Why did the FBI seize 2020 ballots in Georgia?

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FBI Seized Georgia Ballots as Part of Criminal Probe Initiated by Trump Advisor

The FBI's seizure of 2020 ballots in Georgia was initiated as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of electoral impropriety and whether these improprieties violated federal criminal laws. This probe originated from a referral made by Kurt Olsen, who served as an advisor to then-US President Donald Trump and held the title of Director of Election Security and Integrity. FBI agents subsequently raided election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, confiscating hundreds of boxes containing ballots and related materials from the 2020 election.
Criminal Probe into Electoral Impropriety

The affidavit supporting the search warrant revealed that the FBI's investigation was focused on allegations of "electoral impropriety" during the 2020 election. A key objective of this probe was to determine if any such improprieties constituted intentional acts that violated federal criminal statutes. This investigation was formally launched following a referral from Kurt Olsen, a figure associated with President Trump's efforts to challenge the election results.
Referral from Trump Advisor Kurt Olsen

Kurt Olsen, who was an advisor to President Trump and held the position of Director of Election Security and Integrity, initiated the FBI's criminal investigation. Olsen was part of Trump’s legal team in 2020, which filed numerous lawsuits contesting the election outcomes, though many of these were dismissed by courts. The affidavit explicitly stated that the FBI's criminal investigation originated from a referral sent by Olsen, underscoring his role in triggering the federal inquiry into the Georgia election materials.
Affidavit Cited Previously Made Claims

The affidavit utilized to justify the FBI's seizure of ballots referenced several claims regarding the 2020 vote in Fulton County that had been previously aired. It is noted within the affidavit that some of these aired claims have since been demonstrated to be false. These previously reported allegations formed part of the basis for the FBI's justification for seeking and executing the search warrant to obtain the election materials.
Fulton County Targeted Amidst Election Challenges

Fulton County, which encompasses Atlanta, was the location of the FBI raid on election offices. The county's chairman, Rob Pitts, stated that the county was targeted because officials there had "stood up to Donald Trump’s big lie," referring to Trump's persistent false claims about the 2020 election results. Trump narrowly lost to Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020, and he later faced charges in Georgia related to alleged efforts to subvert the election outcome.

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Why did the FBI seize 2020 ballots in Georgia?

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