Judge Finds Arizona Senate Subpoenas Of Maricopa County Elections Machines Legal And Enforceable

election office
Maricopa County has been at the center of controversy in the General Election. [Photo courtesy Maricopa County Elections Department]

PHOENIX – A Maricopa County Superior Court judge has found subpoenas of Maricopa County elections equipment and other materials related to the 2020 General Election are legal and enforceable.

“We will move forward and do a forensic audit of the Maricopa County election,” said Sen. Judiciary Committee Chair Warren Petersen. “The County has run out of excuses to obstruct. It’s time for them to hand over the machines and ballots. Hopefully they have not destroyed any evidence. It’s time for us to put to this to bed once and for all whether there was fraud or not.”

“County said they needed a court order to comply with the subpoena. They got it. If they appeal the ruling they show the world they are pathological liars,” tweeted Petersen.

“I’m grateful the Court has affirmed the broad authority of the Arizona Legislature to issue and enforce subpoenas and particularly in the exercise of its constitutional plenary authority over elections,” said former Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Eddie Farnsworth (ret). “It is unfortunate that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors’ incessant delaying tactics and smoke and mirrors audit in contempt of the legislature’s legal authority has cost Arizona citizens so much time, money, and trust. Hopefully, the Senate, through a true forensic audit, can restore some confidence in the election system.”

“We are pleased that the Court ruled that the legislature’s subpoena is enforceable and doubly pleased that the Court considered the arguments of Republican Party officials that the County should not be able to argue in some cases that ballots contain no personally identifiable information and then claim to be protecting the secret ballot as an excuse to defy a legislative subpoena,” said Alex Kolodin, General Counsel for the AZGOP. “That being said, the Court’s ruling makes it clear that though the subpoenas are legal and enforceable it is still up to the legislature to enforce them. Now is the time for citizens to redouble their pressure for enforcement because the County cannot be counted on to stop breaking the law merely because a court has ruled their conduct illegal.”

“The people have demanded transparency and I am glad they will finally get it,” said Sen. Kelly Townsend. “Just as you cannot tell the IRS that you will choose your own auditor and what will be audited, the County Supervisors should never have been allowed to just audit themselves and expect everyone to accept their results. Let’s move forward and do this the right way.”

UPDATE:

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