Reuters: Georgia Republicans pass bill empowering law enforcement to investigate elections

April 5 (Reuters) – Georgia’s legislature approved a bill expanding law enforcement’s power to investigate election fraud over the objections of voting rights groups, adding to a wave of Republican-backed legislation passed after former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

The legislation passed late Monday would give the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the state’s top investigative agency, the authority to initiate probes of election crimes. Under current law, the secretary of state’s office looks into allegations of irregularities and can ask the GBI for assistance as needed. …

Voting rights groups and Democrats have pointed out that election fraud is extremely rare in the United States and argued that greater law enforcement involvement in elections could intimidate voters, particularly those of color.

The proposed state budget includes approximately $580,000 to fund four election investigators at the GBI.

“This year’s rushed process looks likely to cost Georgia taxpayers $580,000 a year – which will be spent chasing conspiracy theories,” Aunna Dennis, the executive director of Common Cause Georgia, a good government group, said in a statement.