Thread by @ETI_now

In 2021, #Georgia outlawed Democrats' campaign financing scheme to privatize the state's elections, known as #Zuckerbucks.

That's why the @ItsInDeKalb elections office secretly enlisted the Finance Dept. to submit their 2023 grant application, circumventing state law. 1/

2/ In May 2022 at the direction of Board Chair Dele Lowman Smith, Deputy Finance Director Preston Stephens submitted an application to @HelloCTCL's new front group, the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence.

They kept the application hidden from the board for the next 9 months.

3/ On Nov. 23, 2022, with the Georgia runoff taking place in less than 2 weeks' time, the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence announed their 2023 grant finalists.

DeKalb County curiously was not referenced.

electionexcellence.org/media/us-allia…

4/ Chair Dele Lowman Smith recently acknowledged that accpeting #Zuckerbucks was illegal and that she worked with Preston Stephens to evade punishment.

decaturish.com/2023/01/dekalb…

5/ The corrupting influence of Big Tech $$ to privatize our elections dilutes the voices and votes of Georgians while undermining trust in the democratic process.

We urge #GaHouse & #GaSenate to act by passing #SB222 into law without delay 👇

legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB222/…

6/ Under the legislation being considered by Senate Ethics Committee Chairman @votemaxburns, private election funds like those solicited/accepted by DeKalb County would "constitute a felony, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year..."

7/ The U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence has been intentionally structured to thwart oversight and accountability, and ultimately to get around the “Election Integrity Act of 2021"—which banned #Zuckerbucks.

Learn more 👇

electiontransparency.org/2023/02/07/cuc…