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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
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.
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published