Stacey Abrams’ ‘Voting Rights’ Group Forced Into Mass Layoffs After Record-Breaking Fine
Fair Fight Action, the voting rights group founded by Stacey Abrams, is facing serious financial difficulties after being hit with a record-breaking fine—an outcome that has led to mass layoffs and internal upheaval. The organization is now struggling to maintain its operations following years of scrutiny over its financial practices.
More than 30 employees at the New Georgia Project, a grassroots group launched by Abrams, were laid off in recent weeks, many with little notice. According to a GoFundMe page set up Wednesday, the organization conducted two rounds of layoffs in December and January, leaving dozens of employees out of work as leadership cited economic challenges and diminished fundraising outside of election years.
The financial crisis follows a major ruling from the Georgia State Ethics Commission, which imposed its largest-ever fine after determining that the New Georgia Project and its affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund violated state law. The groups admitted to 16 violations, including improperly assisting Abrams’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign while failing to disclose campaign contributions and expenditures.
The layoffs, which began on December 27, saw 19 staff members dismissed with less than 12 hours’ notice, followed by another 12 terminations at the end of January, according to FOX5. Stephanie Ali, NGP’s policy director, launched a crowdfunding campaign to support those affected, attributing the organization’s struggles to external financial pressures.

NEW YORK, N.Y. – March 7, 2021: Demonstrators carry signs thanking Stacey Abrams and Andrea Miller at a Manhattan rally.
“The organization has stated these reductions in force (RIFs) are due to economic downturns, reductions in fundraising in an “off” election year, and other contributing factors,” wrote Ali. “No matter the reason, with this, over 30 of some of the most dedicated organizers, door knockers, and field tacticians who dedicated years of their lives to this work are now out of work – some whose insurance will lapse as soon as February 1.”
In a statement, NGP leadership maintained that the layoffs were necessary to align staffing with available resources, emphasizing that the organization remains committed to voter registration efforts. In 2024, NGP reported registering more than 55,000 Georgians, knocking on over 841,000 doors, and deploying more than 200 poll monitors.
“The volunteers, members, and staff of NGP are family, and reductions in staffing are never easy. Nevertheless, NGP must meet its obligation to align its staffing plan with available resources to accomplish its mission,” NGP told FOX5. The situation has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans.
NPG was established by Abrams in 2013 and has been under scrutiny following a series of legal and ethical issues. In January, the Georgia Ethics Commission imposed a $300,000 fine on NPG and its sister entity, the New Georgia Project Action Fund, for breaches of state campaign finance regulations during the 2018 elections.
These organizations were penalized for not registering as independent campaign committees and for failing to report around $4.2 million in contributions and $3.2 million in expenditures, primarily benefiting Abrams’ run for governor, as reported by The Associated Press. The penalty marked the largest in the history of the Georgia Ethics Commission.
The investigation highlighted that NPG conducted electioneering, including canvassing and phone banking that overtly supported Abrams, without the requisite registration and transparency. Additionally, in 2019, NPG did not report $646,000 in contributions and $174,000 in expenditures linked to a public transit referendum in Gwinnett County.
Both Abrams and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who led NPG during the time in question, have distanced themselves from the wrongdoing, denying any direct involvement.