Georgia lender accused of funneling funds to GOP political campaigns

Today’s newsletter highlights:

Test your knowledge of Georgia politics with our news quiz.
State agency reports surge in reports of elder abuse.
Applications open for some Hurricane Helene relief.

Shock waves

Credit: YouTube

Credit: YouTube

The downfall of a Newnan-based financial firm with deep ties to Georgia Republican politics could have far-reaching implications across the state GOP.

Federal regulators filed a civil lawsuit late Thursday accusing First Liberty Building and Loan leader Brant Frost IV of orchestrating a $140 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded 300 investors nationwide.

As we’ve previously reported, the lender’s abrupt collapse has sent shock waves through conservative circles and left investors reeling from broken promises of big returns. But now, the potential political fallout is coming into clearer focus.

Investigators accuse Frost of funneling more than $570,000 in investor funds into political contributions — money that helped bolster Republican causes and candidates.

Credit: Screenshot

The Frost family has long been embedded in Georgia’s ultraconservative wing, with Brant Frost V serving as a former state GOP officer and his sister Katie Frost leading the party’s 3rd District committee.

Frost IV said in a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he would like to “apologize personally to those I have harmed” but is restricted from doing so.

“I take full responsibility for my actions and am resolved to spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down,” Frost IV said.

“I will be cooperating with the receiver and federal authorities and ask that everyone allow the receiver time to sort things out and do his best to repair the damage I created.”

Federal and state disclosures show the Frost family has given more than $180,000 in recent years to dozens of candidates in Georgia and beyond, including the state GOP, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Crane’s failed bid last year for Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District.

Until a recent rift, Frost’s children, Brant Frost V and Katie Frost, were active in the Georgia Republican Assembly, a far-right faction often at odds with the GOP establishment.

A political action committee aligned with the group, the GRA PAC, listed the same downtown Newnan address as First Liberty’s headquarters and named “Brant Frost” as treasurer.

Since 2022, the PAC has reported raising more than $320,000, with recent contributions backing Republican state Reps. Charlice Byrd of Woodstock and Noelle Kahaian of Locust Grove, and state Sens. Greg Dolezal of Cumming and Colton Moore of Trenton.

Friday news quiz

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Good morning! We’re trying something new today: a quiz to test how well you followed recent political news. The questions are pulled either from stories we’ve covered in the newsletter or AJC.com. The answers are at the end of the newsletter. Have fun, and let us know your scores. Did we stump you?

The Georgia Court of Appeals recently resolved a dispute over a state election law. What did it decide?

A) It’s OK for election workers to hand out water to voters.
B) Local election boards must certify results even if they distrust the outcome.
C) Election workers must count each ballot by hand.

Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones joined the race for governor this week. How much money did he loan his campaign?

A) $2 million
B) $5 million
C) $10 million

A once powerful political organization in Georgia laid off most of its workers, leaving its future in doubt. What is the organization’s name?

A) New Georgia Project
B) Greater Georgia
C) Georgia Republican Assembly

Georgia is on track to end the fiscal year with another budget surplus. But there was a sign of a tightening economy. What was it?

A) The unemployment rate increased.
B) The amount of money in Georgia’s reserves is predicted to fall.
C) Gov. Brian Kemp warned of looming budget cuts.

Elder abuse

Credit: Screenshot

Back in 2018, the Georgia Division of Aging Services received just under 29,000 reports of potential elder abuse. At the time, they thought those calls would grow by about 5% each year. Instead, they grew 12%.

The agency had more than 45,000 reports for the 2025 fiscal year that ended June 30, a 57% increase from 2018. That number will likely grow as the agency finalizes its numbers over the next month.

The surge surprised some members of the Georgia Human Services Board, which met this week to check in on how the agency was doing.

“It’s the aging population,” said MaryLea Boatwright Quinn, assistant deputy commissioner for the Division of Aging Services. “There are more people in the pool to be abused. I hate to say it that way.”

The U.S. population is aging quickly. But it’s happening faster in Georgia. Quinn said by 2045, experts estimate the U.S. will have more people over 60 than under 18. But she said Georgia is expected to cross that threshold by 2038.

It’s creating a lot of work for the agency. Quinn said the National Association of Adult Protective Services recommends workers have about 15 cases each.

But Georgia’s workers average 37 cases each. “We could use more staff,” she said, indicating it’s a conversation they’ll have with lawmakers during next year’s budget negotiations.

Not all of the calls they get require action. But most of them do. On average, 64% meet the criteria for an investigation. And the types of abuse have changed, too.

Years ago, the top report was “self neglect,” usually when an older person with dementia lives alone and can’t take care of themselves. But recently, the top call has been for financial exploitation — a trend Quinn attributes to the agency’s work at educating people to better identify what it looks like.

Mandates

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

The Georgia School Boards Association recently printed out all of the mandates imposed on public schools by state and federal governments.

“I’m only 5’3”, and they came about to my knee, just for reference. So, pretty high,” said Stephanie Tanner, the group’s government relations manager.

Despite all the talk of “local control” under the Gold Dome, public school officials have complained for years about the number of rules place on them by governments above their heads.

This summer, state lawmakers will be taking a look at those rules with an eye on letting “our teachers and administrators educate and teach,” according to state Rep. Shaw Blackmon, a Republican from Bonaire who is chair of the House Study Committee on Reducing and Prioritizing Mandates for Public School Administration.

The committee had its first brief meeting on Thursday. But they’ll soon be getting an earful.

The Georgia Association of Educational Leaders is hosting a big conference next week in Jekyll Island. Margaret Ciccarelli, director of legislative services for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, said she plans to drop a QR code in her presentation at the conference so she can collect feedback for the committee.

But Blackmon and state Rep. Chris Erwin, a Republican from Homer and chair of the House Education Committee, recommended the committee narrow its focus to keep things manageable.

“We don’t want to bite off too much,” Blackmon said.

Application time

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Georgia farmers who lost their crops to Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters can now apply for relief through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program.

Up to $16 billion is available for farmers and producers throughout the country. Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper “strongly urged” farmers to apply, noting he’s still negotiating with the federal government about block grants that would cover other losses not covered by existing federal disaster programs.

Harper credited U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins “for acting swiftly to make much-needed Hurricane Helene relief funding for Georgia farmers and producers.”

To be eligible, farmers must have lost their crops to natural disasters during calendar years 2023 and 2024.

This year’s hurricane season has been quiet so far, but there’s still a lot of time left. The season officially ends on Nov. 30.

Following up

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

Jon Ossoff hasn’t forgotten about Thomasville.

The Democratic U.S. senator from Georgia had a tense exchange with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin in May about a canceled grant for a new health center in the South Georgia city.

At the time, Zeldin implied the decision to cancel grant was related to President Donald Trump’s executive orders on eliminating environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. That prompted Ossoff to ask if building a new health clinic “was woke.”

Ossoff followed up with Zeldin in a letter this week, again asking to meet with him to discuss the grant.

“You have repeatedly stated the EPA’s core mission is to protect human health and the environment, yet you cancelled a grant to build a new health center in an area that has experiences high levels of pollution with reported high rates of leukemia and pneumonia,” Ossoff wrote.

Listen up

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Today in Washington

Credit: Gerald Herbert/AP

Happenings:

President Donald Trump will travel to Kerrville, Texas, where he will meet with first responders and review flooding damage.
The House and Senate return Monday.

Shoutouts

Today’s birthday:

Former state Rep. Clint Smith.

Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that. Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.