Maricopa County election audit continues after Democrats balk at $1 million requirement to pause
The Arizona Democratic Party did not post the $1 million bond to protect the audit team from financial losses.Author: 12 News, Brahm Resnik
Published: 12:19 PM MST April 23, 2021
Updated: 3:07 PM MST April 23, 2021
PHOENIX — A major political dispute over the results of last year's presidential election in Maricopa County is developing, but, for now, the audit sponsored by the Arizona State Senate Republicans will continue.
A Maricopa County judge ordered a pause after state Democrats filed a lawsuit to block the audit.
The pause would have been from 5 p.m. Friday until noon Monday, but the Arizona Democratic Party will not post the $1 million bond as requested by the judge.
In a statement, party officials said in part "the fact of the matter is that no one knows the actual cost of this sham audit and President Fann and the Cyber Ninjas have not once made this figure public."
Maricopa County delivered the first shipment of ballot-counting machines Wednesday for Arizona Senate Republicans’ audit, but only after the Senate agreed to shield the county from any legal or financial liability connected to the audit, according to documents obtained by 12 News.
One particular focus of concern for the county: The work of audit leader Cyber Ninjas, whose owner has promoted false claims about the 2020 election. Some of those claims have targeted the owner of the county's ballot-counting machines.
The multimillion-dollar machines were loaded onto three trucks at the county’s election headquarters Wednesday morning.
They were then driven in a convoy for three miles to Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the State Fairgrounds, with undercover sheriff’s deputies providing security along the route.
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https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/maricopa-county-judge-orders-pause-on-2020-election-audit-after-democrats-file-lawsuit/75-370d08a4-19bb-4f7a-938b-0260dfd52c96https://azaudit.org/