Excerpt of a May 5 letter from Pamela S. Karlan, DOJ Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney, Civil Rights Division, to Arizona Republican State Senate Leader Karen Fann:
The Department has reviewed available information, including news reports and complaints regarding the procedures being used for this audit. The information of which we are aware raises concerns regarding at least two issues of potential non compliance with federal laws enforced by the Department.
The first issue relates to a number of reports suggesting that the ballots, elections systems, and election materials that are the subject of the Maricopa County audit are no longer under the ultimate control of state and local elections officials, are not being adequately safeguarded by contractors at an insecure facility, and are at risk of being lost, stolen, altered, compromised or destroyed... [snip]
The second issue relates to the Cyber Ninjas’ statement of work for this audit.3 Among other things, the statement of work indicates that the contractor has been working “with a number of individuals” to “identify voter registrations that did not make sense, and then knock on doors to confirm if valid voters actually lived at the stated address.” [snip] This description of the proposed work of the audit raises concerns regarding potential intimidation of voters... [snip]
Past experience with similar investigative efforts around the country has raised concerns that they can be directed at minority voters, which potentially can implicate the anti-intimidation prohibitions of the Voting Rights Act. Such investigative efforts can have a significant intimidating effect on qualified voters that can deter them from seeking to vote in the future.
We would appreciate your response to the concerns described herein, including advising us of the steps that the Arizona Senate will take to ensure that violations of federal law do not occur.
The Trumpist election usurpers are on notice, and the Biden Department of Justice isn't playing games.
