By Blessing Nweke
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked the return of more than 600 boxes of 2020 general election ballots seized by the FBI from a Fulton County, Georgia election hub earlier this year in a case tied to ongoing disputes over election integrity claims raised after the 2020 presidential vote count.
U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee wrote in a 68-page order that the county had not shown sufficient evidence that its rights were callously disregarded under the legal standard applied in the dispute and said officials failed to demonstrate that they would suffer irreparable harm without the ballots.
He also criticized aspects of how the FBI obtained the ballots noting that the events leading to the seizure were unprecedented while also stating the warrant process was problematic and not perfect in execution.
Fulton County officials said they plan to pursue all available legal options after the ruling with the board chair arguing that the seized election materials should be returned immediately despite the court’s denial of the request.
The FBI has said it is investigating alleged irregularities in Fulton County’s 2020 election processes including claims involving missing ballot images and duplicate records though an expert witness testified that the issues cited did not amount to criminal conduct and were based on misunderstandings.
The Justice Department has also issued a grand jury subpoena seeking contact information for election workers and volunteers involved in the 2020 election as part of the continuing inquiry into the case which has drawn significant political attention and legal challenges.
The dispute stems from broader efforts in Georgia following the 2020 election when then President Donald Trump pressured state officials to overturn results and “find votes” to change outcome intensifying scrutiny of election administration in Fulton County case
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