Tulsi Gabbard’s recent presence outside the Fulton County Elections warehouse during a significant federal raid has drawn attention. Federal agents from the FBI and Department of Justice arrived last month to execute a search warrant, seizing over 650 boxes of election records from the controversial 2020 election. This raid raises questions about transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
Claims leading up to the search included reports of missing ballot images, which Fulton County admitted in the case Curling v. Raffensperger. Additional troubling findings were missing tabulator opening tapes and unsigned closing tapes for in-person voting locations. These admissions cast doubt on the integrity of the election process and have led many to scrutinize the actions of local election officials.
The Gateway Pundit has uncovered that the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, including its Chairman Robert Pitts, along with the Fulton County Board of Registrations and Elections, have filed a lawsuit against the federal government. Their goal is to retain the election records seized during the raid. They are basing their claim on Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 41(g), which pertains to unlawful search and seizure, aiming to retrieve their property forcibly taken by the FBI.
However, significant issues with the lawsuit’s filing have come to light. Julie Adams, a member of the Board of Registrations and Elections, outlined several problems in a letter to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. Notably, the Board of Registrations and Elections did not officially vote to pursue this litigation. In her correspondence, Adams stated, “The BRE had not met. The BRE had not voted. The BRE was not aware that they were plaintiffs on a federal lawsuit.”
After the lawsuit was announced, the BRE Chair attempted to hold a vote via email—an action that allegedly violates the Open Meetings Act, which outlines clear protocols for public decision-making. Adams pointed out that she and her colleagues “received no notice that a vote would occur,” raising concerns about transparency and adherence to legal requirements.
Moreover, financial authority for the lawsuit was unclear. Chairman Pitts indicated he was acting in his individual capacity, not as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. Yet, he could not unilaterally decide to pursue legal action without BOC funding approval. According to Adams, for any lawsuit to proceed, the county must first approve the expenditure. Yet the BOC had not convened to discuss this matter before the lawsuit announcement, nor was there a recorded vote.
Adams highlighted further legal discrepancies in the filing process. The BRE’s agenda for its February 12 meeting did not include litigation discussions. Yet, the Board engaged in attempts to retroactively authorize the suit, which contradicts state law. This lack of legislative diligence mirrors past situations in Fulton County, where similar actions were taken without proper procedure.
The implications of these unauthorized actions are serious. Adams officially requested Attorney General Carr to investigate the conduct of BRE Chair and the County Attorney, evaluating their adherence to the Open Meetings Act. She also urged the assessment of whether the BRE should legitimately be a plaintiff in this case and whether the federal court should be notified of these procedural missteps.
This situation in Fulton County raises concerns about election integrity as well as the governance processes that should uphold public trust in elected officials. As developments unfold, the scrutiny of these legal maneuvers will only intensify, highlighting the ongoing battle over election transparency and accountability in Fulton County and beyond.
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