Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is trying to stop the 2020 election audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, according to a report from the Washington Post.
In a letter to the president of the Arizona State Senate, Pamela S. Karlan, the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, suggested that the recount is illegal.
“We have a concern that Maricopa County election records, which are required by federal law to be retained and preserved, are no longer under the ultimate control of elections officials, are not being adequately safeguarded by contractors, and are at risk of damage or loss,” Karlan wrote.
The Maricopa County Audit’s official Twitter account called the claims baseless.
AZ @SecretaryHobbs continues to make baseless claimes about this forensic audit but has never led an election audit in her entire career. The audit continues!
— Maricopa Arizona Audit (@ArizonaAudit) May 5, 2021
Karlan also asked whether a plan by the private contractor hired to run the audit to interview voters to verify whether they cast ballots in the election as indicated by county records could “violate” federal laws prohibiting voter intimidation.
Arizona Senate’s liaison for the audit, former Republican Secretary of State Ken Bennett, disputes the need for federal involvement and says that Cyber Ninjas, the Florida-based private contractor hired to lead the audit, hasn’t started interviewing voters but said the company has pledged to do nothing that would constitute intimidation.
“This is a matter between the Arizona Senate and Maricopa County,” Bennett said. “We don’t see any grounds for anyone else to intervene.”
The Audit’s Twitter account tweeted late Wednesday, “Arizona has the authority to conduct this audit without interference from the Feds!”
Democrat SoS @katiehobbs who does not support election audits or transparency now wants the Federal Government to get involved in the Arizona Senate forensic audit. Arizona has the authority to conduct this audit without interference from the Feds!
— Maricopa Arizona Audit (@ArizonaAudit) May 6, 2021
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