Trump DOJ Targets Fulton County, Georgia in Lawsuit Seeking 2020 Election Materials
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Friday against Fulton County, Georgia, seeking access to a wide range of records related to the November 2020 presidential election, according to court filings and reporting from CNN.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, asks a judge to order Fulton County to preserve and turn over election materials tied to federal races, including ballot stubs, ballot images, poll worker logs, voting machine data, chain-of-custody records, and other election-related documents.
Justice Department attorneys argue the records are required to be maintained under federal law governing election record retention. While the statute requires most election records to be preserved for at least 22 months after a federal election, the department contends that certain materials must remain available due to ongoing federal oversight and related investigative matters.
In its filing, the Justice Department alleges that Fulton County has not adequately preserved some records or has indicated plans to dispose of election materials, which the department says could interfere with federal review. The lawsuit seeks an injunction to prevent any further disposal of records and requests expedited court consideration.
Fulton County officials rejected the allegations, saying the county has complied with all applicable laws and lawful records requests. County representatives characterized the lawsuit as politically motivated and said they have worked to provide records while balancing cost and administrative burdens.
Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta, has long been at the center of scrutiny from supporters of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed without evidence that widespread fraud occurred in Georgia during the 2020 election. State and local officials, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Governor Brian Kemp, both Republicans, have previously certified the 2020 election results and stated that no widespread fraud was found.
The lawsuit marks a rare instance of the federal government suing a local election authority years after an election to compel access to records. No court rulings have been issued yet, and the case is expected to proceed in the coming weeks.
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