An Atlanta FBI chief questioned a 2020 election probe, and the consequences came quickly

The special agent in charge of the FBI’s Atlanta field office, Paul W. Brown, was reportedly removed from his post after questioning the Trump administration’s renewed interest in investigating the 2020 election results in Fulton County, Georgia. The development was reported by The Guardian, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Guardian said that Brown raised concerns about claims of voter fraud in Fulton County and declined to move forward with searches and seizures tied to the election. President Trump has continued to promote those claims since losing the 2020 race to Joe Biden, despite returning to office after winning the 2024 election. In recent related politics news, Trump claims his tax return lawsuit highlights ongoing legal battles involving the administration.

Brown’s removal reportedly occurred shortly before the Department of Justice executed a search warrant at the Fulton County elections office. Federal authorities seized roughly 700 boxes of records connected to the county’s 2020 election results, which had favored Biden.

The timing of the removal raised immediate political concerns

Democratic lawmakers quickly raised alarms about the circumstances surrounding the raid, particularly after national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard was seen at the elections office on the day records were seized. Her presence intensified concerns about potential political influence over the Justice Department’s actions. Meanwhile, Hakeem Jeffries ripped the DOJ as “illegitimate” in separate coverage of a high-profile press freedom incident.

The FBI did not publicly announce Brown’s removal, and no official explanation was immediately provided. Robb Pitts, chair of the Fulton County board of commissioners, criticized the raid, calling it unjustified and characterizing it as political retribution rather than a legitimate law enforcement action.

Despite the seizure of records, Pitts said the county had nothing to conceal. He stated that Fulton County’s elections were conducted lawfully and that the outcome of the 2020 presidential race would not change.

Election security experts have repeatedly said the 2020 election was among the most secure in U.S. history. Multiple legal challenges brought by Trump allies seeking to overturn the results were dismissed in court.

Trump has continued to claim the election was rigged, even after defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the campaign. No evidence supporting widespread fraud in Fulton County has been presented publicly.