More rumors than details emerge about FBI seizure of troves of 2020 records
Days after the FBI seized troves of Fulton County 2020 election records, there was more speculation than concrete detail about the raid that Trump administration officials say was about “election integrity.”
Rumors circulated about the whereabouts of federal officials and about FBI agents interviewing current and former officials and others, but little new information materialized. Top federal officials were slated to speak, only to bow out. And the biggest mysteries about the investigation — including the evidence used to justify the seizure — remained unsolved.
Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general who briefed reporters in Washington on Friday, said the raid was part of the administration’s broader push for “election integrity.” He didn’t provide details about the raid, citing the pending criminal case.
Federal agents, armed with search warrants, seized about 700 boxes of ballots and other documents from Fulton’s election operations center in Union City on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reported that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who was in Union City for the raid, has been leading an effort to examine the administration’s unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
“President Trump and his entire team are committed to ensuring a U.S. election can never, ever be rigged again. Director Gabbard is playing a key lead role in this important effort,” said Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s press secretary.
Blanche said Gabbard’s appearance at the raid shouldn’t be seen as unusual.
“The fact that she was present in Atlanta that day is something that shouldn’t surprise anybody,” he said.
Democrats and voting rights advocates started questioning why Gabbard, the nation’s top intelligence official, appeared at an elections office of a county that’s at the heart of many of Trump’s false claims about Georgia’s 2020 election.
Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were all expected to speak at the winter conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State in Washington on Friday. Observers wondered whether they’d discuss the Fulton raid, but all three eventually canceled their appearances.
Official comments on the raid have been scarce. On Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel offered a glimpse of what investigators are doing with the records on an episode of “The Charlie Kirk Show.” He said agents are now sifting through the evidence they retrieved and are determining next steps, including whether to request more search warrants or bring witnesses in for interviews.
Patel said the raid was part of an ongoing investigation that will pay off at the end by improving public safety and security.
Fulton County Chair Robb Pitts and others have questioned the integrity of the ballots now that they’re in the hands of the Trump administration. Patel pushed back.
“For anybody to hint that this FBI or this Department of Justice is mishandling evidence is just flat-out political buffoonery,” he said. “We will maintain the chain of custody. We will secure it like we always do. And we will make sure that we can use it to further any investigation. And most importantly, we will make sure that it is maintained under the rigors of the law so that we can use it in any future court proceedings that may rise out of any investigation.”
Meanwhile, State Election Board members, Fulton officials and others all said they’re still in the dark about the whereabouts of the county’s 2020 ballots. A warrant for Wednesday’s raid said they were seeking ballots and other records related to the 2020 election in Georgia, but it’s still unclear what the probable cause affidavit said. The affidavit and other court records that could justify the raid remained under seal Friday afternoon.
Staff writers Greg Bluestein, Tia Mitchell and Shaddi Abusaid contributed to this report.
FBI raids Fulton election office
Search warrants showed agents were seeking ballots from the 2020 election that Donald Trump has claimed was filled with fraud. Past recounts and court challenges have not backed up those assertions. Read more
Live updates: Details emerge in FBI raid
Election law: Could raid set the stage for takeover of Fulton’s elections?
Reaction: Shockwaves across Georgia’s political landscape
FAQ: Here’s what we know so far
Timeline: How we got here
Listen to the AJC’s Breakdown podcast: Inside the campaign to undermine Georgia’s 2020 election
Video: Greg Bluestein describes the scene
Opinion: The FBI raid isn’t about the 2020 elections. It’s about 2026 and 2028.
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About the Authors
Caleb Groves is a general assignment reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's politics team and a Kennesaw State University graduate.
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
