The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for May 8, 2026
A federal district judge ruled May 6th that the FBI did not have to return Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 ballots and election records. The ruling came after revelations that the search warrant used to seize the records was based on conspiracy theories and other misinformation.
As we’ve reported, the affidavit for the search warrant was based on a narrative from former Trump campaign lawyer Kurt Olsen, now appointed as White House director of election security and integrity. The information he provided to the FBI correlates to a discredited report by the “Election Oversight Group.” Based on this information, the FBI seized over 600 boxes of 2020 election ballots and election documents, refusing to sign chain of custody documents before reportedly taking the ballots to Virginia.
Federal District Court Judge J.P. Boulee called some of the evidence used to obtain the warrant “problematic” and “troublesome.” But, he wrote, “In sum, Petitioners have not demonstrated how the seizure of materials from an election that occurred five years ago ‘infringes upon [their] sovereign interests in safeguarding election integrity’” UNQUOTE. The FBI has since provided digital copies to the county.
Two recounts and a state audit in 2020 found minor errors but no widespread fraud. There’s no word yet on an appeal. We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org, I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
U.S. District Court for Northern Georgia (via Court Listener) – FBI Affidavit for Search Warrant
States United Democracy Center – Executive Summary: “Election Oversight Group” Allegations About the 2020 Election in Fulton County, Georgia
States United Democracy Center – Full Report: “Election Oversight Group” Allegations About the 2020 Election in Fulton County, Georgia
U.S. District Court for Northern District of Georgia (via Democracy Docket) – Decision in Pitts v. United States
Atlanta Journal Constitution – Judge denies Fulton’s request for return of 2020 ballots seized in FBI raid
Politico – DOJ can keep 2020 Fulton County election records it seized, judge rules
Related ADM Reports:
American Democracy Minute – New Expert Analysis Finds Fringe Report Apparently Used to Justify the Fulton County, GA 2020 Ballot Seizure is Not Credible
American Democracy Minute – Elections Expert Testifies in DOJ Seizure of Fulton County, Georgia Ballots that Evidence Used to Justify the Warrant had ‘No Basis in Reality’
American Democracy Minute – Affidavit Used to Obtain the Search Warrant for Fulton County FBI Raid Originated with Trump 2020 Campaign Lawyer
Groups Taking Action:
States United Democracy Center, League of Women Voters GA / Fulton County, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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