Listen to the article
FBI Used Recycled Election Claims to Justify Georgia Ballot Seizure
The FBI relied on previously debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election to obtain a search warrant for seizing ballots from election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, according to an affidavit unsealed Tuesday. The document reveals the investigation originated from a referral by Kurt Olsen, a former Trump advisor who now serves as Trump’s “director of election security and integrity.”
The affidavit cites allegations that have circulated for years among those claiming widespread fraud in the 2020 election, despite these claims being repeatedly rejected by audits, state officials, courts, and even Trump’s own former attorney general. Democrat Joe Biden won Georgia by approximately 11,800 votes in an election that was overseen by a Republican secretary of state and certified by a Republican governor.
Last month’s search of the heavily Democratic county sparked immediate concern among Democrats that Trump was leveraging federal law enforcement powers as retribution for his election loss. The unusual presence of Tulsi Gabbard, the country’s director of national intelligence, during the search further fueled these concerns. Notably, the affidavit makes no reference to foreign interference in the 2020 election, despite this being a persistent conspiracy theory among Trump supporters questioning the vote count.
Fulton County officials are fighting in court for the return of the materials. County Chairman Robb Pitts called the allegations “recycled rumors, lies, untruths and unproven conspiracy theories” in a statement Tuesday. “These accusations have already been debunked, but here we go again on a merry-go-round,” Pitts said. “Fulton County will fight this with every resource that’s at our disposal.”
The FBI’s affidavit states they are examining possible “deficiencies or defects” in the county’s vote count, including the admission that officials don’t have scanned images of all ballots from the original count or recount. It also notes that some ballots were scanned multiple times during the recount. According to the document, seizure was necessary to determine if records “were destroyed and/or the tabulation of votes included materially false votes.”
The warrant cites potential violations of laws regarding the preservation of election records (a misdemeanor) and knowingly depriving residents of a “fair and impartially conducted election process” (a felony). However, the document expresses uncertainty about whether the potential defects constitute a crime, acknowledging that Fulton County elections have already undergone multiple reviews.
Previous investigations by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, an independent monitor, and a state elections board performance review all reached similar conclusions. After a problematic primary election in 2020, an independent monitor was hired to observe the general election. The monitor documented “sloppy processes” and “systemic disorganization” but found no evidence of fraud or illegal activity.
In 2021, Republican state lawmakers initiated a performance review that found the county’s elections were characterized by “disorganization and a lack of a sense of urgency in resolving issues.” However, it also noted the county had shown “marked improvement” and stated, “we do not see any evidence of fraud, intentional misconduct, or large systematic issues that would have affected the result of the November 2020 election.”
One central allegation in the FBI affidavit concerns 17,852 “duplicate” ballot images allegedly inserted into the Fulton County file. Interestingly, the document quotes a witness noting these potentially fake images were actually more pro-Trump than confirmed county votes, suggesting “the introduction of duplicate ballots was intended to make the recount numbers match more than to affect the outcome.” Georgia Secretary of State investigators similarly concluded the error was “not intentional misconduct.”
Another allegation focuses on “pristine” absentee ballots that a poll manager claimed were unfolded and filled in similarly. However, a former secretary of state’s office official explained to the FBI that unfolded absentee ballots are normal in every election, as they’re generated when vote review panel members examine damaged ballots. State investigators previously examined these claims in 2021 and found no supporting evidence.
FBI agents spent hours at the county elections hub on January 28, seizing hundreds of cartons of election materials. A week later, Fulton County officials filed a motion seeking the return of these materials and the unsealing of the affidavit. The county argued in its court filing, “Claims that the 2020 election results were fraudulent or otherwise invalid have been exhaustively reviewed and, without exception, refuted.”
The case continues to unfold against the backdrop of persistent election denial claims that have been systematically debunked by multiple investigations across different levels of government.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
8 Comments
While I understand the need to investigate any potential election irregularities, the reliance on recycled and disproven claims of fraud is highly problematic. The FBI should be focusing on credible, fact-based evidence, not partisan rhetoric. Undermining public confidence in the electoral process is a dangerous path.
The use of federal law enforcement resources to target a heavily Democratic county based on long-debunked claims of fraud is deeply concerning. It seems like an abuse of power and a troubling politicization of law enforcement. We need to ensure that investigations are conducted fairly and without partisan influence.
Absolutely, the independence of law enforcement and the integrity of elections are fundamental to democracy. Any appearance of political interference or agenda-driven investigations undermines public trust and the rule of law. Rigorous, impartial, and evidence-based procedures must be followed.
The use of federal law enforcement resources to target a Democratic-leaning county based on dubious, recycled claims of fraud is deeply troubling. It smacks of political retaliation and an abuse of power. We need to ensure that all investigations, regardless of the target, are conducted with the utmost impartiality and professionalism.
This seems like another example of the ongoing political battles over the 2020 election. While allegations of fraud have been repeatedly debunked, it’s concerning that the FBI appears to be relying on recycled and discredited claims to justify their actions. We need to ensure that investigations are based on solid, impartial evidence, not partisan agendas.
I agree, it’s crucial that the justice system remains independent and impartial, not swayed by political pressure or unsubstantiated claims. The integrity of our elections must be protected, but that requires rigorous, fact-based investigations, not rehashing of old conspiracy theories.
This is a complex and politically charged issue, but I believe it’s crucial that any investigations into election integrity are conducted in a fair, impartial, and transparent manner. Rehashing old, discredited claims of fraud does not serve the public interest and risks further eroding trust in our democratic institutions.
Agreed. The legitimacy of our elections must be above partisan politics. I hope the authorities can move forward with rigorous, evidence-based inquiries that strengthen, not undermine, confidence in the electoral process.