FBI Raids Ohio Voter Registration Group’s Office
FBI agents searched the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative on Thursday as part of a federal investigation into the organization’s voter registration activities, according to multiple sources.
The search is part of a broader Justice Department focus on potential election-related violations.
Search and Investigation Details
Agents executed a search warrant at the organization’s Cleveland office, seizing computers and phones, according to board member Prentiss Haney. Additionally, FBI personnel visited the homes of affiliated individuals for interviews.
The FBI Cleveland Field Office confirmed law enforcement activity at the location but did not provide further comment. A Justice Department official stated that search warrants are authorized by a judge.
The specific allegations under investigation have not been publicly detailed. The search follows a directive from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche instructing prosecutors to prioritize voter fraud cases.
Statements from Involved Parties
Prentiss Haney, a board member and former director of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, characterized the search as an attempt by the administration to "drum up stories around fraud." The Justice Department official described such characterizations by organizations or media as unfounded speculation.
"This is an attempt to intimidate democracy workers." — Michael Waldman, Brennan Center for Justice
Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) stated she contacted the FBI for information and expressed concern that the search was an effort to use federal law enforcement to intimidate and halt voter registration efforts. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) called the reports deeply disturbing. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb (D) called for disclosure of the basis for the raid.
Background and Related Information
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative was founded in 2007 and works to organize Ohioans around issues of racial, social, and economic justice. In 2017, a paid canvasser for the organization pleaded guilty in a fraudulent voter registration scheme.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose last year referred hundreds of cases to the Justice Department, citing over 1,000 noncitizens appearing to register to vote and 167 casting ballots across four federal elections since 2018. It is unclear if the Thursday search is connected to those referrals. Federal investigators have also collected voter records in at least six Ohio counties.
Broader Context
The search is among several federal actions related to election investigations. In February, the FBI searched a Georgia elections hub related to the 2020 presidential election. California prosecutors are investigating claims of voter fraud in the Los Angeles mayor’s race.