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Judge rejects DOJ attempt to get names of 2020 Fulton County election workers
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Justice cannot obtain the names and personal contact information of all individuals who worked during the 2020 election in Georgia’s Fulton County, deeming the subpoena overly broad and unreasonable.
- The subpoena was issued as part of an investigation into alleged voter fraud claims, which former President Donald Trump has promoted without evidence, but the judge noted the statute of limitations for any related crimes has expired.
- Fulton County argued the subpoena was intended to harass political opponents and could discourage election workers from participating in future elections.
- The DOJ maintained the subpoena was a normal investigative step to identify individuals with relevant knowledge, but the judge emphasized that grand jury powers cannot be used to gather information without a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
- The ruling highlighted concerns about protecting citizens' private information amid politically charged investigations, stressing that grand jury processes must focus on potential crimes and viable indictments.
