Arizona Update: Court Orders Senate to Immediately Release Audit Records
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Breaking news today from Arizona and our investigation into the ongoing sham “audit” of the 2020 election: The court has once again ruled in our favor. On Tuesday morning, the judge ordered the Arizona Senate to “immediately” provide American Oversight access to records related to the partisan review of ballots cast in Maricopa County.
This is the second big victory for American Oversight in the past month in our fight to uncover the facts about the Arizona “audit.” In mid-July, the court rejected the Arizona Senate’s argument that audit records held by the contractor Cyber Ninjas should be exempt from public scrutiny. The Senate still refused to release the records, so today, the court ruled again and ordered the Senate to comply with the law.
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“The state Senate’s insistence on shrouding their audit in secrecy is wrong and, as the court has now held twice, illegal,” said our executive director, Austin Evers, in a statement after the ruling. “The law does not allow them to outsource democracy to partisan operatives with impunity. We look forward to the Senate’s prompt compliance with the court order but stand ready to fight on if they continue to flout the law.”
In today’s ruling, the court wrote that Arizona Senate President Karen Fann “has the authority, and statutory obligation” under the state’s public records law to compel Cyber Ninjas and its subcontractors to “produce all internal emails and correspondence” sought by American Oversight, adding: “Willful blindness does not relieve Senate Defendants from their duties and obligations” under the law.
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The Arizona “audit” is part of a broader effort by allies of former President Donald Trump to perpetuate the “big lie” of a stolen election and to undermine public confidence in our democracy. Last week, we released an initial report on the problems we’ve already uncovered in Arizona. We’re also investigating similar efforts in other states, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Georgia — and we’re committed to uncovering the facts about these sham investigations and the groups behind them.
Can you consider a $25 gift to support our ongoing investigation into Arizona's audit? You can follow the investigation in Arizona here — and you can help by spreading the word on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Thank you for your supporting American Oversight and for helping us to hold government accountable.
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