FBI agents fear being ordered to seize ballots or voting machines, report says

Some FBI agents worry they could be ordered to seize voting machines or ballots after the Nov. 3 midterms, according to an MS NOW report citing people with knowledge of internal discussions.

Some FBI agents fear they could be ordered to seize voting machines or ballots, or to take other steps that disrupt election results after the Nov. 3 midterms, MS NOW reported, citing seven people with knowledge of internal FBI discussions and two former law enforcement officials.

The concern, according to the report, is that the Justice Department could obtain warrants based on thin fraud allegations. The FBI seized ballots in Fulton County, Georgia, in January and obtained voting records and equipment in Maricopa County, Arizona, in March; neither action has led to criminal charges.

An 'I Voted Early' sticker (archive)

"I'm worried about that situation for sure," one current FBI official told the outlet. Rob D'Amico, a former supervisory FBI agent, said he and others "are worried that the FBI will be the administration's arm into seizing voting machines."

Attorney General Todd Blanche has said he has no intention to "improperly interfere with elections," while FBI Director Kash Patel told senators in September, "I don't know that we can't legally do it," when asked about deploying agents to polling places. Federal law bars armed federal agents at polling places except in extreme circumstances.

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