Judge Rejects Justice Department's 'Unreasonable' Attempt to Get Names of 2020 Election Workers in Fulton County
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- A federal judge rejected the Justice Department's request for names of 2020 election workers in Fulton County, Georgia.
- The judge ruled the subpoena was "unreasonable" and overly broad, citing low need and high burden.
- The Justice Department sought the information as part of its investigation into the 2020 election, but the judge noted the statute of limitations had expired for potential crimes.
A federal judge has denied the U.S. Department of Justice's attempt to obtain the names and contact information of individuals who worked during the 2020 election in Georgia's Fulton County. U.S. District Judge William Ray ruled Tuesday that the grand jury subpoena issued in April was "unreasonable" and must be quashed.
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.
The Justice Department had sought the information, arguing it was a necessary step in its investigation. However, Fulton County contested the subpoena, labeling it an attempt to "target, harass and punish the President's perceived political opponents" and calling it "grossly over broad and untethered to any reasonable need." Judge Ray agreed, citing the "low need for the subpoenaed information and the highly burdensome nature of the disclosure."
Judge Ray, who was nominated to the bench by former President Donald Trump, noted that even if the information could support theories of an unfair election, it could not be used to charge anyone. He stated that the statute of limitations for any potential crimes related to the 2020 election has long expired.
That is because the statute of limitations for any possible crime arising from the 2020 Election has long expired.
This ruling comes after the FBI seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and documents from the Fulton County election hub in January. A previous federal judge's decision in May allowed the Justice Department to retain these seized ballots.
My point is, as we sit here now, we are not sure what charges can be brought. That's the whole point of the investigation.
Originally published by PBS NewsHour in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.