Overview of Fair Fight Action and Allegra Lawrence-Hardy
- Stacey Abrams founded Fair Fight Action to protect voting rights.
- The nonprofit paid over $20 million to Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, a close friend and former campaign chair.
- Most of the funds went to cover legal expenses for a failed race-bias lawsuit against Gov. Brian Kemp in Georgia.
Nonprofit Operations and Financials
- Fair Fight Action states it will not operate for individual profit, and payments should only be for reasonable services.
- The average payout to Lawrence-Hardy's firm was over $4 million per year, raising conflict-of-interest concerns.
- Legal fees have been criticized as excessive, compared to other voting-rights legal costs.
- Fair Fight Action reported over $2. 5 million in debt last year, resulting in staff layoffs.
Background of Abrams and Lawrence-Hardy's Connection
- Abrams and Lawrence-Hardy have been friends since Spelman College and have formed businesses together.
- Abrams holds ownership interests in companies incorporated by Lawrence-Hardy.
- Their office locations are shared, leading to transparency issues.
IRS Investigations and Ethical Concerns
- The IRS has received complaints about Fair Fight Action's finances and its associations with Abrams' political ambitions.
- Another nonprofit, the New Georgia Project, is under IRS investigation for financial discrepancies related to Abrams' gubernatorial bids.
- Ethical concerns are raised due to Abrams’ financial background and links to nonprofit funding for her political goals.
Legal Proceedings and Outcomes
- Lawrence-Hardy worked on the Fair Fight case, which claimed discrimination in voting practices; however, the case was dismissed in September 2022.
- Court ruled there was no evidence of intentional voter discrimination despite extensive legal efforts.
- Lawrence-Hardy's firm billed Fair Fight significantly, with high fees noted even as the lawsuit lost momentum.
Additional Business Ventures and Claims of Conflict of Interest
- Abrams has businesses linked to the same address as Lawrence-Hardy's law firm.
- Concerns arise over possible misuse of nonprofit funds to support personal and political endeavors.
- Lawrence-Hardy states the lawsuit focused on voting rights rather than financial gain.
Current Challenges for Fair Fight Action
- Fair Fight Action is suffering financially and has faced cuts in federal funding.
- Organization protests against federal funding cuts impacting left-leaning NGOs.
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