Justice Department can keep seized Fulton County ballots, judge rules

Key Points:

• A federal judge ruled that the FBI does not have to return the 2020 election ballots and materials seized from Fulton County, Georgia, in a January 28 raid, rejecting the county's claim that the seizure was improper and unconstitutional.
• The Justice Department is investigating alleged irregularities in Fulton County's 2020 election, citing possible violations of laws requiring election record retention and prohibiting fraudulent ballots, amid unfounded claims of widespread election fraud by former President Trump and his allies.
• The judge acknowledged some defects and troubling statements in the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant but found no evidence of callous disregard for the county's rights and noted the county received copies of the seized documents.
• Fulton County officials strongly disagreed with the ruling and plan to pursue all legal options, while the Justice Department has also sought election records and voter data from other key swing states, prompting privacy and political interference concerns.
• Democrats have accused the Trump administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement to target political opponents and interfere in elections, while the Justice Department maintains it is investigating past irregularities to protect future elections.