Democratic lawmakers have expressed alarm after Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence, was seen at an FBI raid on a Fulton County elections office in Georgia. The raid, which took place on Wednesday, involved the seizure of documents related to the 2020 election, including ballots, tabulator tapes, ballot images and voter rolls.
Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia said his constituents were “quite reasonably alarmed” by Gabbard’s presence. “I encourage all of us on a bipartisan basis to pursue the facts as quickly as possible to understand whether the office of the director of national intelligence is straying far outside of its lane,” he said.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia described Gabbard as “totally unqualified” for her role, suggesting her presence indicated either a failure to inform Congress of a legitimate foreign intelligence concern or a “domestic political stunt” to legitimise conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas called for an investigation by the House intelligence committee.
An unnamed senior administration official told CNN that Gabbard’s role in election security justified her presence, citing foreign threats to election integrity. However, Gabbard has not personally explained her reasons for attending the operation, and reports suggest she is compiling research on the 2020 election for the White House, an activity outside her normal remit.
Democratic lawmakers in Georgia have condemned the raid, with Representative Nikema Williams saying it “serves to intimidate Fulton county voters and election officials”. Gabbard’s staff initially indicated she would make a statement on Wednesday evening but did not do so.
