Maricopa County's GOP recorder: There's 'no legitimate reason' for audit


Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer on Monday said he had no choice but to get vocal about his opposition to the audit of the 2.1 million ballots cast in his county during the November presidential election.
Arizona's GOP-led state Senate used subpoenas to get the ballots, voting machines, and personal information on voters, and hired a Florida-based cybersecurity firm called the Cyber Ninjas to run the audit. There is no "legitimate reason that would have prompted this audit," Richer, a Republican, told ABC News Live's The Breakdown. "It's happening, not because the evidence merits it. All the tests came back clean. The parties themselves oversaw the hand count auditing of 47,000 plus votes."
Cyber Ninjas has no experience with elections, and its CEO tweeted in support of former President Donald Trump's false claim that he really won Arizona, not President Biden. Richer said it was "frustrating" that "some professional, legitimate companies did make bids to the Arizona Senate to do this work and we would have welcomed that." The audit will cost taxpayers millions, as Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said the chain of custody was broken with the voting machines, and since elections officials don't know what Cyber Ninjas may have done to the machines, they can't be used in future elections.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Richer told The Breakdown he planned on remaining silent during the audit, but when an anonymous Twitter account falsely accused Maricopa County of deleting voter files — a claim that Trump was quick to amplify — it "crossed the line. I wanted to stay out of this, but when the good workers of Maricopa County — who are my friends, my teammates, my staff — are accused of unlawfully destroying evidence under my watch, then I had to say something." Maricopa County, he added, is now determining whether it can pursue charges of defamation.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The IDF's manpower problem
The Explainer Israeli military's shortage of up to 12,000 troops results in call-up for tens of thousands of reservists
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 – 22 August
Quiz Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
Can Soho House get its edge back?
Talking Point The private members' club has lost its exclusive appeal – but a £2 billion buy-out could offer a fresh start
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
US, China extend trade war truce for 90 days
Speed Read The triple-digit tariff threat is postponed for another three months
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Israeli security cabinet OKs Gaza City takeover
Speed Read Netanyahu approved a proposal for Israeli Defense Forces to take over the largest population center in the Gaza Strip
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza