Challenger accuses Raffensperger of covering up election interference

Aug. 31—ATLANTA — Following reports of potential election interference in Coffee County, Democratic nominee for Secretary of State Bee Nguyen released the following statement:

"Any threat to our democracy must be taken seriously and investigated with the utmost priority, and it is unacceptable that Brad Raffensperger and the Secretary of State's office have not been transparent with the public. Nearly 20 months have passed since credible allegations of election interference in Coffee County. I am deeply concerned that bad actors were given access to confidential election data and what that means for Georgia's election security. Georgians can trust that as Secretary of State, I will work steadfastly to safeguard our free and fair elections by swiftly investigating any vulnerabilities in our system, holding bad actors accountable, and upholding free and fair elections."

Nguyen's comments came after a team of computer experts directed by lawyers allied with then-President Trump were found to have copied sensitive data from election systems in Georgia as part of a secretive, multistate effort to access voting equipment that was broader, more organized and more successful than previously reported.

In rural south Georgia's Coffee County, where election officials let outsiders copy confidential voting data, legislators haven't called for the kind of state takeover or performance review that they supported in the state's voting law. Indications of a breach there were first raised by plaintiffs in the case in February.

Until now, it was unclear whether those involved in the Coffee County effort successfully obtained data from voting machines. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office said in April that it was investigating the possibility of a breach but had found no evidence it had occurred.

The plaintiffs in Georgia have accused Raffensperger of failing to adequately examine the allegations, alleging in a court filing that his office tried to "avoid revealing that this extraordinary breach occurred."