Atlanta FBI Chief Removed After Refusing To Carry Out Controversial Fulton County Probe; Raid Follows

Paul Brown, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Atlanta, was removed from his post earlier this month after objecting to a renewed Justice Department effort to investigate Fulton County’s 2020 election and declining to carry out related searches and seizures, multiple outlets report.

The removal preceded a dramatic escalation: FBI agents recently executed a search warrant at the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operations Center and removed roughly 700 boxes of records tied to the 2020 contest — an election that has previously been audited, recounted and upheld in court.

Unusual Presence Raises Questions

The raid drew added attention because Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was reportedly present on site — an uncommon appearance for the nation’s top intelligence official at a domestic FBI operation. Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called Gabbard’s presence “highly uncommon” and said the event should concern Americans.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard enters the Fulton County Election HUB as the FBI takes Fulton County 2020 Election ballots. / AP

“What the heck is she doing [with] the FBI serving a domestic warrant?” Warner asked, calling the development alarming.

An ODNI spokesperson defended Gabbard’s involvement, saying she acted under President Trump’s directive to protect election security and to address longstanding concerns about vulnerabilities in electronic voting systems.

Legal and Political Scrutiny

Questions have been raised about the legal basis and political motivations behind the inquiry. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the search warrant was obtained by a U.S. attorney from Missouri rather than a Georgia prosecutor, and sources told MS NOW that Brown had voiced objections to both the scope of the investigation and what he perceived as its political orientation.

Critics point to the influence of Trump allies inside the Justice Department and law enforcement. The episode has sharpened scrutiny of Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist who sources say is directing or shaping the bureau’s approach to reopening disputes related to the 2020 election. Although Patel has not been publicly tied to the Fulton County warrant, critics say the raid reflects tactics he has advocated: sidelining internal dissent and pursuing probes aligned with Trump’s grievances.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Local Reaction And Broader Implications

Local officials blasted the move. Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts called the investigation an act of intimidation and said earlier reviews had already shown the county’s elections to be fair and lawful.

At a news conference, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche reiterated that election integrity is important to the administration but declined to explain why federal authorities were seeking records from an election held more than four years ago. Observers noted that many federal election-related offenses carry statutes of limitations in the neighborhood of five years, raising questions about timing.

The consequences could extend beyond this single probe. Recent changes to Georgia election law give the Republican-controlled State Election Board expanded authority to suspend and replace county election officials following audits or investigations — a power that could shape who oversees elections heading into the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race.

The FBI declined to comment on personnel matters. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.