The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has initiated an investigation into a voting rights charity, the New Georgia Project, linked to Stacey Abrams, following allegations of financial irregularities, according to the Washington Free Beacon. The New Georgia Project was founded by Abrams in 2013 and became one of the leading voter registration groups in the country. The group has raised $54.7 million since 2020 through its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund.
The Free Beacon had previously reported on alleged financial mismanagement by former executives, including a payment of $500,000 for consulting services to a charity partly run by Nsé Ufot‘s brother, former CEO of the New Georgia Project. Ufot was terminated for undisclosed reasons. The New Georgia Project claimed not to have paid any payroll taxes in 2020, which is highly unlikely without engaging in extensive criminal activities. The group’s tax filings have also raised legal and accounting questions, resulting in subpoenas being issued to affiliated parties.
A long-running case by the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission has accused the voter registration group of working illegally to elect Abrams during her unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial bid. Georgia’s Secretary of State has initiated an investigation into the charity in light of this separate case. Abrams, who lost her second gubernatorial bid by 7.5 points in November, has stated that she will “likely run again.” She raised over $100 million during her last campaign, largely from liberal donors outside Georgia. However, her campaign still owes more than $1 million to vendors, according to a report from Axios.
Earlier, the New Georgia Project submitted its 2021 Form 990 financial disclosure in January to the IRS, two months after the due date, and three months after Nse Ufot, the CEO hand-picked by Abrams, was fired by the charity’s board chairman. The financial disclosure revealed a $533,846 consulting payment and a $67,500 grant to the Black Male Initiative, a charity partially run by Ufot’s brother, Edima, who was a former employee of the New Georgia Project. The Black Male Initiative has denied receiving any consulting payment.
The missing money has raised ethical concerns, adding to the challenges facing the troubled charity. Former senior staff have accused the leadership of engaging in widespread financial misconduct. Georgia’s state ethics commission has also alleged that the group unlawfully worked to elect Abrams during her unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign against current Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican. Alan Dye, a nonprofit attorney, commented that “something’s rotten in the state of Denmark,” noting that it’s a crime to knowingly file a false statement with the federal government.
The New Georgia Project, along with its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund, has been among the largest left-leaning voter registration efforts in the nation. However, the allegations of financial impropriety and investigations have cast doubt on the organization’s credibility and integrity. The outcome of the investigation could have a significant impact on the group’s future activities and the political aspirations of its founder.
Sources: ConservativeBrief, Axios, FreeBeacon
