A federal judge ruled on July 7, 2026, that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot obtain the names and personal contact information of individuals who worked during the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia. The ruling came in response to a grand jury subpoena issued by the DOJ in April, which sought information on county employees and volunteer poll workers. Fulton County argued that the subpoena was overly broad and intended to target political opponents of former President Donald Trump, who has claimed without evidence that voter fraud occurred in the county during the election.
U.S. District Judge William Ray stated that the subpoena was unreasonable due to the low need for the requested information and the burdensome nature of its disclosure. He emphasized that the statute of limitations for any potential crimes related to the 2020 election had expired, making the information sought by the DOJ irrelevant for criminal charges. The judge noted that while grand juries assist in federal investigations, they cannot be used to gather information without a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
The DOJ argued that the subpoena was a standard part of the investigative process aimed at identifying individuals with relevant knowledge. However, the judge maintained that the grand jury's power should not be misused to collect personal information without a valid reason. The ruling highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the investigation into the 2020 election and the implications for election workers' privacy.