The Georgia State Senate issued subpoenas Monday ordering Stacey Abrams and two former New Georgia Project leaders to testify about campaign finance violations that resulted in the largest penalty in state history.
Senate Orders Testimony on Record-Breaking Fine
The Senate Special Committee on Investigations demanded that Abrams appear alongside Lauren Groh-Wargo and Nsé Ufot at the State Capitol Friday morning at 10 a.m. The subpoenas follow Georgia State Ethics Commission findings that the New Georgia Project and its affiliated Action Fund violated campaign finance laws during the 2018 election cycle. The organizations admitted to 16 violations and agreed to pay a $300,000 fine earlier this year before shutting down in 2025 amid mounting legal and financial problems.
Republican state Senator Greg Dolezal, the committee’s vice chairman, stated that lawmakers have a responsibility to follow the facts. Georgia law requires transparency and accountability in elections, he explained. The investigation aims to determine who was involved in decision-making behind the violations, how funds were managed, and who knew about the illegal activity. Republican Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones emphasized that no one is above the law in Georgia, adding that secret spending of millions to influence elections while evading disclosure requirements undermines confidence in the democratic process.
Abrams Calls Hearing Partisan Performance
Abrams responded on social media, calling the Georgia State Senate subpoena a partisan and performative hearing designed to intimidate voting rights advocates across Georgia and the nation. Despite describing the intent as hollow and cynical, she stated she will testify on a mutually agreeable date. The two-time Democratic gubernatorial nominee noted the timing came days after Supreme Court decisions affecting minority voting protections and after her testimony against voter suppression processes in Southern states. Abrams ruled out another gubernatorial run earlier this year, saying she would focus on fighting what she characterizes as authoritarianism under President Trump.
Investigation Expands Beyond Initial Subpoenas
The Senate committee announced that additional hearings and witness testimony are expected in the coming weeks. Dolezal stated that 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 campaign finance laws. The investigation also follows revelations that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin discovered $2 billion set aside by the Biden administration to support a climate group with links to Abrams. The committee maintains its probe will continue regardless of political party or influence as lawmakers pursue accountability for election law violations.