By Milton Kirby | Union City, GA | January 29, 2026

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents executed a court-authorized search warrant Wednesday at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations Center in Union City, Georgia, seizing records connected to the 2020 presidential election as part of what authorities described as an ongoing federal investigation.

The FBI confirmed it was conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity” at the county’s primary elections facility south of Atlanta but declined to provide further details. “Our investigation into this matter is ongoing so there are no details that we can provide at the moment,” the agency said in a statement.

Fulton County spokesperson Jessica Corbitt-Dominguez confirmed that the warrant sought 2020 election records but declined further comment while the search was underway. County officials said the FBI remained inside the building into the evening hours.

County Leaders Express Alarm and Compliance

Robb Pitts, chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, told reporters late Wednesday that he did not know where the seized records were being taken.

“All I know is that as long as those boxes had been in the control of the county in this facility, they were safe and secure,” Pitts said. “I can no longer, as chair of this board, satisfy not only the citizens of Atlanta but the citizens of the world that those ballots are still secure.”

Sherri Allen, chair of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, said the board “fully complied” with the FBI and confirmed agents were still on site as of 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

State Sen. Josh McLaurin, a Democrat whose district includes Fulton County, called the search “extremely alarming,” warning that it could further erode public trust in election administration.

Scope of the Warrant and Legal Questions

According to county officials, the FBI sought all ballots from the 2020 election in Fulton County, including tabulator tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls.

Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory said the initial warrant presented by agents was “incorrect legally” and challenged by county officials on site. The FBI later returned with a corrected warrant, she said.

The county’s Clerk of Superior Court, Che Alexander, who is the legal custodian of the election materials, was present during the search and inventorying the items taken, Ivory said.

“The commissioners, the chairman, the county attorney are trying to figure out a legal plan,” Ivory said during a press conference outside of the facility. “Maybe an injunction, a motion to quash, something. We’re trying to figure it out.”

Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said the Trump administration had previously attempted to obtain the same 2020 election records through civil litigation. Because the records were sealed as part of earlier investigations, the county did not release them. Arrington noted the records were scheduled for release within months as a result of those civil actions.

He questioned why a criminal investigation—with no named defendant—began only after those civil efforts failed, and why records from the 2024 election were not sought.

Political Context and Renewed Scrutiny

The FBI search comes amid renewed federal attention to Fulton County, a jurisdiction that has remained a focal point of former President Donald Trump’s repeated false claims that the 2020 election was “rigged.”

Speaking last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump again asserted without evidence that the election was fraudulent and said “people will soon be prosecuted.”

Fulton County was central to Trump’s post-election efforts in Georgia, including a now-infamous January 2021 phone call in which he pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes,” roughly President Joe Biden’s margin of victory in the state.

Trump also publicly speculated that ballots had been shredded in Fulton County claims that were repeatedly debunked by audits, recounts, and court rulings.

Pitts said he was not surprised by the federal action. “Fulton County is sort of on a hit list,” he said. “We have complied with the law. The 2020 elections were fair. They were open. Every legal vote was counted, and we will continue to comply with the law.”

DOJ, Intelligence Officials, and Election Security Claims

The search also follows a December Department of Justice complaint requesting extensive 2020 election materials from Fulton County, including used and void ballots, ballot stubs, signature envelopes, and related digital files, citing an investigation into compliance with federal law.

According to a senior Trump administration official, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was also in Fulton County on Wednesday and visited the elections hub the same day the FBI executed the warrant.

“Director Gabbard has a pivotal role in election security and protecting the integrity of our elections,” the official said, adding that she was acting under Trump’s directive to secure elections nationwide.

Pitts said Gabbard had not communicated with the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

Warnings of Intimidation and Historical Parallels

Several local and state officials warned the federal action could be perceived as intimidation ahead of upcoming elections.

“This is a scare tactic. This is a distraction,” Commissioner Mo Ivory said. “This is about sowing the seeds of fear so that people will not show up at the polls in May and November.”

Georgia State Rep. Saira Draper said Fulton County has undergone repeated audits and investigations since 2020, all of which cleared the county of wrongdoing.

“If this administration had a genuine interest in investigating voter fraud,” Draper said, “they would be investigating Coffee County, a red county, where there is actual evidence of people going into the election office after hours and copying election documents.”

Former special counsel Jack Smith previously documented how false fraud claims targeting Fulton County led to death threats against election workers.

Two of those workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea Shaye Moss, were falsely accused by Trump allies of manipulating ballots. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani amplified those claims. A jury awarded Freeman and Moss $148 million in damages in 2023, a judgment Giuliani satisfied in 2025.

National Reactions

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock condemned the search, calling it politically motivated.

“The FBI should be focused on going after violent criminals, not carrying out political errands for a vengeful President,” Warnock said. “Republicans and Democrats agree: the 2020 elections were accurate and secure. End of story.”

Meanwhile, Josh McKoon praised the action, saying it marked “a major step toward truth and accountability” and arguing Georgians have waited years for answers about the 2020 election.

A Facility Built for Transparency

The Fulton County Election Hub, which opened in 2023, houses more than 261,000 square feet dedicated to elections staff, operations, and equipment. County officials have repeatedly cited the facility as evidence of enhanced transparency, security, and chain-of-custody controls.

As of Wednesday night, county leaders said they were still assessing legal options and seeking clarity on the scope and implications of the federal seizure.

The Truth Seekers Journal reached out to the FBI seeking additional information regarding the search warrant and scope of the investigation. No response had been received at the time of publication.

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