{"id":2599713,"date":"2026-05-07T00:14:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T04:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-denies-fulton-county-bid-to-retrieve-2020-ballots-seized-by-fbi\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T00:18:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T04:18:06","slug":"judge-denies-fulton-county-bid-to-retrieve-2020-ballots-seized-by-fbi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-denies-fulton-county-bid-to-retrieve-2020-ballots-seized-by-fbi\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge denies Fulton County bid to retrieve 2020 ballots seized by FBI"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjudge-denies-fulton-county-bid-to-retrieve-2020-ballots-seized-by-fbi%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2599713&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge rejected Fulton County, Georgia, bid to force the Department of Justice to return thousands of 2020 election ballots and records seized during a January FBI raid. The judge, J.P. Boulee, said investigators had broad authority to seize election materials while probing alleged irregularities, and that the seizure did not prevent Georgia from running the 2020 election or certifying results.<\/p>\n<p>Boulee acknowledged problems in parts of the FBI warrant affidavit, describing portions as misleading or troubling, but concluded Fulton County failed to show investigators acted with the level of disregard for constitutional rights required for a court to stop an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-campaign-manager-bails-on-msnbc-interview-to-avoid-hunter-questions-report\/\" title=\"...en&#039;s Campaign Manager skips MSNBC interview to dodge Hunter questions: Report.\">ongoing criminal inquiry<\/a>. The ruling also noted the affidavit covered allegations such as duplicate ballots, missing ballot images, and unsigned tabulator tapes, though investigators ultimately found no evidence of intentional wrongdoing. The judge further said the affidavit included both damaging and exculpatory information rather than hiding facts, and emphasized that courts should apply the law consistently regardless of political controversy.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>A federal judge on Wednesday refused to order the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> to return thousands of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fulton-county-makes-case-for-return-of-2020-ballots-seized-by-fbi\/\" title=\"... makes case for return of 2020 ... seized by FBI\">2020 election ballots seized<\/a> from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fulton-county\/\">Fulton County<\/a>, Georgia, terminating a lawsuit brought by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-sheriffs-tell-newsom-they-wont-enforce-covid-curfew\/\" title=\"California Sheriffs Tell Newsom They Won&#039;t En... COVID Curfew\">county officials<\/a> following a January election facility raid.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee, an appointee of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>, rejected Fulton County\u2019s request to recover ballots and election materials taken earlier this year as part of a federal investigation into alleged <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/2020-election\/\">2020 election<\/a> irregularities. Despite upholding the government\u2019s broad authority to investigate the county\u2019s election materials, he stressed the outcome could have been different had the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\/\">FBI<\/a> intervened during an active election.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4557865\/doj-left-wing-fairfax-county-prosecutor-investigation\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ investigating left-wing Fairfax County prosecutor over alleged unlawful discrimination<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4557924\/doj-ucla-race-based-admission-medical-school\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ says UCLA used race-based admissions for medical school<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4557550\/appeals-court-strike-down-biden-fcc-digital-equity\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Appeals court strikes down Biden-era FCC \u2018digital equity\u2019 rules<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An FBI employee stands inside the Fulton County Election HUB as the FBI takes Fulton County 2020 Election ballots, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Union City, Ga., near Atlanta. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cImportantly, the seizure at issue in this case did not interfere with the State\u2019s ability to conduct the 2020 election or certify election results, nor have Petitioners shown that it will hinder the State\u2019s ability to conduct future elections,\u201d Boulee wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The FBI seized more than 600 boxes of 2020 election records from a Fulton County election warehouse in January after obtaining a search warrant tied to a DOJ investigation into alleged irregularities during the 2020 presidential election, which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4443786\/gabbard-call-trump-fbi-agents-election-facility-raid\/\">drew eyeballs and attention<\/a> due to the unusual supervision by Director of National Intelligence <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tulsi-gabbard\/\">Tulsi Gabbard<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Boulee acknowledged the possibility of flaws and inconsistencies in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.courtlistener.com\/docket\/72267501\/107\/2\/pitts-v-united-states\/\">FBI affidavit<\/a> used to secure the warrant, calling portions of it \u201cproblematic,\u201d \u201ctroubling,\u201d and \u201cmisleading.\u201d But he ultimately concluded the county failed to show federal investigators acted with the kind of \u201ccallous disregard\u201d for constitutional rights necessary for a judge to intervene and halt an ongoing criminal investigation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard enters the Fulton County Election HUB as the FBI takes Fulton County 2020 Election ballots, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in Union City, Ga., near Atlanta. (AP Photo\/Mike Stewart)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The ruling also highlighted several allegations reviewed by FBI investigators, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >including claims involving duplicate ballots<\/a>, missing ballot images, unsigned tabulator tapes, and so-called \u201cpristine ballots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One section of the affidavit discussed a witness who identified duplicate ballots containing unique markings in both the original vote count and the recount, prompting concerns that there were duplicate or newly added ballots that may have been intentionally inserted to make recount totals match the original count. Investigators ultimately <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/26927576-fulton-county-affidavit\/?q=It+was+not+intentional+misconduct&#038;mode=search#document\/p13\">found no<\/a> intentionality.<\/p>\n<p>In actuality, the affidavit states that investigators discovered the duplicate ballots actually appeared to favor Trump rather than then-candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden<\/a>. A witness cited in the affidavit concluded the issue \u201ccould be intentional but was not partisan\u201d because Trump received a higher percentage of those ballots than his Fulton County average.<\/p>\n<p>The judge further cited in his opinion that Georgia election officials previously investigated the duplicate ballot issue and concluded that any duplication likely stemmed from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/26927576-fulton-county-affidavit\/?q=human+error&#038;mode=search\">\u201chuman error.\u201d <\/a><\/p>\n<p>However, Boulee emphasized that the government gave the county the benefit of the doubt, noting the FBI affidavit included both incriminating and exculpatory information instead of concealing contrary evidence from the magistrate judge who approved the warrant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile the Affidavit was certainly far from perfect, this is not a situation where an officer left out all the facts that might undermine probable cause or where an officer intentionally lied,\u201d Boulee wrote.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4555537\/fulton-county-fights-doj-2020-election-workers-personal-data\/\">FULTON COUNTY FIGHTS DOJ BID FOR 2020 ELECTION WORKERS\u2019 PERSONAL DATA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In denying Fulton County\u2019s request, Boulee said courts must apply the law equally regardless of politics or public controversy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo apply the law differently here because of what this case is about, or whose records are at issue, would defy our Nation\u2019s foundational principle that our law applies to all,\u201d the judge wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump-appointed judge denies Fulton County bid to get seized ballots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2599714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26028752529576.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[79243,33740,33739,50645,32987],"class_list":["post-2599713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-ballot-retrieval","tag-court-ruling","tag-election-law","tag-fbi-2","tag-fulton-county"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26028752529576.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2599713"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2599717,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599713\/revisions\/2599717"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2599714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2599713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2599713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2599713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}