Three members of the Georgia State Election Board have been accused of ethics violations by a former election official.
Cathy Woolard, former chair of the Fulton County Board of Elections, filed a complaint against Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston, and Janelle King, alleging they violated laws and ethics codes to assist Donald Trump in disrupting the presidential election, as The New Republic reports.
Woolard's complaint, filed on Friday, claims that the actions of these board members have severely undermined public trust and pose a threat to the integrity of Georgia's elections. According to Woolard, the trio aimed to further their own political agendas rather than uphold the law.
Specifically, Woolard alleges that on July 12, Jeffares, Johnston, and King organized a private meeting to pass two election rules proposed by Georgia Republican Party Chair Jeff Koons. These rules included a requirement for daily online posting of county ballot counts and an increase in the number of partisan monitors during the vote-counting process. Woolard argues that this meeting violated the Open Meetings Act because it was held privately and excluded two other board members, further eroding public confidence in the election process.
On the same day as the controversial meeting, Cleta Mitchell, a known Trump ally, publicly supported the board members, calling them "great" and urging others to support them. This public endorsement raised further concerns about the impartiality of the board members and their motivations.
The complaint also highlights a recent board decision that passed with a 3-2 vote, instituting a new rule that requires a "reasonable inquiry" before certifying election results. This rule, according to Woolard, could make it easier for county election officials to delay or refuse certification of election outcomes.
Adding to the controversy, Johnston reopened a complaint regarding the administration of the 2020 election in Fulton County, a case that had been closed in May on the advice of the state attorney general. This move has been criticized as a politically motivated effort to revisit baseless claims of election fraud.
Donald Trump has not remained silent on these developments. He reposted a video of the board meeting on Truth Social, urging action on the reopened Fulton County case. At a recent rally in Atlanta, Trump praised the three board members, referring to them as "pitbulls fighting for honesty, transparency, and victory."
Woolard's complaint suggests that these public endorsements and the board members' actions create at least the appearance of impropriety. She also points to Jeffares's reported interest in a position in a potential Trump administration as further evidence of their partisan motives.
Woolard, who resigned as Chair of the Fulton County Board of Elections on July 3 after serving as interim chair during the Georgia primary elections, stated that it was time for someone else to lead the board through the upcoming fall elections. The ethics complaint filed by Woolard is not the only legal challenge the Georgia State Election Board is facing. In July, government ethics watchdog American Oversight filed a lawsuit against the board, alleging violations of the Open Meetings Act.
Georgia has been a significant battleground in the ongoing debates over election integrity, particularly since the 2020 presidential election. The state has seen the highest number of certification refusals since 2020, and it continues to be a focal point for Trump’s election fraud claims.
A report from American Doom has revealed that Georgia employs at least 22 individuals who support election denial conspiracies as election officials. This includes two members of the Georgia State Election Board, adding to the concerns about the board's ability to conduct fair and impartial elections.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the actions of the Georgia State Election Board will likely remain under intense scrutiny. Woolard’s complaint, along with the ongoing lawsuit by American Oversight, could have significant implications for how the upcoming elections are conducted in the state.
