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County won’t comply with senate subpoena over audit, senate president considering next steps

Election audit maricopa county
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PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and Dominion Voting Systems will not hand over any new election materials to the Arizona State Senate.

Minutes before the senate's 1 p.m. deadline Monday, the Board of Supervisors and Dominion Voting Systems made their intentions clear -- no passkeys from Dominion, no routers from the county.

“Giving them the routers would seriously disrupt county operations, jeopardize security and cost us millions of dollars,” board chairman Jack Sellers said.

The auditors believe the routers could contain evidence of outside interference in the 2020 election. But county officials say two independent audits already showed the voting machines were never connected to the internet.

The passkeys the senate wants go to 385 precinct tabulators. The auditors had the tabulators in their possession, but returned them to the county, so it's unclear why the auditors would need them now.

“We have turned over everything. We have complied over and over again. We have not obstructed this,” said supervisor Bill Gates.

In a letter to the attorney for the state senate, Dominion Voting Systems called the subpoena illegal and unenforceable, and the company will not comply with it.

Senate President Karen Fann said, “we are weighing our options for securing access to the routers and passwords, and will make a thoughtful decision in due course after conferring with my staff, counsel and colleagues.”

But Fann also said she saw progress because, “it appears the county and Dominion will hand over secure copies of ballot envelops and critical voter registration information.”

The supervisor says most, if not all of that information is already in the possession of the auditors.

When the county refused to hand over everything the senate wanted in January, Fann tried and failed to get enough votes to hold the supervisors in contempt. She has even less support among senators now.

“This is political theater. Their effort is crumbling,” Gates said.

Gates said it’s time for the auditors to write the report, then defend it.