The president of the Arizona Senate sent a letter to the Maricopa Board of Supervisors this week demanding answers to “serious issues” that have arisen during the Republican audit of the 2020 election.
The four-page letter by Karen Fann, the president of the Arizona Senate, tells board Chairman Jack Sellers that attorneys for the county won’t hand over internet routers for inspection during the Senate’s audit, which were used during the general election.
The county has also refused to provide passwords that are needed to enter vote tabulation devices, according to the letter. The Senate’s contractors also have raised issues about “apparent omissions, inconsistencies, and anomalies relating to Maricopa County’s handling, organization, and storage of ballots.”
Lastly, Ms. Fann’s letter notes they have discovered one database directory from a machine had been deleted, removing election-related details.
“This suggests that the main database for all election related data for the November 2020 Genera Election has been removed,” said the letter, dated Wednesday.
Fields Moseley, communications director for Maricopa County, said the board was to meet late Thursday afternoon with counsel to discuss its next steps.
“Much of the letter is a misunderstanding of election operations,” he said.
Ms. Fann told The Washington Times that her letter merely raises questions the Senate has discovered during its audit.
“This letter is not accusing anyone of wrongdoing. We are merely seeking answers to continue the audit properly,” she said.
The audit, launched by the Republican-majority legislature, began last month. Roughly 250,000 ballots out of 2.1 million have been processed.
Democrats have blasted the audit as a partisan effort and an assault on democracy. They have raised questions about the contractor chosen to do the audit and who will be responsible for the cost of the efforts.
The recount has drawn media attention with colorful headlines about election conspiracy theories.
It comes after the state’s Republican governor certified the 2020 election results in November, when Mr. Biden won the state by 10,500 votes.
Critics say the audit revives former President Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of a stolen election.
But the former president has been praising the recount, and on Thursday he said Ms. Fann’s letter was “devastating.”
“The Fake News and Lamestream Media is doing everything they can not to cover this major story. They just refuse to talk or report about it. They don’t want the United States or World to see what is going on with our corrupt, third world election,” Mr. Trump said.
Ms. Fann requested the Board of Supervisors answer the questions at a public hearing on May 18.
• Seth McLaughlin contributed to this report.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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