The Georgia Senate has opened a formal inquiry into alleged campaign finance violations tied to Stacey Abrams’ voter outreach group, the New Georgia Project, and has issued subpoenas to Abrams, Lauren Groh-Wargo and Nsé Ufot for a hearing at the State Capitol. Republican lawmakers, led in the Senate by Vice Chairman Greg Dolezal, say the probe follows findings by the Georgia State Ethics Commission and aims to clarify who controlled decisions and money flows. The subpoenas come after the groups admitted to violations and paid what state officials called a historic fine.
The Senate Special Committee on Investigations announced the subpoenas Monday and set a hearing for Friday at 10 a.m. at the State Capitol. Abrams, Lauren Groh-Wargo and Nsé Ufot have been ordered to appear before the committee. Committee leaders say this is part of a broader effort to enforce campaign finance rules.
Greg Dolezal, the committee’s vice chairman, framed the work as a straightforward duty of oversight and accountability. “This committee has a responsibility to follow the facts wherever they lead,” he said. Dolezal and other Republicans stress that transparency is central to trust in elections.
The subpoena push traces back to the Georgia State Ethics Commission, which found the New Georgia Project and its affiliated Action Fund violated campaign finance laws during the 2018 cycle. The organizations admitted to 16 violations earlier this year and agreed to pay a $300,000 fine, the largest campaign finance penalty in Georgia history. State officials cited missteps in reporting and improper handling of funds as the basis for the sanctions.
By 2025 the New Georgia Project had shut down and formally dissolved after mounting financial and legal pressure. That closure left lingering questions about who made the key operational decisions and how money moved through the network. Republicans argue the dissolution makes it even more important to document the record while witnesses and records are still available.
The committee’s public statements make clear what investigators want to learn and why they say it matters. “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,” Dolezal said. Lawmakers insist the inquiry will map decision-making lines and financial routes tied to the group’s activities.
Georgia’s Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones underlined the message that no one is exempt from review. “No one is above the law in Georgia.” He added: “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.” Jones framed the probe as a nonpartisan enforcement of rules meant to protect voters.
Committee leaders say further hearings and witness testimony are likely in coming weeks as the investigation expands. Subpoenas are just the first step, they say, and the panel plans to interview other figures tied to the group’s operations and finances. Republicans emphasize that methodical fact-gathering will drive the schedule.
Stacey Abrams, a two-time Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, has already said she will not run again and will focus on national advocacy. Her campaign and allies have disputed past characterizations of the New Georgia Project’s work, and Abrams has pushed broader warnings about what she calls threats to democracy under President Trump. Abrams narrowly lost to Republican Brian Kemp in 2018 and was defeated by nearly eight points in their 2022 rematch.
Media outreach to Abrams for comment was acknowledged by lawmakers as part of the normal process. As the committee prepares its witness list, Republicans say the goal is to secure records and testimony that clarify how the admissions, penalties and dissolved operations came to be. The hearings promise to keep Georgia politics in the spotlight as the state heads into another high-stakes election cycle.
