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Tag: Fulton County

  • FBI Broadens Fulton County Election Probe With Nationwide Review of Records

    FBI Broadens Fulton County Election Probe With Nationwide Review of Records

    FBI Broadens Fulton County Election Probe With Nationwide Review of Records

    Federal investigators are expanding their review of Georgia’s 2020 election by bringing in intelligence analysts from FBI field offices across the country to help examine thousands of records connected to the agency’s investigation in Fulton County.

    The effort follows months of investigative activity surrounding the county’s 2020 election materials. Earlier this year, the FBI seized physical ballots, ballot images, voter rolls, and vote-tabulation records while executing a search warrant. A Fulton County judge later rejected the county’s request to have those materials returned, allowing investigators to retain the evidence as the case moves forward.

    To accelerate the review, the FBI has directed offices nationwide to temporarily assign analysts to Atlanta, according to a bureau memo obtained by CBS News. The Directorate of Intelligence described the investigation as one of Director Kash Patel’s priorities, though the memo did not specify the case by name. Sources familiar with the directive confirmed it relates to the Fulton County election investigation.

    The bureau hopes to assemble 260 analysts. Depending on the size of each field office, between three and eight analysts will be assigned to the project. Each analyst has been tasked with reviewing 708 records before a July 17 deadline. These specialists typically support investigations by analyzing records, reviewing subpoena returns, examining digital evidence, and conducting intelligence research.

    The investigation originated after a referral from Justice Department attorney Kurt Olsen, who previously participated in legal efforts challenging the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Olsen is now involved in a separate Justice Department inquiry examining allegations of a broader conspiracy involving officials from the Obama and Biden administrations.

    President Donald Trump has continued to argue that widespread fraud influenced the outcome of Georgia’s 2020 election, including claims that ineligible ballots were counted in Fulton County. He has not presented evidence supporting those allegations. Biden’s 11,779-vote victory in Georgia was reaffirmed through both a statewide machine recount and a hand audit conducted by every county.

    MS Now first reported the FBI’s nationwide staffing request. The FBI declined to comment on the investigation.

  • Nathan Wade to testify before Georgia Senate panel investigating Fani Willis

    Nathan Wade to testify before Georgia Senate panel investigating Fani Willis

    Nathan Wade to testify before Georgia Senate panel investigating Fani Willis

    Former Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade is expected to testify before a Georgia Senate subcommittee examining Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office’s now-dismissed election interference case against President Donald Trump.

    Wade had been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Special Committee on Investigations earlier this year, but his testimony was postponed after he told lawmakers he was unavailable on the originally scheduled date.

    The committee was formed in January 2024 to review allegations of misconduct tied to Willis’ prosecution of Trump and 18 other defendants accused of attempting to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. Lawmakers have closely scrutinized Willis’ decision to hire Wade and whether their past romantic relationship created a conflict of interest or involved improper use of public funds.

    The panel is chaired by state Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican who is running for lieutenant governor.

    Willis testified before the committee last year after months of legal battles over whether legislators could require her appearance. She denied wrongdoing and defended her hiring decision.

    “You all want to intimidate people from doing the right thing, and you think that you’re going to intimidate me,” Willis told lawmakers. “You all have been trying to intimidate me for five years.”

    Wade has also testified under oath in other proceedings about the relationship, though lawmakers have said they believe there are discrepancies between his statements and Willis’ account.

    The inquiry stems from Willis’ August 2023 indictment accusing Trump and his allies of participating in a racketeering scheme to overturn Trump’s narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia.

    Both Willis and Wade said their relationship began months after Wade joined the case.

    The Georgia Court of Appeals later ruled the situation created an “appearance of impropriety,” removing Willis from the prosecution. The state Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal.

    In November, Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia Executive Director Peter J. Skandalakis took over the case and soon moved to abandon the prosecution, saying the allegations did not support a racketeering charge. A Fulton County judge dismissed the indictment on Nov. 26.

    Willis and Trump’s attorneys are now disputing whether her office must cover the legal costs tied to the case.

