Maricopa County sues rather than comply with audit subpoena.

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Maricopa County supervisors sue rather than comply with senator's subpoenas for election materials
 

PHOENIX — Maricopa County supervisors voted Friday to not comply with subpoenas for election materials issued by the chairman of the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

The subpoenas demanded access to copies of the more than 2 million ballots cast by Maricopa County voters in the Nov. 3 election, and for access to the equipment used to tabulate those ballots and the software that ran the equipment.

The 4-1 vote to refuse, following a nearly three-hour executive session with attorneys, came amid concerns that at least some of what is being demanded by Sen. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, would expose private information on voters.

There also were questions about whether the county has the legal right to give that information to outsiders.

 

Instead, the board members in the majority on the vote — three Republicans and one Democrat — directed their attorneys to file suit and have a judge determine whether the subpoenas are legally valid.

 

The legal papers, filed late Friday, said the subpoenas are not authorized by any law.

Legislative panels can subpoena people to testify, but these seek actual materials, said attorney Steve Tully, hired by the county, who is himself a former lawmaker.

https://tucson.com/news/local/maricopa-county-supervisors-sue-rather-than-comply-with-senators-subpoenas-for-election-materials/article_d8182783-1452-5773-9da1-11d1edf9db4c.html