Georgia officials ask FBI to investigate emails from pro-Trump election skeptic

The State Election Board meets at the Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

The State Election Board meets at the Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Georgia officials have asked the FBI to investigate a series of emails a Texas activist sent members of the State Election Board demanding an investigation into Georgia’s 2020 election, according to three people familiar with the situation.

The emails, which were obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, were sent by Kevin Moncla to the members of the State Election Board and an aide to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Moncla and Joe Rossi, a Houston County resident, recently filed a complaint that claims errors in Fulton County’s recount of the 2020 presidential election. The State Election Board delayed taking action on the case Tuesday, angering supporters of former President Donald Trump who crowded the hearing.

It’s one of a string of unsubstantiated complaints filed by election conspiracists since Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump by about 12,000 votes in Georgia’s 2020 election. Three vote counts confirmed Biden’s victory and multiple investigations have debunked allegations of fraud.

Matt Mashburn, the acting chairman of the election board, declined to comment, as did an FBI spokesman. Moncla couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

In a Sept. 21 email, Moncla accuses Mashburn and other state officials of ignoring and avoiding his complaints.

“Mr. Mashburn, listen well. There will be no more excuses. I am putting you on notice that I will be holding you accountable,” he wrote, invoking the Fulton County election-interference case against Trump and his allies.

Paper ballot supporters applaud a public speaker at a State Election Board meeting at the Capitol in Atlanta on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

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Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

“There are 19 people whose lives hang in the balance because they knew Georgia’s 2020 General Election and Senate run-off results were wrong. Those people were right. You can either properly investigate our complaints and verify the facts or I will show you publicly in the media.”

He followed up with an email to the State Election Board on Wednesday demanding an update on his complaint.

The email came a day after the board voted against opening an investigation into Raffensperger for his oversight of Fulton County’s audit of the 2020 election at a meeting packed with conservative activists and election skeptics.

“You may think that the Dog and Pony show yesterday concluded the matter – if so, you are sadly mistaken,” Moncla wrote. “I urge you to contemplate and reconsider your responsibilities and position - for you are attorneys. I imagine that some of you would like to continue to be.”

Moncla added: “We can address these matters privately or publicly but make no mistake – they will be addressed.”

Staff writer Mark Niesse contributed to this report.