Dem source: Hype House and other lavish spending showed Abrams' "values"

A rented house in an expensive Atlanta neighborhood meant for TikTok creators that sat largely unused. A pop-up shop and “swag truck” that baffled some staffers. And then sharp cuts to TV airtime and employee benefits at a crucial moment in the campaign. …

Abrams’ allies say she ensured that key employees made above-average salaries and paid many rank-and-file canvassers at least $15 an hour — higher than what many other candidates typically offer.

Yet other staffers and operatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preserve their relationship with Abrams and her allies, detailed a record of lavish spending that they say came back to haunt the campaign.

“It’s incredibly bad planning, and it shows where their values are at,” a senior Democratic official said of the spending, which will come into finer detail when financial disclosures are due in January. “You can’t look up one day and realize you can’t pay the bills.”

[I can’t think of anything more fitting for Abrams than to be undone by a “Hype House.” — Ed]