A federal judge on Tuesday rejected an effort by the U.S. Department of Justice to obtain the names and personal contact information of everyone who worked or volunteered during the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia.
U.S. District Judge William Ray quashed the grand jury subpoena, which federal prosecutors had originally issued in April to secure records from the state’s most populous county. In his ruling, Ray noted that the federal government’s request failed to meet the necessary threshold for disclosure. “Given the low need for the subpoenaed information and the highly burdensome nature of the disclosure of the same, the Subpoena is unreasonable and must be quashed,” Ray wrote.
The legal battle over the identities of the poll workers followed a January search warrant executed by the FBI at the Fulton County election hub, during which federal agents confiscated hundreds of boxes of 2020 ballots and documents. County officials subsequently filed a motion to block the subsequent subpoena, asserting that the sweeping request was designed to “target, harass and punish the President’s perceived political opponents” and called the filing “grossly over broad and untethered to any reasonable need.” Kamal Ghali, a legal representative for the county, additionally warned that giving up the private records “will chill participation by election workers” and pointed out that the statute of limitations for potential 2020 misconduct had already run out.
Department of Justice attorney William McComb pushed back against the county’s timeline argument, stating that the statute of limitations does not restrict active investigative measures. In court filings, federal prosecutors maintained that the grand jury request was simply the “next step in the normal investigative process” as authorities look for “records identifying persons with relevant knowledge.”
The ruling follows months of federal scrutiny surrounding Fulton County’s 2020 election operations. Earlier this year, the FBI executed a search warrant at the county’s election warehouse and seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and related records as part of a broader Justice Department investigation. A separate federal judge later allowed the government to retain those materials while the inquiry continues. The administration has also significantly expanded the investigation, assigning hundreds of FBI analysts to review election-related records, even as Georgia’s 2020 presidential results were previously confirmed through multiple counts, including a full hand recount.
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