One question I’ve had since this fraudit fiasco started is why the Arizona Republican Party hired Cyber Ninjas, a company that’s never audited an election, to recount more than 2.1 million ballots from Maricopa County. What did the Request for Proposals look like, how many bids did they receive, and who, finally, made the decision to hire a firm that has no experience—other than filling social media with Stop the Steal BS or authoring a document called “Election Fraud Facts and Details” for GOP Senators? Or maybe that was the reason.
So, yeah, I was a little concerned that a company that’s clearly trying to find fraud with the November election, a company led by a goober who thinks Trump won, has my information. Apparently, a judge thought the same thing today:
A judge on Tuesday raised concerns that the Arizona Senate and its contractor, the Florida-based firm Cyber Ninjas, have not protected the rights of voters as they recount the 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County during the last election.
Monday, Cyber Ninjas was supposed to respond to a court order, the result of a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Democratic Party, and explain their policies and procedures for the audit (this being the third audit of Maricopa Country votes). Many of us don’t think they really have any policies, since they’ve never done this before, and also because people experienced with election audits have said Cyber Ninjas doesn’t know WTF they’re doing.
What a surprise, then, when Cyber Ninjas refused to comply with the order because their procedures, so they say, are “trade secrets.” Bull. They’re making shit up “on the fly,” according to one journalist who actually got in the building, and some of what they were caught doing, like using blue pens, is an absolute no-no during election audits.
Not only did Cyber Ninjas tell the court (and all Arizonans) that they won’t explain their practices; they also said no journalists or observers should be permitted in the facility because of their priceless trade secrets. Except for the rightwing OAN, which is conducting fundraising for the audit, no media are permitted.
If there is any activity that should be transparent, it’s this! Instead, we have a private firm: 1) that has no experience auditing elections, 2) whose CEO believes there was election fraud, 3) whose hiring is a mystery, 4) that refuses to talk to the media or allow observers into the building, 5) that will not explain its training or recount policies, and 6) is already planning similar audits in Michigan and elsewhere. And the GOP is doing all this, they say, to insure integrity in the election process. Sure, this’ll help.
Today’s hearing ended with Judge Daniel Martin saying, “I am not yet persuaded that there has been a showing that the rights of the voters in Maricopa County are being protected.” Me neither. Another hearing is set for tomorrow.