  • Lawmakers, advocates introduce Georgia Voting Rights Act

    Lawmakers, advocates introduce Georgia Voting Rights Act

    Lawmakers, advocates introduce Georgia Voting Rights Act

    Voting rights advocates and Democratic lawmakers are advancing a proposal they say would reinforce ballot protections in Georgia at a moment of renewed federal uncertainty.

    At a Capitol press conference, supporters rolled out Senate Bill 536, titled the Henry McNeal Turner Georgia Voting Rights Act, as the U.S. Supreme Court reviews another case centered on Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act. The push also comes amid heightened federal attention on elections in Fulton County.

    Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson, said Georgia voters have experienced repeated adjustments to election procedures in recent years, arguing that the state needs clearer and more predictable standards.

    “Georgia voters have lived through years of constant changes of election rules and repeated efforts that make it harder for eligible people to participate in voting,” Merritt said.

    The legislation would establish statewide protections designed to address voter suppression and vote dilution. Among its provisions, certain jurisdictions would be required to obtain approval before making election-related changes. The measure would also require advance public notice of proposed voting adjustments and prohibit intimidation or misleading practices that interfere with the voting process.

    Imani Brooks, policy counsel with the Legal Defense Fund, said a series of federal court decisions have narrowed the reach of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, increasing pressure on states to strengthen their own safeguards.

    “The Georgia VRA will prevent discrimination in voting, expand fair access to the ballot for all Georgia voters, and move the country closer to a multiracial, multiethnic democracy,” Brooks said.

    Supporters pointed out that eight states have enacted their own voting rights laws in recent years and described Georgia’s proposal as one of the most expansive. Backers are urging lawmakers to take up the bill this session, saying the state can bolster election security while also protecting access to the ballot.

  • Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County filed a motion in federal court Wednesday after an FBI raid at the county’s election hub removed hundreds of boxes of ballots, images and voter records tied to the 2020 election.

    County Commission Chairman Robert Pitts said the motion, filed on behalf of himself and the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, seeks the immediate return of all seized election materials and greater transparency around why they were taken. He said county leaders and outside legal experts warn the case could have consequences beyond Fulton County.

    “This case is not only about Fulton County, it’s about elections across Georgia and across the nation,” Pitts said.

    The county is also asking a judge to unseal the affidavit used to obtain the FBI search warrant.

    Since 2020, Pitts said, Fulton County has conducted 17 successful elections without issues, but questions remain about where the seized materials are now and how they’re being handled. Those concerns are shared by election security experts who say ballot handling is critical to election integrity.

    Mark Lindeman, policy and strategy director for Verified Voting, observed Georgia’s 2020 verification process in four counties and provided technical support during the state’s large-scale audits. Lindeman said what troubles him most about the FBI raid is that chain-of-custody rules required under Georgia law weren’t followed.

    “Every time ballots move from one location to another, all of that is documented,” he said.

    Lindeman noted Georgia’s 2020 results were verified through the original count, a full hand-count audit and a recount by rescanning ballots. County officials say they still do not know where the seized materials are or what is being done with them.

  • Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County officials moved Wednesday to regain control of thousands of 2020 election records seized by federal agents last week, filing an emergency motion in federal court as leaders warned the investigation could have wide-ranging implications for elections nationwide.

    County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said during a Wednesday morning news conference at the Fulton County Government Center that the county has formally asked a federal judge to order the return of materials taken during an FBI search of the county’s elections headquarters in Union City.

    “This is a serious case,” Pitts said. “Our Constitution is at stake in this fight. The Constitution is the law of the land. It is not a suggestion.”

    The motion, filed shortly before 9 a.m. under Rule 41(g) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, seeks the return of original ballots and related election records. It also asks the court to prevent federal authorities from reviewing or using the materials while the case is pending and to place the matter on an expedited schedule.

    The filing remains under seal, and Pitts said he could not discuss its contents, but confirmed the county is also requesting that the affidavit used to justify the search warrant be unsealed.

