New Documents Show 2020 Election Deniers Drove FBI Seizure of Fulton County Ballots

Newly unsealed court documents reveal that individuals who have long questioned the validity of the 2020 presidential election were instrumental in driving the FBI’s decision to seize ballots and election materials from Fulton County, Georgia.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the search warrant, the investigation originated from a referral by Kurt Olsen, the presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity. Prior to his current role, Olsen was involved in legal efforts aimed at overturning President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

The affidavit outlines allegations of election fraud that have circulated for years in far-right political circles, including claims of missing ballot images, duplicated scans, and discrepancies in tabulation. Notably, the documents do not cite any evidence of foreign interference, a point that has drawn scrutiny given the presence of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard during the search.

Georgia election officials have repeatedly defended the integrity of the state’s 2020 election, which was confirmed through an audit and a full hand recount. Several of the issues now under FBI review were previously examined and determined to be administrative errors that did not impact the outcome of the election.

Witnesses cited in the affidavit include Trump-aligned members of the Georgia State Board of Elections and a Georgia resident who alleged that extra absentee ballots were injected into the count. At the same time, former Georgia election officials told investigators that ballot images and tabulator tapes were not central to the recount process, emphasizing that the physical ballots themselves were decisive.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger sharply criticized the investigation, calling it a waste of time and taxpayer resources. Raffensperger, who resisted Trump’s efforts to overturn Georgia’s election results, is currently seeking the Republican nomination for governor.

The documents were unsealed as part of a lawsuit filed by Fulton County officials seeking the return of the seized materials. The FBI says its investigation focuses on potential violations of federal laws governing the retention and tabulation of election records.

The seizure has heightened concerns among state and local election officials about federal intrusion ahead of upcoming midterm elections, especially as the administration continues to pursue expanded access to state voter rolls. A federal judge recently rejected one such effort involving Michigan, marking another setback for those initiatives.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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