Fulton County accuses Justice Department of misleading the judge who approved elections office search warrant

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

PUBLISHED Feb 17, 2026, 1:21 PM ET


Officials in Fulton County, Georgia, accused the Justice Department of making “serious” omissions in the application the FBI filed to obtain a search warrant for 2020 election ballots last month.

The local officials, who are seeking the return of the election materials, wrote in a court filing Tuesday that “instead of alleging probable cause to believe a crime has been committed,” the FBI’s application “does nothing more than describe the types of human errors that its own sources confirm occur in almost every election—without any intentional wrongdoing whatsoever.”

Fulton County bashed the FBI for not informing the magistrate judge who approved the warrant that the allegations of election “defects” it was putting forward had been previously investigated. The local officials also took the FBI to task for not including information in the application that would cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses the federal criminal probe apparently is relying on. CNN has reached out to the FBI and the Justice Department for comment.

Kurt Olsen, a 2020 election denier now serving in the White House who made the referral that launched the criminal probe, has been sanctioned by multiple courts, the new Fulton County filing noted. The county also argued that other witnesses the affidavit cited lacked election administration expertise or reached conclusions based on speculation.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/17/politics/fulton-county-ballots-justice-department

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Link to FILING (PDF) - https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/30-2026-02-17-Fulton-Countys-amended-motion-for-return-of-property.pdf

Link to Democracy Docket ARTICLE - ‘Flagrant Constitutional Violation’: Fulton County blasts affidavit that backed FBI’s 2020 election raid

REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143607103
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143607775
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143609627
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143611355
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143614589
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143616879

[intheflow]

1. I find it hard to believe this judge had NO IDEA

that the election integrity rulings in Georgia had happened. Was she under a rock 5 years ago? It’s not like it’s a small town story published in the local penny pincher paper. It was national news, about a national election, that spurred an attempted insurrection. I have to believe she’s a closet MAGA.

[MadameButterfly]

11. Trump appointed judge

Though a later post says it was a magistrate, not a judge who approved the warrant.

I think we need to get ready for more MAGA judges gumming up the works of saving democracy.

[bluestarone]

2. Ok so, what options does this judge have

I KNOW what the judge would do if YOU or I would have done this same thing. Come on judge do your job!!

[chowder66]

4. A federal judge will hold a hearing next week on the county's request that those materials be returned.

The judge previously granted the county’s request to unseal the warrant application materials, including an affidavit by an FBI agent that revealed the search was being justified with long-standing and already-scrutinized claim.

I quoted the article but it's unclear if the federal judge who is holding the hearing next week is the same federal judge.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

5. I believe

The person that granted the warrant was a federal magistrate, not a federal judge.

[chowder66]

9. That would have explained it better if CNN had written that.

Thx!

[Wiz Imp]

3. Sounds like a corrupt judge to me.

[bluestarone]

6. So, help me here.

Doesn't the state have a right unseal this BEFORE allowing them into the building? I don't understand

[BumRushDaShow]

8. It's a blue county in a red state (somewhat purplish).

[bluestarone]

7. So is this a test run for

November 2026 vote counting night?

[OldBaldy1701E]

10. Basically, yeah. (n/t)