Stacey Abrams Aims to Decriminalize Marijuana in Georgia. Are Republicans About to Help Her?
Something’s wrong with the Peach State GOP
In a contentious move that has stirred debate across Georgia, twice-failed gubernatorial candidate and Democratic operative Stacey Abrams is demanding Georgia decriminalize cannabis in the state. Alarmingly, conservative Republicans may end up helping her.
With backing from Abram’s New Georgia Project, an advocacy organization mired in controversy over election illegalities and financial inconsistencies, Georgia State Rep. Eric Bell (D) is poised to introduce a proposal aimed at mitigating penalties for cannabis possession. “We believe in restorative justice and decriminalization of cannabis in Georgia,” Bell said.
Normally the move would be little more than symbolic since Republicans control the legislature and governor’s mansion. Yet if recent history is any guide, Republicans may soon hand Abrams an easy victory on pot legalization—that is, if they keep their newfound pro-cannabis views.
Marijuana distribution and use remains illegal in federal law and the national Republican Party does not officially endorse decriminalization. Since 2015, however, Georgia Republicans have spearheaded marijuana legislation, focusing on the legalization of medical cannabis sold through private pharmacies. Despite the announcement of the final winners of coveted grower’s licenses last year, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has contested the decision, asserting the illegality of selling a Schedule 1 drug.
(READ MORE: Dazed and Confused: What’s Going On With Georgia’s Marijuana Laws?)
It’s rare to see a Republican-led legislature sponsoring marijuana laws, and to add insult to injury, the process has been anything but smooth. Many of the groups that did not receive the license are alleging foul play, and the selection process remains hidden behind sealed court records and a commission that operates behind closed doors.
Interestingly, Republicans have also played a role in shifting public opinion around marijuana policy.
According to a 2023 poll conducted by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution and the University of Georgia, 53 percent of surveyed Georgians expressed support for the legalization of marijuana for adults, marking a significant increase from the 46 percent recorded in 2017.
Pollsters attribute this shift to the influence of the Republican-led Haleigh’s Hope Act, enacted in 2015 following Haleigh Cox’s relocation to access medical marijuana for chronic seizures.
Navigating drug policy is a tricky endeavor, and it is vital that Georgians are governed by laws that genuinely align with the collective will of the people. However, it is equally crucial to ensure that the construction of these policies is not compromised by “progressive” groups with long histories of misdeeds.
An Ugly Past
Established by Stacey Abrams in 2014, the New Georgia Project is a left-wing political group that focuses on Democrat voter registration and gerrymandering the state’s maps in favor of Democrats. Its initial funding came from NEO Philanthropy, a major pass-through funder for political causes on the Left whose funding comes from Atlantic Philanthropies, George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, the Ford Foundation, and the like.
Since its creation, the New Georgia Project has been swamped in controversy, facing allegations of misreporting voter registration statistics, mismanagement of organizational funds, and violations of campaign ethics laws. In 2023, fresh accusations of financial misconduct and irregularities were added to the list of criticisms against the group following an extensive investigation by left-leaning Politico.
Tax filings suggest that Nsé Ufot, the organization’s former executive director, owes substantial amounts to the group in the form of “non-work-related reimbursements.” Ufot, personally chosen for the role by Abrams without prior notice, vehemently denies the allegations, labeling them “a f***ing lie.” Politico’s investigation also contends that the issues involving Ufot represent just one of the “irregularities” within the organization, which has consistently demonstrated inadequate financial record-keeping practices.
The allegations are simply the latest in a series of claims pointing to a history of questionable practices within the group.
In 2014, then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office subpoenaed the group for possible voter fraud. In 2021, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger alleged that the group failed to properly submit absentee ballot applications.
Then in 2022, the New Georgia Project came under fire for allegedly failing to report more than $3 million in electioneering expenses and $4 million in political contributions between 2017 and 2019. It’s hard to claim the New Georgia Project and any of its sponsored initiatives are for the good of Georgians when the organization itself and the founder, Abrams, are constantly found to be in violation of numerous laws and ethical standards.
Election Denier
Georgia residents shouldn’t trust the New Georgia Project to sponsor smart cannabis policy when the group can’t even work out its own finances. Moving forward, it may be best to write off anything involving Stacey Abrams, as she constantly plays the victim card and uses disproven “progressive” talking points to her advantage.
Following the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election, Abrams vehemently argued that Georgia voter laws are racist, falsely accusing them of voter suppression. In reality, post-election polls showed that 0 percent of black voters had any issue voting in the 2022 midterm elections.
“Yet again, the myth of voter suppression in Georgia fails to be supported by a shred of evidence,” Republican Georgia Gov. Brain Kemp said in a release about the poll. “Democrats have juiced this lie for every cent it was worth, disparaging our state and undermining faith in our elections. But the facts are clear: Georgia’s Election Integrity Act made it easy to vote and hard to cheat.”
Abrams complained about Georgia’s 2021 Election Integrity Act, which requires voters to have an ID to receive an absentee ballot and placed a restriction on where ballot boxes were placed. Other Democrats hopped on board, with President Joe Biden calling the law “Jim Crow in the 21st Century.”
Bad Drug Policies
Georgians need to be careful trusting drug policies from both the Left and the Right, especially considering Republican policies have championed cannabis legislation thus far. But regardless of political identity, the New Georgia Project is bad news.
Entrusting the left to champion sensible drug policies is like giving a child a hand grenade—it’s only a matter of time before they self-destruct. Need proof? Check out Oregon.