Conservative group admits lack of evidence for claims of Georgia ballot stuffing

True the Vote, a conservative group, has informed a Georgia judge that it lacks evidence to support its allegations of illegal ballot stuffing during the 2020 general election and a runoff two months later.

The Texas-based organization filed complaints with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in 2021, asserting it had detailed accounts of coordinated efforts to collect and deposit ballots in drop boxes across metro Atlanta. However, in response to a Fulton County Superior Court judge's order to provide evidence, True the Vote's attorneys admitted they have no names or documentary evidence to share.

Criticism and debunking

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's spokesman, Mike Hassinger, criticized True the Vote, stating, "Once again, True the Vote has proven itself untrustworthy and unable to provide a shred of evidence for a single one of their fairy-tale allegations." The group's fabricated claims of ballot harvesting have been repeatedly debunked, similar to the lies about Georgia's 2020 election.

True the Vote's assertions were heavily relied upon for "2000 Mules," a debunked film by conservative pundit and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza. A State Election Board investigation found that surveillance camera footage, which the film claimed showed ballot stuffing, actually depicted people submitting ballots for themselves and family members residing with them, permitted under Georgia law.

Failed investigations and legal action

The election board subpoenaed True the Vote to provide evidence to assist in investigating the group's ballot trafficking allegations. However, the group's attorneys revealed their failure to find any evidence despite making every reasonable effort to locate responsive items.

Before the State Election Board's investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation probed True the Vote's assertion that it used surveillance video and geospatial mobile device information to support its allegations. In a September 2021 letter, then GBI director Vic Reynolds stated that the evidence produced did not prove ballot harvesting.

Legal complications

True the Vote attempted to withdraw its complaint as the State Election Board opened its own investigation after receiving the allegations. However, when pressed to provide names of sources and other documentation, the group tried to withdraw its complaint. The State Election Board refused to shelve the complaint and sought legal action to force True the Vote to turn over information.

The judge ordered True the Vote to provide copies of any confidentiality agreements it had with sources, to which the group's attorneys replied: "TTV has no such documents in its possession, custody, or control."