Obama-Appointed Judge Who is Sister of Stacey Abrams Blocks Purge of 4,000 Voters in Georgia Before Senate Runoff Election.

Federal judge Leslie Abrams Gardner just blocked 4,000 votes from being purged from voter rolls in Georgia ahead of the Jan. 5 runoff elections that will decide control of the U.S. Senate. On Monday, the Obama-appointed judge who also happens to be the sister of Stacey Abrams, ordered two counties to reverse a decision to remove more than 4,000 voters from voter rolls.

The judge concluded that the counties appeared to have improperly relied on unverified change-of-address data to invalidate registrations in the two counties of Muscogee and Ben Hill. Voting officials in the two counties had previously agreed to remove the 4,000 voters.

The Muscogee County board filed a motion on Monday arguing that Judge Gardner must remove herself from the case based on her relationship with her sister. The board also noted the involvement of Stacey Abrams in controversial voting rights groups ho are in hot water over their tactic.

MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR RECUSAL

“The Court has reviewed the motion and finds no basis for recusal.”

Stacey Abram has been involved in questionable voting rights groups that are currently under investigation: