Fulton County, Georgia, is set to take legal action against the Trump administration over the recent seizure of records related to the 2020 presidential election. The county's lawyers plan to file a lawsuit in federal court, challenging the legitimacy of the search warrant executed by the FBI at an election hub last week.
According to Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr., the county will seek a motion to contest "the legality of the warrant and the seizure of sensitive election records" and force the government to return the seized ballots. The move comes amid concerns that the seized documents are vulnerable to tampering, as they were taken without proper documentation.
The FBI's actions have raised questions about the handling of election records, particularly in light of Director Kash Patel's statement that the agency had collected "numerous pieces of evidence" with a judge's authorization. However, Commissioner Arrington notes that this does not alleviate concerns about chain-of-custody and accountability, as the original documents were taken without a comprehensive inventory.
Fulton County officials are seeking to protect voter information and ensure that the records remain in the state under seal. The county is also asking for forensic accounting, which could provide insight into the handling of the seized documents.
The move follows President Donald Trump's continued claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, despite being defeated in Georgia by Joe Biden. As part of his efforts to overturn election results, Trump has been involved in various lawsuits and investigations, including those conducted by the Justice Department and FBI.
The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between federal law enforcement agencies and state officials over issues related to election security and record-keeping. The outcome of Fulton County's lawsuit is expected to have implications for the broader conversation around election integrity and the role of government in ensuring the accuracy and transparency of electoral processes.
According to Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr., the county will seek a motion to contest "the legality of the warrant and the seizure of sensitive election records" and force the government to return the seized ballots. The move comes amid concerns that the seized documents are vulnerable to tampering, as they were taken without proper documentation.
The FBI's actions have raised questions about the handling of election records, particularly in light of Director Kash Patel's statement that the agency had collected "numerous pieces of evidence" with a judge's authorization. However, Commissioner Arrington notes that this does not alleviate concerns about chain-of-custody and accountability, as the original documents were taken without a comprehensive inventory.
Fulton County officials are seeking to protect voter information and ensure that the records remain in the state under seal. The county is also asking for forensic accounting, which could provide insight into the handling of the seized documents.
The move follows President Donald Trump's continued claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, despite being defeated in Georgia by Joe Biden. As part of his efforts to overturn election results, Trump has been involved in various lawsuits and investigations, including those conducted by the Justice Department and FBI.
The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between federal law enforcement agencies and state officials over issues related to election security and record-keeping. The outcome of Fulton County's lawsuit is expected to have implications for the broader conversation around election integrity and the role of government in ensuring the accuracy and transparency of electoral processes.