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The FBI searched the election office of Fulton County, Georgia, at the county’s main election facility in Union City, seeking records related to the 2020 election, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Agents secured an area around the warehouse that houses the county elections hub with yellow tape and were seen loading boxes into trucks, while the operation was underway.
In a statement to reporters, FBI spokesperson Jenna Sellitto confirmed that the boxes contained ballots. An FBI spokesperson also said agents were “executing a court authorized law enforcement action” at the office, located just south of Atlanta, and declined to provide additional information, citing an ongoing matter.
The FBI search appeared to be one of the most public steps by law enforcement tied to President Donald Trump’s long-running claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Courts and state and federal officials have rejected those grievances, according to the report, which said the search came about a week after Trump predicted prosecutions over the election contest.
State and county Democratic officials expressed concern as the search was carried out, including Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts. Pitts said, “We don’t know why they took them, and we don’t know where they’re taking them to,” underscoring the lack of clarity about the purpose and handling of the seized materials.
The AP report said the search also unfolded against the backdrop of FBI and Justice Department efforts to investigate perceived political enemies of Trump, and it cited that the efforts have included former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The report also noted that Trump has focused on Fulton County as a key example for his complaints about the 2020 vote, culminating in a sweeping state indictment accusing Trump and 18 others of trying to overturn the results.
For its part, Fulton County’s involvement in election-related disputes has been shaped by court actions and filings related to access to voting materials. The AP report said the Justice Department last month sued the clerk of the Fulton County superior and magistrate courts in federal court seeking access to documents from the 2020 election. The lawsuit said the department sent a letter to clerk Che Alexander but that she had failed to produce the requested documents.
The AP report said Alexander filed a motion to dismiss the suit. It also described the Justice Department’s complaint as seeking to ascertain Georgia’s compliance with federal election laws and as seeking transparency efforts connected to Georgia’s State Election Board. The report said a fight over subpoenas issued by the board and efforts to enforce them has been tied up in court.
On the day of the search, the AP report said FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey and U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were seen onsite. The Justice Department had no immediate comment, and the FBI spokesperson declined further details about what specifically was being pursued beyond the court-authorized action and the record categories that included ballots and related election materials, the report said.