Fulton County Fights DOJ Subpoena and Ballots Seizure

The Government of Fulton County is engaged in a legal battle with the federal government over the seizure of 2020 election records and a grand jury subpoena for the personal data of nearly 3,000 election workers. The subpoena, issued on April 17, demands home addresses, emails, and phone numbers of full-time staff, volunteers, and bus drivers. Robb Pitts, Chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, condemned the request as an attempt to intimidate workers and discourage voting.

This escalation follows a January 28 raid where the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized over 600 boxes of ballots and documents from a county warehouse. U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee ruled on May 7 that the federal government may keep these materials. Although Boulee described the search warrant affidavit as defective, misleading, and troubling, he concluded the county failed to prove its rights were callously disregarded, noting that the Justice Department provided copies of the records.

These actions are part of a broader effort by the administration of Donald Trump to obtain election records from swing states, including similar subpoenas in Maricopa County, Arizona, and Wayne County, Michigan. While the Justice Department maintains it is investigating violations of election record laws and fraudulent ballots, Fulton County officials argue the moves are a campaign to harass political opponents after the statute of limitations for 2020 federal crimes has expired.