A quiet battle over the integrity of the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia, has escalated into a full-blown legal confrontation. It began with a simple request: access to election records. The Department of Justice, through its Civil Rights Division, sought a review of those records, preserved due to ongoing legal challenges.
But the path to transparency wasn’t straightforward. Sheri Allen, chair of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, took a controversial step – hiring outside counsel without a board vote. This firm then responded to the DOJ, asserting the records weren’t subject to federal law and, crucially, weren’t even in the Board’s possession.
The chosen counsel held a significant connection: it was the former law firm of Charlene McGowan, the General Counsel for Georgia’s Secretary of State. This raised immediate questions about impartiality and the motivations behind the response, fueling suspicions of obstruction.
The situation reached a breaking point when the Fulton County Clerk of Courts, Che Alexander, refused to comply with a “written demand” from the DOJ for specific election records. This demand stemmed from a federal law designed to protect voting rights, specifically Title III of the Civil Rights Act.
Now, the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Alexander, seeking a court order to compel the release of the contested records within five days. The legal action underscores the seriousness of the situation and the DOJ’s determination to investigate potential irregularities.
Leading the charge for the DOJ are Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General, and Eric Neff, Acting Chief of the Voting Section. Neff’s past as a Deputy District Attorney in Los Angeles County, where he faced administrative leave during a controversial case dismissal, adds another layer of intrigue to the proceedings.
The DOJ’s complaint highlights a prior call for assistance from the Georgia State Election Board, which, on July 30th, formally requested the Attorney General’s intervention to ensure voting transparency. This request centered on a subpoena issued on October 6th, demanding all used and void ballots, ballot stubs, signature envelopes, and their digital counterparts from the 2020 General Election.
The requested materials aren’t random. They represent the core evidence needed to verify the accuracy and legitimacy of the election results. The Department of Justice believes access to these records is vital to upholding the fundamental right to vote and ensuring public confidence in the electoral process.
The legal battle unfolding in Fulton County is more than just a dispute over documents; it’s a test of accountability and a crucial step in addressing lingering questions surrounding the 2020 election. The outcome will likely have far-reaching implications for election integrity and public trust in the democratic process.
