The Frontline Policy Council, a conservative Christian nonprofit with significant influence around the Georgia Capitol, has come under scrutiny for its lobbying activities.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a complaint with the state ethics commission alleging that Frontline’s president, Cole Muzio, and general counsel, Chelsea Thompson, have lobbied without properly registering, despite claims on the organization’s website suggesting Muzio had registered as a lobbyist.
Thompson has never registered. The complaint raises concerns about transparency and the potential influence of well-funded groups like Frontline, which spent nearly $526,000 in the 2023 fiscal year, on legislative outcomes.
Frontline is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its lobbying activities could jeopardize its tax-exempt status. The group also operates under a 501(c)(4) umbrella, which allows for more lobbying activity. Critics like SPLC researcher R.G. Cravens argue that groups like Frontline have access and influence that ordinary citizens, such as the parents of transgender children, do not.
Cravens emphasizes the need for transparency in lobbying activities to ensure democratic integrity.
Despite the allegations, Muzio insists that Frontline operates transparently and that the SPLC’s complaint is politically motivated. He expressed willingness to register as a lobbyist if required but indicated a reduced presence at the Capitol in favor of strategizing from outside the legislature.
Frontline’s legislative agenda for next year includes controversial proposals like a ban on puberty blockers for transgender minors, a prohibition on vaccine mandates, and a religious freedom act that critics argue could enable discrimination against LGBTQ individuals.