A new set of players want to be involved in Maricopa County’s lawsuit concerning two legislative subpoenas issued last week related allegations of fraud in the 2020 General Election, but the county is opposing the effort.
On Monday, 14 Republicans filed a motion to intervene the lawsuit initiated last week by Maricopa County in response to demands by several state senators that county officials make available nearly every voter record, ballot, and piece of voting equipment connected to the recent election.
“Intervenors have several interests relating to the subject of the action and disposition of the action may impair or impede their ability to protect those interests,” the motion states. “Intervenors’ independent interests will not be fully and adequately represented by either the Plaintiffs or the Defendants in this action.”
The 14 proposed intervenors include the 11 Republican presidential electors who were selected to cast Arizona’s electoral votes for President Donald Trump had he received the most votes. Maricopa County officials, however, have already announced they plan to oppose intervention, according to the intervenors’ motion.
The BOS has not requested an expedited hearing. Apparently they are planning to drag this out for a while. We will be filing a response.
— Eddie Farnsworth (@FarnsworthEddie) December 21, 2020
“Plaintiffs’ Complaint recognizes that the Republican Electors have an obvious interest in any investigation into whether they were improperly deprived of recognition as Arizona’s true electors,” the motion states. “The only way the Republican Electors can protect this interest is by helping to ensure that the state legislature gets all of the information it needs to conduct a full and thorough investigation.”
The dispute stems from two subpoenas signed by Senate President Karen Fann and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Eddie Farnsworth, both Republicans. Maricopa County’s Republican-controlled Board of Supervisors and its Republican county attorney failed to meet the subpoenas’ deadline.
“The Board believes the scope of the subpoenas presents multiple legal concerns that necessitate a court ruling,” according to county statement, while an attorney for Maricopa County noted there were “many areas of disagreement with respect to these subpoenas,” which he characterized as “extraordinarily broad and improper.”