News Organizations Seek to Unseal Filings in DOJ Georgia Election Probe

A group of news organizations, including NBC News, filed a motion on May 18, 2026, to unseal filings and subpoenas in the Department of Justice investigation of the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. In January, the FBI seized ballots and other materials from an elections hub in the county.

Last month, the DOJ sought to compel the county to provide names, home addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of workers and volunteers who served during that election. County officials refused to comply. They described the request as an effort to target and harass perceived political opponents and noted that the statute of limitations for any 2020 election crimes has expired.

The news organizations stated that Fulton County's public response to the subpoena eliminated any need for continued secrecy. An attorney for the media groups wrote that the county disclosed the subpoena's existence, publicized its motion to quash it, and filed that motion on the public docket.

Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts welcomed the media coalition's involvement. He said the county supports greater transparency and accountability in the matter. Pitts added that the DOJ's demand for personal information of election workers raises serious public-interest concerns.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An affidavit used to support the January search warrant was unsealed earlier this year. It indicated the probe was based on research by activists who questioned the integrity of the 2020 election. Elections expert Ryan Macias testified before a federal judge that the FBI's evidence does not make sense.

He stated there was missing information and that the information relied upon does not reflect what actually happened.