Federal Judge Forces DOJ to Unseal Affidavit Tied to FBI’s Fulton County Raid
The Justice Department on Tuesday complied with a federal judge’s order and publicly released a redacted affidavit that justified the FBI’s January 28 raid on the Fulton County election facility in Georgia — a move that intensifies national debate over the ongoing probe into the 2020 election.
The unsealed document shows that FBI agents sought a warrant to investigate alleged “deficiencies or defects” in Fulton County’s handling and retention of ballots and election records from the 2020 presidential contest, part of a broader criminal inquiry.
The legal justification for the search was rooted in claims first presented to the bureau by Kurt Olsen, a former Trump campaign lawyer now serving in a Trump administration election oversight role, according to court documents. Fulton County officials sued to force disclosure of the affidavit, arguing that the FBI’s seizure of ballots and records was unconstitutional and lacked proper cause.
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The affidavit lists statements from multiple witnesses to support probable cause, but many identities and details remain redacted. It does not tie the materials or individuals to specific crimes or allege that altered vote totals affected the outcome of the 2020 election.
“At bottom, this was a raid built on recycled rumors, lies and unproven conspiracy theories,” Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts said after the release.
The affidavit’s public release marks a rare moment of transparency in an investigation that has drawn criticism from local officials and raised questions about federal involvement in state election matters.
Next on the docket: ongoing civil litigation over the return of seized materials and potential further court challenges to aspects of the FBI’s probe.
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