The Fair Fight Political Action Committee (FFPAC) is a left-of-center national organization claiming to combat of purported voter suppression of minorities and people of color. ¹ Critics allege it is a funding vehicle supporting the dark money group Fair Fight Action founded by Georgia Democratic politician Stacey Abrams. ²

FFPAC was established by Abrams after she lost the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election to Republican Governor Brian Kemp in 2018 by over 50,000 votes. Abrams refused to concede the loss³ and launched a lawsuit claiming voting irregularities and voter suppression. ⁴ Her accusations of voter fraud launched Abrams to the national political spotlight where she has been quoted as claiming the Electoral College is racist⁵ and labeling pro-life policies as “forced pregnancy.” ⁶

Background

The Fair Fight PAC was established by Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia. ⁷ It funnels millions to various Democratic organizations nationally to investigate and overcome possible obstacles to voting for left-progressive candidates. ⁸ The largest recipient of its funding has been the dark money group Fair Fight Action that received over a million dollars in 2019. The PAC’s largest donors include California progressive activist Karla Jurvetson, who contributed roughly one million dollars in January of 2019. ⁹ Jurvetson is also known for supporting U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). ¹⁰¹¹ Fair Fight PAC receives additional funding from unions, Hollywood figures,¹² and a $10,000 contribution from Elizabeth Warren. ¹³

The PAC is focusing its funding efforts towards 20 states for the 2020 elections through the staffing of what it describes as “robust voter protection operations.” ¹⁴ These resources will be deployed in what the PAC stamps as environments with voter intimidation,¹⁵ including the accusation that the Republican National Committee intends to bully and curb voters through police deployment in voting stations. ¹⁶

FFPAC created the Legislative Victory Fund that will invest millions into an effort to win the majority in the Georgia House of Representatives and additional seats in the Georgia Senate. ¹⁷

In January 2024, it was reported that Fair Fight Action, the FFPAC’s 501(c)(4) arm, would be laying off 20 employees, or roughly 75% of its staff, while narrowing their original mission focus due to a $2.5 million in debt, while only possessing $1.9 million in money. Former CEO Lauren Groh-Wargo announced she would return as an interim chief executive to lead a “restructuring” of the organization. ¹⁸ According to Fair Fight’s Board Chair Salena Jegede, the deficit was a result of, “rising litigation costs and slowing fundraising,” ¹⁹ and as a result made their, “current trajectory unsustainable.” ²⁰

Leadership

Stacey Abrams’ political background is at the Georgia state level where she served as the state House Minority Leader. ²¹ Abrams has become a national figure since not accepting a legitimate campaign defeat despite her claims of voter suppression and voter fraud being debunked by numerous sources. ²²

Abrams’ political positions include advocating for government-controlled healthcare,²³ banning modern sporting rifles,²⁴ labeling pro-life bills as “forced pregnancy,” and attestingthat abortion is a part of reproductive healthcare. ²⁵ Abrams also explained that the Electoral College is racist and classist. ²⁶

Fair Fight U

Abrams has launched another affiliate to her umbrella of political organizations named Fair Fight U, the college student network of Fair Fight Pac. ²⁷

