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Senate Resolution 292
By: Senators Cowsert of the 46th, Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st, Dolezal of the
27th, Anavitarte of the 31st and others
ADOPTED SENATE
A RESOLUTION
Authorizing the Senate Special Committee on Investigations to investigate additional
1
matters; to authorize the use of compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses or2
the production of documents and materials related to such additional matters; and for other3
purposes.4
WHEREAS, on January 15, 2025, the State Ethics Commission agreed to a settlement of a5
long-running ethics investigation into the New Georgia Project and the associated New6
Georgia Action Fund, both of which were founded by Stacey Abrams, that resulted in the7
payment of a $300,000.00 fine, the largest fine for an ethics violation in Georgia history; and8
WHEREAS, as part of such settlement, the New Georgia Project and the New Georgia9
Action Fund admitted to 16 violations of Georgia campaign finance laws by illegally raising10
$4.2 million in donations and spending $3.2 million of dark money in support of Stacey11
Abrams' 2018 campaign for Governor and the state-wide campaigns of other Democrats12
running in the 2018 general election; and13
WHEREAS, the New Georgia Project and the New Georgia Action Fund also admitted to14
illegally raising $646,000.00 in contributions and making $174,000.00 in dark money15
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expenditures in support of a referendum seeking to have Gwinnett County join the
16
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority; and17
WHEREAS, such funds were used for establishing field offices, canvassing activities,18
campaign literature promoting Stacey Abrams and other state-wide candidates, and social19
media engagement by the purportedly nonpartisan New Georgia Project and New Georgia20
Action Fund; and 21
WHEREAS, it is reported that Rick Thompson, the vice chairman of the State Ethics22
Commission, lamented that the actions of the New Georgia Project and the New Georgia23
Action Fund should be criminal because of the significant impact secret money can have on 24
elections; and25
WHEREAS, in February 2025, Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the federal Environmental26
Protection Agency, announced that another organization with ties to Stacey Abrams, Power27
Forward Communities, was awarded a $2 billion dollar grant in 2024; and28
WHEREAS, Administrator Zeldin stated that such grant was governed by a grant agreement29
that provided for the funds to be disbursed within 21 days, with such disbursements made at30
the discretion of the organization more than 60 days before the organization was required to31
complete training on preparing a budget; and 32
WHEREAS, inquiry into the foregoing issues may show that existing state laws, including33
those establishing processes related to campaign finance and the operation of nonprofit34
organizations, are inadequate to address various legal and fiscal issues raised by the alleged35
and admitted conduct of multiple organizations with connections to Stacey Abrams; and36
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WHEREAS, such inquiry is necessary to determine whether Georgia laws related to
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campaign finance and ethics need to be strengthened to eliminate coordination between38
campaigns and advocacy organizations, or whether additional resources are necessary for39
state enforcement and oversight of such activities; and 40
WHEREAS, such inquiry is necessary to determine if any link exists between organizations 41
receiving federal funds and political activities occurring within the State of Georgia such as42
the alleged and admitted conduct by multiple organizations associated with Stacey Abrams43
and whether additional state law or enforcement tools are necessary to address such illegal44
coordination and misuse of public funds; and45
WHEREAS, the General Assembly, of which the Senate is a part, has "the power to make46
all laws not inconsistent with this Constitution, and not repugnant to the Constitution of the47
United States, which it shall deem necessary and proper for the welfare of the state"; see Ga.48
Const. Art. III, Sec. VI, Para. I; and49
WHEREAS, the General Assembly is further specifically empowered by the Constitution of50
the State of Georgia to pass legislation regarding the conducting of elections, see Ga. Const.51
Art. II, Sec. I, Para. I; and52
WHEREAS, the Senate has the inherent power and authority to conduct investigations into53
any matter relevant to the administration and enforcement of existing laws, proposals for new54
or amended laws, and any other matter germane to its role as part of the legislative branch55
of state government; and56
WHEREAS, the superior court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit has considered the question of57
the Senate's authority to create the Special Committee on Investigations, see Willis v. The58
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Georgia Senate Special Committee on Investigations, et al., Civil Action No. 24CV011204
59
(Ga. Super. Dec. 23, 2024); and60
WHEREAS, the Superior Court in Willis agreed and acknowledged that precedent maintains61
that the "inherent powers of our State General Assembly are awesome … The legislature is62
absolutely unrestricted in its power to legislate, so long as it does not undertake to enact63
measures prohibited by the State or Federal Constitution," Willis at 2 (citing Ga. Power Co.64
v. Allied Chem. Corp., 233 Ga. 558, 565 (citing Sears v. State of Georgia, 232 Ga. 547,65
553-54)); and 66
WHEREAS, the Willis court further recognized that the "State Constitution authorizes each67
chamber to adopt its own rules and create committees … Here, the Senate, as a chamber,68
