Raffensperger Talks Elections, Taxes, Healthcare, First Liberty Ponzi Scheme in Peachtree City

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger spoke to the Peachtree City Rotary Club on March 12 about election administration, government operations, and financial fraud investigations, including the ongoing First Liberty Ponzi scheme case.

After the event, Secretary Raffensperger spoke with The Citizen about the First Liberty investigation and answered questions about healthcare, taxes, and other issues tied to his campaign for governor.

Secretary Raffensperger has served in the statewide office for seven and a half years. Before entering statewide office, he built a career in engineering and construction, founding companies specializing in structural design and post-tensioning systems used in major building projects across the Southeast. He also served on the Johns Creek City Council and in the Georgia House of Representatives before being elected Secretary of State in 2018.

His background in business, he said, shaped how he approaches running a state agency.

“One of the things I love about the office of Secretary of State is it’s a great position for someone that loves to run a business,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

In addition to overseeing elections, the office manages corporate registrations, professional licensing, securities enforcement, and charitable organizations.

“There’s over 140 different licenses and more than 41 boards,” Secretary Raffensperger said. “That’s a lot of moving parts.”

He pointed to improvements during his tenure that have reduced the time it takes to issue professional licenses. For example, he said the average wait time for a first-time nursing license dropped from 48 days to about 10 days.

“That’s one month of time we’ve saved so people can begin working sooner,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

Election confidence and administration

During his remarks, Secretary Raffensperger said maintaining public confidence in elections depends on transparency and steady leadership.

“Number one, be honest. Number two, be calm,” he said.

He highlighted several election policies implemented during his tenure, including banning ballot harvesting, requiring photo identification for voting, and updating how vote totals are reported after polls close.

Because most Georgians now vote early or absentee, he said results appear faster on election night.

“All of a sudden you have 75 to 80 percent of the vote reported very quickly,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

He also described efforts to reduce long lines at polling places by analyzing voter turnout and equipment capacity at individual precincts.

“We looked at how many voters were assigned to each precinct and how many machines were available,” he said. “If a precinct needed more machines, we told them to add machines or split the precinct.”

Those changes significantly shortened wait times, he said.

“In 2020 the average afternoon wait time was about five minutes,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

Public confidence in Georgia’s election system has improved as well, he added.

“About 88 percent of Democrats, 94 percent of Republicans, and 92 percent of all Georgians trust the election process,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

First Liberty investigation

Secretary Raffensperger referenced the First Liberty case during his remarks, warning the audience about investment schemes promising unusually high returns.

Investigators say First Liberty Building and Loan, based in Coweta County and associated with the Frost family of Newnan, operated a Ponzi scheme that affected investors across Georgia and in multiple other states.

After the event, Secretary Raffensperger told The Citizen his office is continuing to build the case.

“We’re going to continue unraveling it and following the money step by step,” he said. “It’s very intricate.”

The Secretary of State’s office investigates securities violations and can impose administrative fines. Criminal prosecution decisions are made by local district attorneys.

“We can attach administrative fines and provide prosecutors with our case files,” Secretary Raffensperger said. “We give them the code sections showing where securities law was violated.”

In many situations, he said, the office also recommends criminal charges.

“And in many cases we will be recommending criminal charges,” he said.

The case has drawn particular attention locally because it involves prominent community figures, including Fayette County Board of Education member Randy Hough, whom the Secretary of State’s office recently fined $500,000 and referred for criminal prosecution.

Secretary Raffensperger said financial crimes targeting seniors and other investors have become increasingly common during his time in office.

“What’s really distressing is we’re seeing more and more Ponzi schemes and financial fraud preying on seniors and other unsuspecting people,” he said.

Healthcare, jobs, and taxes

In his conversation with The Citizen, Secretary Raffensperger also addressed major policy issues tied to his campaign for governor.

“I’m running to make Georgia affordable and safe,” he said.

When asked about the gap between Medicaid coverage and private insurance affordability, he said economic growth and job creation are central to his approach.

“A great-paying job usually comes with great benefits,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

He said expanding industries such as aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and technology could help provide more employer-based health coverage.

Secretary Raffensperger also discussed property taxes, saying rising home values have created financial pressure for many Georgia homeowners.

“Houses went from $300,000 to $500,000,” he said. “And the tax assessments went up with them.”

He said he supports a statewide cap on property tax increases and tax relief for seniors.

“As I travel around the state, what I’m hearing is people are struggling with the cost of living,” Secretary Raffensperger said.

Advice for public service

Secretary Raffensperger closed his remarks with advice for residents considering public office, emphasizing cooperation and respectful debate.

“Elections can be very polarizing,” he said. “But you still have to talk to people and work together.”

He said legislation often improves through collaboration and committee review.

“The best bills are the ones that go through the committee process and come out better than when they started,” Secretary Raffensperger said.