in 2018 and 2019.
Following a years-long subpoena battle, the Commission ultimately obtained bank records and held a formal hearing on Aug. 1, 2022.
Thereafter, the Commission issued an order finding reasonable grounds to conclude that New Georgia Project violated state campaign finance disclosure laws. Specifically, the Commission found reasonable grounds to believe that the organization failed to register with the Commission and failed to disclose millions in electoral expenditures and contributions. Following its standard practice, the Commission requested the Attorney General to continue the civil enforcement proceeding in the Office of State Administrative Hearings. Weeks later, New Georgia Project filed a lawsuit in federal court, seeking to enjoin the ongoing state proceeding. The District Court granted the motion.
In filing its appeal, the State is requesting that the Court of Appeals reverse the District Court’s decision and vacate the preliminary injunction.
Find a copy of the appeal here .
