Warnock's former group, under fraud investigation, was previously hit with unemployment tax liens
Taxes were unpaid while Warnock was at helm of group
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New Georgia Project, which Raphael Warnock was the chairman of for three years, was hit with liens for failing to pay unemployment taxes in three different quarters in 2018 while the now-Senate candidate was at the helm of the group.
The Washington Free Beacon first reported the story.
The liens, which had not been canceled as of Thursday, totaled more than $7,800 combined. One lien was issued in February 2019 and encompassed the quarters ending on June 30, 2018 and Sept. 30, 2018. The other was issued in May 2019 and hit the group for not paying its unemployment taxes in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2018.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Warnock chaired New Georgia Project, which was founded by Stacey Abrams, from 2017 to early 2020, when he left to run for Senate. The New Georgia Project is a group that aims to register voters, particularly people of color and younger voters.
Neither Warnock's campaign nor the New Georgia Project responded to Fox News' request for comment in time for publication for this story.
Democratic challenger for U.S. Senate Raphael Warnock speaks during a debate with Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Ben Gray, Pool)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New Georgia Project has recently grabbed headlines after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced an investigation into the New Georiga Project, among other groups, for seeking to "aggressively" register "ineligible, out-of-state, or deceased voters" before the state’s Jan. 5 Senate runoff elections.
Raffensperger, a Republican, said the New Georgia Project was sending voter registration applications to New York City. It's legal for Georgians to vote by absentee ballot, but if a person has lost his or her Georgia residency it would be illegal to vote in the state.
Raffensperger has been among the most-attacked officials by President Trump and his allies as he's maintained that Georgia's presidential election was fair and free from widespread fraud. In response, Warnock's opponent, Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., has called for him to resign.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New Georgia Project attacked Raffensperger's announcement as politically motivated.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger speaks during a news conference on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, in Atlanta. Raffensperger announced that his office is investigating the New Georgia Project for potential fraud. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
"As Georgians are turning out in record numbers to have their voices heard at the polls, the Secretary of State is resorting to desperate attempts to smear law-abiding organizations and scare eligible Georgians from registering to vote in critical upcoming elections. We will not be deterred," New Georgia Project CEO Nsé Ufot said in a statement.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ufot added that "the timing is not accidental."
The race between Warnock and Loeffler on Jan. 5 is one of two U.S. Senate runoff elections happening on that day. The other race is between Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., and Democrat challenger Jon Ossoff. The results of the races will determine which party controls the Senate.
If Republicans win just one of the races Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will secure another two years in his current job. If Democrats sweep the races, they will bring the body to a 50-50 tie and own a defacto majority with Vice President-elect Harris able to cast the deciding vote when the Senate is split on party lines.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Brooke Singman and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.