1. “About Fair Fight.” Fair Fight. Accessed November 25, 2019. https://fairfight.com/about-fair-fight.
2. Joe-Schoffstall. “Elizabeth Warren Made $10,000 Donation to Stacey Abrams’s Dark Money Nonprofit.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, February 12, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/elizabeth-warren-made-10000-donation-to-stacey-abramss-dark-money-nonprofit/.
3. Caruso, Jay, and Kevin D. Liles/Bloomberg. “Stacey Abrams’ Tinfoil Hat Brigade.” Washington Examiner, August 28, 2019. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/stacey-abrams-tinfoil-hat-brigade.
4. Bauerlein, Valerie. “Stacey Abrams Group Files Federal Suit Alleging Georgia Mismanaged Election.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, November 27, 2018. https://www.wsj.com/articles/stacey-abrams-group-files-federal-suit-alleging-georgia-mismanaged-election-1543351922.
5. Rutz. “Abrams: ‘The Electoral College Is Racist’.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, November 15, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/abrams-the-electoral-college-is-racist/
6. Crowe, Jack. “Stacey Abrams Equates Abortion Restrictions with ‘Forced Pregnancy’.” National Review. National Review, April 16, 2019. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/stacey-abrams-abortion-restrictions-forced-pregnancy/.
7. “Fair Fight PAC, Democratic Party of Georgia Launch Legislative Victory Fund.” Fair Fight, August 7, 2019. https://fairfight.com/fair-fight-pac-democratic-party-of-georgia-launch-legislative-victory-fund/.
8. Williams, Vanessa. “National LGBTQ Group Teams up with Stacey Abrams on Voting Rights Initiative.” The Washington Post. WP Company, September 29, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/28/national-lgbtq-group-teams-up-with-stacey-abrams-voting-rights-initiative/
9. Joe-Schoffstall. “Stacey Abrams PAC Pushed $1.2 Million Over to Dark Money Entity.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, August 14, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/stacey-abrams-pac-pushed-1-2-million-over-to-dark-money-entity/.
10. Goldmacher, Shane. “How Elizabeth Warren Raised Big Money Before She Denounced Big Money.” The New York Times. The New York Times, September 9, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-2020.html.
11. Goldmacher, Shane. “How Elizabeth Warren Raised Big Money Before She Denounced Big Money.” The New York Times. The New York Times, September 9, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-2020.html.
12. Varney, James. “Stacey Abrams Starts New College Op to Combat Alleged Voter Suppression.” The Washington Times. The Washington Times, November 2, 2019. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/2/stacey-abrams-starts-new-college-op-to-combat-alle/.
13. Joe-Schoffstall. “Elizabeth Warren Made $10,000 Donation to Stacey Abrams’s Dark Money Nonprofit.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, February 12, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/elizabeth-warren-made-10000-donation-to-stacey-abramss-dark-money-nonprofit/
14. Edwards, Breanna. “Stacey Abrams Launches Initiative To Fight Voter Suppression.” Essence. Essence, August 14, 2019. https://www.essence.com/news/stacey-abrams-fair-fight-2020-voter-suppression/.
15. Fox. “Stacey Abrams Launches Fair Fight Initiative in Georgia.” FOX 5 Atlanta. FOX 5 Atlanta, August 19, 2019. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/stacey-abrams-launches-fair-fight-initiative-in-georgia.
16. Halaschak, Zachary. “Stacey Abrams Suggests RNC May Intimidate People of Color during 2020 Elections.” Washington Examiner, August 14, 2019. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/stacey-abrams-suggests-rnc-may-intimidate-people-of-color-during-2020-elections.
17. “Fair Fight PAC, Democratic Party of Georgia Launch Legislative Victory Fund.” Fair Fight, August 7, 2019. https://fairfight.com/fair-fight-pac-democratic-party-of-georgia-launch-legislative-victory-fund/.
18. Bluestein, Greg. “Abrams-founded Fair Fight lays off staff, pares back services amid mounting debt.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 30, 2024. https://www.ajc.com/politics/abrams-founded-fair-fight-lays-off-staff-pares-back-services-amid-mounting-debt/UIFGIO2TXBFI5GF6SAQMN4U6UQ/
19. Bluestein, Greg. “Abrams-founded Fair Fight lays off staff, pares back services amid mounting debt.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 30, 2024. https://www.ajc.com/politics/abrams-founded-fair-fight-lays-off-staff-pares-back-services-amid-mounting-debt/UIFGIO2TXBFI5GF6SAQMN4U6UQ/
20. Bluestein, Greg. “Abrams-founded Fair Fight lays off staff, pares back services amid mounting debt.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 30, 2024. https://www.ajc.com/politics/abrams-founded-fair-fight-lays-off-staff-pares-back-services-amid-mounting-debt/UIFGIO2TXBFI5GF6SAQMN4U6UQ/
21. Accessed November 25, 2019. http://www.house.ga.gov/Documents/Biographies/abramsStacey.pdf.
22. Rutz. “According to Democrats, Stacey Abrams Is a Sore Loser Threatening Our Democracy.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, April 5, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/according-to-democrats-stacey-abrams-is-a-sore-loser-threatening-our-democracy/.
23. Crowe, Jack. “Stacey Abrams Blasts ‘Free Market’ in Town-Hall Rant.” National Review. National Review, October 23, 2018. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/stacey-abrams-blasts-free-market-in-town-hall-rant/.
24. Rutz. “Stacey Abrams Supports Banning AR-15s, Won’t Say If She’d Confiscate Them in Georgia.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, October 31, 2018. https://freebeacon.com/issues/stacey-abrams-supports-banning-ar-15s-wont-say-shed-confiscate-georgians/.
25. Cobb, Jelani. “Stacey Abrams’s Fight for a Fair Vote.” The New Yorker. The New Yorker, August 16, 2019. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/08/19/stacey-abrams-fight-for-a-fair-vote.
26. Rutz. “Abrams: ‘The Electoral College Is Racist’.” Washington Free Beacon. Washington Free Beacon, November 15, 2019. https://freebeacon.com/politics/abrams-the-electoral-college-is-racist/.
27. Varney, James. “Stacey Abrams Starts New College Op to Combat Alleged Voter Suppression.” The Washington Times. The Washington Times, November 2, 2019. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/2/stacey-abrams-starts-new-college-op-to-combat-alle/.