Judge agrees to unseal 2020 ballots in Georgia county for audit

[Judi Lynn]

Source: The Hill

BY TAL AXELROD - 05/21/21 10:17 PM EDT

A Georgia judge on Friday agreed to unseal absentee ballots in Fulton County in a lawsuit alleging that thousands of counterfeit ballots were cast there.

Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero’s order forces Georgia’s largest county to allow a group of Georgia voters and their experts to inspect copies of 147,000 mail-in ballots cast in light of their evidence-challenged claims that the ballots were fraudulent.

Amero said details regarding specifics of the inspection would be forthcoming.

The order comes after Georgia ballots were audited on three separate occasions, all confirming President Biden’s victory in the Peach State in November and that no widespread fraud occurred.

Rob Pitts, the chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, panned the ruling as “outrageous” and said it perpetuated the lie touted by former President Trump and his allies that the White House election was stolen.

Read more: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/554875-judge-agrees-to-unseal-2020-ballots-in-georgia-county-for-audit

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[elleng]

1. 'Judge Brian Amero's order forces Georgia's largest county to allow a group of Georgia voters and

their experts to inspect copies of 147,000 mail-in ballots.'

[sheshe2]

4. Same "experts" that recounted AZ?

[highplainsdem]

2. It's outrageous that this is continuing. But at least this judge won't allow the plaintiffs

to take possession of the ballots and turn them over to a private company -- though they'd wanted to.

From the AJC article on this:

https://www.ajc.com/politics/georgia-headed-toward-another-presidential-election-audit/O6WU557RGZACJL3PUHVNKIP57M/

Initially, the plaintiffs sought to take possession of the absentee ballots and transport them to a private company for high-resolution scanning and inspection. Amero rejected that request.

On Friday, Amero made it clear the ballots must remain in the possession of county officials, citing federal and state law. But he left the details of the review to be sorted out in a future order. He said he wants to protect the integrity of the ballots and the anonymity of the voters who cast them.

Amero said he intends to order the absentee ballots to be scanned by county officials to produce high-resolution images. The plaintiffs want to examine those images to determine whether they are fraudulent. For example, the high-resolution images could be used to determine whether ballots were filled out by hand or mass produced by a copy machine, they say.

The plaintiffs will pay for the review.

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Hopefully the order will increase the money plaintiffs will pay

There is a train of thought that the best way to put this to bed is to give them room to count but bleed them financially. The light of sunshine will quell speculation fast.

[riversedge]

15. ' The plaintiffs will pay for the review.' I wonder who gave the $$ to these plaintiffs????

[RockRaven]

3. As with other "citizen" audits, these ballots will be forever spoiled and thus not only is the

amateur-hour audit worthless, no competent/professional audit will ever be able to be done in the future (even if one was to accept that further audits were needed or useful).

Edit: looks like from #2 that the ballots will be duplicated, and not leave government custody. So my comment may not apply here if that comes to fruition. But remains applicable in situations like AZ.

[questionseverything]

5. Making copies was the right call

[Mr.Bill]

23. The right call would be

if the judge said "The election is over and certified. You lost. Now get out out of my courtroom before I have you arrested for contempt."

[questionseverything]

24. Ballots are a matter of public record as are voting lists

Just because these people are being idiots doesn’t end the right of citizens to oversee elections

The important part is the ballots are not being compromised

[Kablooie]

6. I'll bet MAGAS are busy making thousands of fake ballots right now

To throw into the mix.

[LymphocyteLover]

12. I would not put ANYTHING past those crazy mofos

[PortTack]

7. But what proof did they provide?? Seriously

Somebody said so...therefore it is?

[NJCher]

8. This is effing b!§17

They should just say this is the province of government and that’s it.

These things accomplish nothing and will change nothing. In fact they can cost taxpayers money—look at the new machines required in AZ.

[Evolve Dammit]

10. Weren't there multiple audits already with oversight by the GOP Election head

Not good enough for Q and the Orange One. Another coup attempt is underway.

[LymphocyteLover]

11. Ugghh. Such fucking BULLSHIT!!!

[gab13by13]

13. I expected this will happen in states controlled by Republicans.

The DOJ needs to step in in Arizona or this will continue. There are clear violations in Arizona of federal election laws. Where is is the DOJ? I mean Arizona can't even use the same election equipment because chain of custody was violated.

Where is the DOJ? The 2020 election was certified, the time for objections has long passed, these judges allowing this must be Nazis?

[oldsoftie]

14. A trumper posted to me saying "nothing to see here, right?"

And I answered, "You're absolutely right. And i'll laugh just like i have the other 478 times you've said that and nothing came of it"

[riversedge]

16. the ghosts of Arizona visiting Georgia. damn.

[niyad]

17. Who appointed this judge?

[OneCrazyDiamond]

19. Voters.

He's elected.

[niyad]

20. Thank you.

[DownriverDem]

18. All part of the repub plan

They will go state by state to continue causing doubt. I abhor repubs. Focus on GOTV for the Midterms of 2022. History is not on our side when it comes to Midterms.

[BlueIdaho]

21. We need to start a "Hands Off My Ballot" movement.

As a voter I object to the cavalier attitude the GQP has towards the sanctity of MY ballot. The state has counted and re-counted MY ballot and the election is over. These hacks have no legal right and need to keep their partisan hands off MY ballot.

[Traildogbob]

22. Send in

Dem auditors to South Carolina and Kentucky ASAP
Use every technique that has been allowed by judges in Arizona. Do it now. Also take a look at Susan Collins. Let George Soros fund it just to own the MAGA’s McTurtle had 15 percent approval, yet won large! Pootie Poot pumps him cash to help destroy democracy.
He is their best investment. Much more power than Trump.
Fire with fire🔥🔥🔥🐢🐘🐘🐘🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[C Moon]

25. I saw this coming.

[ancianita]

26. Rob Pitts and the Fulton County Board of Commissioners have good evidence to appeal this ruling.