Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fulton Subpoena topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State Election Board ratifies spoliation letters, subpoenas former staffer as Fulton County seizure looms
Summary
At its Feb. 18–19 meeting the Georgia State Election Board ratified preservation (spoliation) letters related to the FBI seizure of Fulton County 2020 election materials, voted to subpoena former SEB staffer Alexandra Harden for her phone and records, and reiterated their continuing subpoenas for Fulton documents.
The Georgia State Election Board on Feb. 18–19 ratified spoliation letters to preserve any subpoenaed 2020 election documents and ballots that are returned from the FBI and voted to subpoena former board staffer Alexandra Harden to produce her government-issued cell phone, records, and text messages.
The board opened the meeting by taking up old business tied to the FBI search and seizure of 2020 Fulton County materials. Member King said the board had issued subpoenas for the same records and urged the board to seek transparency: “We are here because the public asked…we now know there were ballots that were double counted and tabulated,” she said, listing differences between machine audits, hand counts, and the certified totals.
Board members described a long-running pattern of delayed or withheld documents. Dr. Johnson told the board that state and federal law require preservation of election records and said intentional destruction would be a felony; she described two sets of subpoenas the board had served and the board’s difficulty obtaining records from Fulton County.
After discussion the board voted to ratify the spoliation letters directing Fulton County and other custodians to preserve subpoenaed materials. Dr. Johnson moved the ratification; the chair announced the motion carried 3–0.
Separately, members raised concerns that former SEB staffer Alexandra Harden’s government-issued device had been wiped when returned to the Secretary of State’s office. Member Grubs moved to subpoena Ms. Harden to appear at the next meeting and to produce the phone, call and text logs, and related messages used while she served on the board. The motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote (reported 3–0).
The board did not issue direct findings about the FBI action itself but emphasized that its subpoenas remain active and that it will preserve any evidence that returns to the board’s custody. Director James Mills said staff will follow up on the subpoenas and preservation steps and will report back to the board.
What happens next: the board will issue the subpoena to Ms. Harden and await her response; staff will track any materials returned from federal custody and preserve them under the spoliation letters. The board also asked staff to continue coordinating with the secretary of state’s office and legal counsel about access to records and evidence.