empowered itself to issue subpoenas, which it was authorized to do," Willis at 3 (citing Ga.69
Const. Art. III, Sec. IV, Par. IV; Coggin v. Davey, 233 Ga. 407, 411); and70
WHEREAS, such inherent powers also include the authority to create special committees for71
the purpose of conducting investigations and to endow such committees with all the inherent72
powers of investigation possessed by the Senate, including the power to compel the73
appearance and testimony of witnesses and the production of records and the power to place74
witnesses under oath or affirmation; and75
WHEREAS, in addition to such inherent powers, Code Sections 45-15-17 and 45-15-1976
empower the General Assembly to make investigations into the affairs of the state and further77
authorize compelling the appearance and testimony of witnesses and the production of78
records and grants, the power to place witnesses under oath or affirmation, and to enforce79
subpoenas issued pursuant thereto; and80
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WHEREAS, Article III, Section IV, Paragraph IV of the Georgia Constitution provides for
81
the creation of interim committees pursuant to the authority of the General Assembly or of82
either house; and83
WHEREAS, on January 13, 2025, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 5 to recreate and84
reauthorize the Senate Special Committee on Investigations, and empowered such committee85
to investigate alleged and admitted misconduct by Fani Willis, the district attorney for the86
Atlanta Judicial Circuit; and87
WHEREAS, Senate Resolution 5 authorized the Senate Special Committee on Investigations88
to undertake a legislative investigation, and granted such committee the power to administer89
oaths, call parties to testify under oath, require the attendance of witnesses and the production90
of books, records, and papers; and91
WHEREAS, Senate Resolution 5 further authorized the Senate Special Committee on92
Investigations to issue subpoenas for witnesses or to compel the production of books,93
records, or papers, and authorized such committee to take such actions as it deems necessary; 94
and95
WHEREAS, in the exercise of the aforesaid powers, it is necessary to determine whether the96
conduct of various organizations associated with Stacey Abrams should be addressed by the97
enactment of new or amended laws of state-wide application, prompt some change in state98
enforcement of campaign finance and ethics laws, or both; and99
WHEREAS, it is the sense of the Senate that such issues arising from or relating to the100
alleged and admitted conduct of various organizations associated with Stacey Abrams are101
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best examined by a select group of Senators who, acting as a special committee, shall be
102
empowered to exercise each of the Senate's inherent and statutory powers of investigation.103
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:104
(1) Expansion of Authority Already Delegated to the Senate Special Committee. 105
The Senate hereby authorizes and empowers the Senate Special Committee on106
Investigations, established by Senate Resolution 5 to investigate and report upon the107
additional matters outlined in this resolution, and that such investigations and reports108
shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, the investigations authorized in Senate Resolution109
5.110
(2) Members and officers. The existing members and officers of the Senate Special111
Committee on Investigations shall remain as originally provided for in Senate Resolution112
5.113
(3) Powers and duties. The committee is hereby authorized to undertake an expanded114
legislative investigation into the issues mentioned above or related thereto. For the115
purpose of conducting any expanded investigation as provided herein, the committee116
shall have the same power to administer oaths; to call any party to testify under oath at117
such investigations; to require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books,118
records, and papers; and to take the depositions of witnesses as provided for in Senate 119
Resolution 5. For such purposes, the committee is reauthorized to issue subpoenas for120
any witness or to compel the production of any books, records, or papers and is further121
reauthorized to undertake such actions as may be necessary to enforce such subpoenas122
in cases of refusal to obey. 123
(4) Rules and meetings. Operation and meetings of the Senate Special Committee on124
Investigations carrying out the expanded investigatory powers granted in this resolution125
shall be governed by the provisions of Senate Resolution 5 regarding the rules and126
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meetings of such committee to enable the committee to exercise fully and effectively its
127
powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.128
(5) Funding. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come129
from funds appropriated to the Senate.130
(6) Report.131
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that132
include suggestions for proposed legislation or changes in appropriations, the133
chairperson shall file a report of the same, subject to subparagraph (C) of this134
paragraph.135
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for136
proposed legislation or changes in appropriations, the chairperson shall file the report,137
subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.138
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved by majority vote of a139
quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of140
the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate.141
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary142
of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.143
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