    Federal agents seized approximately 656 boxes of election materials, including ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic ballot images and voter rolls, according to county officials. Pitts said the county was given no advance notice of the search and was not provided copies of the records taken.

    “They showed up and took the boxes they wanted,” Pitts said. “We don’t even have copies of what they took.”

    County leaders emphasized the seizure does not reflect wrongdoing by election officials, noting that Fulton County’s 2020 results have been reviewed and recounted multiple times without any change. Commissioner Marvin Arrington said the emergency filing was necessary to move quickly, warning that delays risk undermining public trust in the election process.

  • FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    Federal agents executed a court-authorized search Tuesday at the Fulton County Elections Hub & Operations Center. The elections hub opened in 2023 and serves as a central storage site for voting equipment, records,and county office spaces.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed agents were carrying out a lawful enforcement action at the facility on Campbellton Fairburn Road in Union City. Agents wearing tactical vests were seen entering and exiting the building throughout the day. The FBI declined to provide details, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it is not involved.

    County officials and local lawmakers criticized the search during a press conference later in the day. Fulton County Councilwoman Mo Ivory called the action a “scare tactic” and an “assault on voters.” Councilman Marvin S. Arrington said a judge had previously ordered the ballots sealed and that earlier efforts to unseal them through civil litigation had failed. He said the FBI is now using a criminal search warrant to access the records.

    Arrington called the raid a “full-frontal attack on democracy” and “retribution” by President Trump.

    State Rep. Saira Draper said multiple audits and independent reviews have found no evidence of voter fraud in Fulton County’s handling of the 2020 election.

    “Fulton County is being targeted because it is the largest county in Georgia and it is the home of Atlanta,” Draper said. “So, this doesn’t pass the smell test.”

    The search comes amid continued national scrutiny of Georgia’s 2020 election results. Donald Trump has repeatedly challenged the outcome in Georgia, a state he narrowly lost. Federal litigation over access to Fulton County election records remains ongoing.

    U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff criticized the search in a statement.

    “After losing Georgia in 2020, Donald Trump demanded state officials ‘find’ votes to change the outcome, tried to use DOJ to overturn it, and spread conspiracy theories that led to the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol,” Ossoff said. “I suspect today’s raid is a continuation of this sore loser’s crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated.”

    Fulton County officials said they are consulting with legal counsel to determine their next steps as the investigation continues.

  • Fulton County taxpayers could pay Trump’s legal fees after election interference case dismissed

    Fulton County taxpayers could pay Trump’s legal fees after election interference case dismissed

    Fulton County taxpayers could pay Trump’s legal fees after election interference case dismissed

    Fulton County residents may be responsible for a sizable legal tab after the election interference case against former President Donald Trump and several co-defendants was thrown out.

    According to WSB-TV, the projected cost to taxpayers could reach between $10 million and $20 million. Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts told the station the county is bracing for potentially steep reimbursements tied to a state law enacted earlier this year.

    As GPB has reported, that law allows defendants to seek repayment of their attorney’s fees when a prosecutor is removed for misconduct and the charges are dismissed. That scenario applies to the now-dropped 2020 election case originally brought by District Attorney Fani Willis.

    Willis was disqualified after a judge determined she had an improper relationship with the special prosecutor she appointed, Nathan Wade. The Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia later assumed control of the case, and its executive director, Peter Skandalakis, moved to dismiss the indictment, WSB-TV reported.

    Defense teams now have 45 days to send their fee petitions to Judge Robert McAfee, who will decide what amount, if any, the county must pay. One attorney told WSB-TV his client intends to seek reimbursement, calling the prolonged legal fight financially draining.

    The broader implications of the law have raised questions among legal observers. GPB interviewed Georgia State University political science professor Tammy Greer, who said the reimbursement requirement highlights deeper issues within the justice system.

    “The glaring part that goes through my mind is what does this say about how we view the criminal justice system? Who the criminal justice system is intended to provide consequences to?” Greer said.

    The final cost to taxpayers will depend on the judge’s review of the petitions, but county leaders say the financial burden could be significant.