FBI's Georgia Election Hub Raid Fueled by Trump Ally, Court Documents Reveal
Last month, FBI agents executed a search at a Georgia election hub located near Atlanta, seizing ballots and voter records. This operation was reportedly instigated by Kurt Olsen, a lawyer closely associated with former President Donald Trump, who had previously attempted to challenge the 2020 election results.
According to an affidavit from FBI special agent Hugh Raymond Evans, the investigation was initiated based on a referral from Olsen, who serves as the Director of Election Security and Integrity, a position he was appointed to by Trump.
Olsen has a controversial history, having participated in the “Stop the Steal” campaign and faced sanctions from a federal judge for making “false, misleading and unsupported factual assertions.” His role in investigating the 2020 election began last year.
The search warrant authorized the FBI to collect all physical ballots from Fulton County related to the 2020 general election, including tabulator tapes from voting machines and voter rolls. Additionally, it permitted the examination of any electronically stored evidence.
U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee, nominated by Trump in 2019, ordered the affidavit to be made public. However, certain details were redacted, including names of individuals who claimed voter irregularities.
In a recent order, Boulee set a deadline for the Trump administration to produce the affidavit that justified the search warrant. This document outlined arguments presented by federal prosecutors to convince Magistrate Judge Catherine Salinas to issue the warrant, many of which echoed disproven claims of voter fraud from 2020.
The affidavit noted, "Following the November 3, 2020, presidential election, there were many allegations of electoral impropriety relating to the voting process and ballot counting in Fulton County." While some allegations were disproven, others were substantiated through admissions by Fulton County officials.
Election officials acknowledge that isolated instances of voter fraud can occur but emphasize that such occurrences are rare and insufficient to alter election outcomes significantly.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger criticized the Trump administration's efforts as unfounded. "As Secretary of State, I’ve made Georgia the safest and most secure place to vote," he stated. "Instead of wasting time and tax dollars trying to change the past with baseless and repackaged claims, let’s focus our efforts on building a safer, more affordable future for all hardworking Georgians.”
Senator Mark Warner raised concerns regarding Tulsi Gabbard's presence during the raid. Gabbard, who is the director of national intelligence, facilitated a call between Trump and FBI personnel to express gratitude for their actions.
Warner remarked, "The newly unsealed affidavit shows this search originated from the frivolous claims of Kurt Olsen... It also makes clear there was no foreign intelligence nexus. ... So why was the Director of National Intelligence there?"
In response, Gabbard asserted her attendance was in accordance with U.S. law and her responsibilities as the nation’s top intelligence official. However, her role overseeing spy agencies raises questions about her involvement in domestic law enforcement matters.
The federal judge also unsealed court documents related to a lawsuit filed by Fulton County Commission Chairman Rob Pitts against the government after FBI agents raided the elections warehouse and removed 700 boxes of ballots and other records.
"Given the importance of the public’s access to judicial proceedings, the Clerk is DIRECTED to unseal the docket in this case," Boulee wrote.
Georgia played a pivotal role in Trump's defeat during the 2020 election against Joe Biden and was one of several states where he sought to overturn results. Following the election, Trump and his allies launched at least nine legal challenges in Georgia over alleged voter irregularities; all were dismissed or dropped by judges.
In a phone call leading up to the January 6 Capitol attack, Trump pressured Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes,” which matched Biden’s margin of victory in Georgia.
Despite overwhelming evidence refuting his claims, Trump continues to assert that the election was stolen from him. Key allies have admitted under oath that his allegations were “bulls--- and damaging,” further complicating his narrative.
