FBI Raid on Georgia Election Offices Ordered by Trump Administration Official, Affidavit Discloses
A newly disclosed FBI affidavit has revealed that the search of election offices in Fulton County, Georgia, which resulted in the seizure of ballots from the 2020 presidential election, was ordered by Kurt Olsen. Olsen previously assisted President Donald Trump in challenging his election loss and is now employed within the Trump administration.
Details of the January Raid and Investigation Authorization
The affidavit, made public on Tuesday, provided the basis for a judge to authorize the raid conducted on January 28. The FBI operation aimed to investigate allegations that election officials in Fulton County may have illegally altered or tampered with the 2020 election results in a manner that could have affected the outcome, potentially costing Trump the election.
On Election Day in 2020, Trump immediately asserted that fraud led to his defeat by Democrat Joe Biden, a claim that has been thoroughly disproven through multiple investigations and recounts. Despite this, Trump launched an extensive public and legal campaign to overturn the results, with significant focus on Georgia. In that state, he pressured Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find 11,780 votes," the precise number needed to surpass Biden. Raffensperger refused, and no evidence of fraud was found in Georgia or elsewhere.
Olsen's Role and Connection to Election Denial Movement
Kurt Olsen, a prominent advocate of Trump's election falsehoods, now appears to be directing efforts from within the federal government. According to the affidavit, he serves as the "Presidentially appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity." Reports indicate that Olsen has access to intelligence from U.S. services to support the debunked theory of election fraud.
Following Trump's 2020 loss, Olsen became a central figure in the election denial community. He advised Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on a failed lawsuit challenging the election, collaborated with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to promote fraud claims, and represented GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake in 2022 when she contested her loss based on similar false allegations. A court sanctioned Olsen for making "false factual statements to the Court" in the Lake lawsuit.
Broader Implications and Other Figures Involved
The affidavit underscores how the FBI raid on Fulton County election offices is rooted in Trump's disproven election fraud theories. It references two reports linked to election denialist Kevin Moncla, who is reportedly at the investigation's core. One report was a 2022 complaint to the Georgia State Election Board, and the other was published in January by the Election Oversight Group.
Olsen is not the only election denier cited in the affidavit who works in the Trump administration. Clay Parikh, who served as a star witness in Lake's election fraud case and is also associated with Lindell, is noted as "a Special Government Employee, a temporary officer or employee in the U.S. Executive Branch appointed to work for up to 130 days." Parikh has expressed support for QAnon conspiracy theories and reviewed Fulton County ballot tabulator tapes, concluding they were compromised.
This development occurs as Trump, back in office, pursues actions against those he perceives as enemies, including individuals he believes stole the 2020 election. Fulton County remains a primary target, despite Georgia conducting multiple recounts and audits that found no fraud evidence.
