Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon on Tuesday called for an election nonprofit to dissolve or distance itself from the fundraising email sent by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on its behalf.
McKoon (pictured above) issued his statement after Women for America First Executive Director Kylie Kremer surfaced the email written by Raffensperger. The email revealed that the secretary used a personal email to solicit funds for the Election Defense Fund, Inc., a purported nonprofit 501 (c) (4), a distinction that allows it to raise money without revealing its funding sources.
Raffensperger wrote in the email, “Election deniers and conspiracy theorists have taken their anger to new levels, employing a variety of tactics including intimidation, legal challenges, and rule changes.”
The secretary also revealed the nonprofit was creating a list of election workers deemed unlikely to certify election results due to concerns about their validity.
“As Georgia’s Secretary of State I am committed to free, fair, and fast elections, and must demand the law is followed,” wrote Raffensperger before launching into his fundraising pitch.
He wrote, “EDF will identify local election officials who are most likely to not certify or otherwise attempt to interfere with results; educate the public to remind election officials of their duty to follow the law and the potential consequences,” of taking actions contrary to the group’s interpretation of the law.
Raffensperger’s statement appeared to reference the new rules approved by a majority of the Georgia State Election Board, which required election workers to hand count ballots, and imposed new regulations aimed at increasing transparency. Many of the rules were successfully blocked in what CNN reported was a “major victory for Democrats.”
McKoon, in a statement posted to the social media platform X, accused Raffensperger of overseeing “the most bungled election on American history” during the 2020 election and said the secretary now “spitefully harasses and undermines the public servants to have stepped up to do the job that he so spectacularly failed to do,” while claiming the articles of incorporation for EDF pledged the organization to protect election officials.