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Lawmakers battle over election raid
Election integrity is taking center stage at the Georgia Capitol, as controversy continues over last week's FBI raid in Fulton County.
ATLANTA - Georgia's elections are back in the spotlight following Wednesday's FBI raid at the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operations Center in Union City.
What we know:
Fulton officials are defending their operations while state lawmakers clash over what the federal scrutiny means. and what changes are needed.
Democratic state Rep. Tanya Miller (D-Atlanta) condemned the raid. "Why the government took the extraordinary, the extraordinary action of getting a search warrant and coming to the election hub, and essentially treating it like a trap house, that in my opinion is extraordinary, is extraordinary."
FOX 5 spoke one-on-one with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R-GA) about the raid.
"You have as much information as we do currently, because the warrant was sealed; no information was provided to us, to Fulton County, or to you, so we will just have to wait and see," Raffensperger explained.
Raffensperger, the GA Senate, and the DOJ:
Republican state Senator Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) sponsored a resolution Monday, urging Raffensperger to comply with a Department of Justice request to turn over Georgia's voter registration list.
"All I'm asking him to do is sit down with them," Robertson said. "Fully cooperate. "
The measure passed along party lines Monday, with Democrats voting against it.
"We are already in a place where people in Georgia have a lot of questions about the safety and security of our elections. If we hand over additional data, people will only get more fearful," said Democratic state Senator Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain).
The Secretary of State has pushed back on the DOJ's request, insisting his office has provided all the information required by law.
DOJ officials have filed suit against the Secretary of State seeking a full, unredacted list of Georgia voters.
Raffensperger warns that honoring the resolution would be a clear violation of state law.
"If the general assembly wants to do that, I don't think they would have the support of the voters," said Raffensperger. "But if they want to do that, that's on them. But to ask us to violate state law on a resolution, I don't think that is appropriate. Also, I will not violate state law."
What's next:
The Senate resolution is not legally binding, so while Senate Republicans are urging Sec. Raffensperger to work with the DOJ, they cannot compel him to do so under the measure.
RELATED:
- State Democrats file motion related to FBI raid of Fulton election office
- Fulton County pushes back on FBI raid, sealed warrant released
- Fulton County leaders react to FBI raid at election center near Atlanta
- Legal questions surround FBI search of Fulton election office
The Source: This is a FOX 5 original report where Reporter Deirdra Dukes spoke with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and other lawmakers.