There was a little drama on Friday at the ongoing audit of votes in Maricopa County, Ariz. after Ryan Randazzo, a reporter for AZCentral.com, tweeted out this photo of former GOP Rep. Anthony Kern reviewing ballots:
Looks like we have former AZ lawmaker Anthony Kern reviewing ballots #azauditpool pic.twitter.com/lCr7Cpy5MS
— Ryan Randazzo (@utilityreporter) April 30, 2021
Kern was a backer of the #StopTheSteal movement after the election:
I’m a State Representative and a Arizona Trump Elector
My message to the
national RINO REPUBLICANS:DO YOUR JOB! @realDonaldTrump @ali @EagleEdMartin @alexbruesewitz @MarkFinchem #StopTheSteal #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/bAef4GKBKN
— Anthony Kern (@anthonykernAZ) December 17, 2020
And he was in D.C. on January 6:
D-Day in DC to support Arizona's and America's duly elected President Donald Trump! #StoptheSteal @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/IFEmBkBnjI
— Anthony Kern (@anthonykernAZ) January 6, 2021
Randazzo tweeted that he was escorted out shortly after he posted the photo:
Well, a man in a cowboy hat and a badge that said Wake TSI just came over, asked if I tweeted the picture of Anthony Kern, and when I said yes he escorted me out of the building and said my press privileges were “revoked”
— Ryan Randazzo (@utilityreporter) April 30, 2021
The account set up by State Senate Republicans later tweeted that he violated an agreement and tweeted out an unblurred photo of the ballot:
We are committed to following all court orders to protect ballots and voter privacy. The press agreed to not photograph ballots, per the court order. Ryan Randazzo violated the agreement and posted this (un-blurred) photo online. He was escorted out and his access is revoked. pic.twitter.com/yspDc3ENdr
— Maricopa Arizona Audit (@ArizonaAudit) April 30, 2021
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But State Senate President Karen Fann added that journos were not supposed to zoom in on faces as well:
Under agreement with your attorney,media was given wider access with the promise they would not zoom in on workers faces or the ballots Some media members have violated that agreement https://t.co/1WvdZKgBLY
— Karen Fann (@FannKfann) April 30, 2021
This, however, is disrupted:
Also, the rules media agreed to follow don’t have restrictions on showing workers’ faces. As a former lawmaker whose name is on many of those ballots and who has been a key figure in the “Stop the Steal” movement, Anthony Kern’s presence in that room is certainly newsworthy. https://t.co/77WVXjzo0p
— Julia Shumway (@JMShumway) April 30, 2021
Perhaps you should check with your media attorney. He gave us his commitment the media would not dox the workers for their safety https://t.co/PpjJqxms7k
— Karen Fann (@FannKfann) April 30, 2021
I checked.
Our attorneys agreed "to withhold visuals that detail any identifiable ballot information." @utilityreporter's photo adheres to that.
Absolutely no agreement was made to withhold showing workers' faces, and was never made a condition of our access. https://t.co/K12ZlU8wHS
— Ben Giles (@ben_giles) April 30, 2021
Also, State Sen. Ken Bennett reportedly said Kern “would only be a volunteer observer and wouldn’t be counting votes”:
.@BennettArizona told me a couple weeks ago that @anthonykernAZ would only be a volunteer observer and wouldn't be counting votes https://t.co/pE0kMU9fWq
— Jeremy Duda (@jeremyduda) April 30, 2021
As for the audit itself, the GOP chair of the Maricopa County Board appeared to have backtracked on his support of the process:
“When this [AZ "audit"] started, I thought perhaps we could alleviate some of the concerns,” Jack Sellers, the GOP chair of the Maricopa County Board said. “But I realize this is creating more chaos, more doubt and not solving anything.” /1https://t.co/zTkES7sg0J
— David Becker (@beckerdavidj) April 30, 2021
Sellers said he is concerned that the private contractors seem to lack basic knowledge of Arizona election procedures. “It’s very disconcerting,” he said, adding that he is convinced that Maricopa had a “fair, efficient and honest” election. /2
— David Becker (@beckerdavidj) April 30, 2021
“I’m very concerned this has ramifications for every state in the country,” said Kim Wyman, Washington's Republican Secretary of State. “This is politicizing an administrative process with no real structure or laws or rules in place to guide how it goes.” /3
— David Becker (@beckerdavidj) April 30, 2021
And in other news, the auditors have completed their review of the voting machines:
The Senate’s audit liaison has requested @maricopacounty pick up election equipment we delivered last week to comply with the Senate’s subpoena. Our staff is onsite today to inventory the equipment, prepare it for secure & safe transport & deliver it back to @MaricopaVote pic.twitter.com/h5Ft1wW7uT
— Maricopa County Elections Department (@MaricopaVote) April 30, 2021
Although it’s not exactly clear what’s going on:
NOW Maricopa County’s ballot-counting machines & related computers & servers are being packed up at Senate Republicans’ audit site for return to county, per county elections spox. No reason given. Comes day after SoS observer for machines showed up. pic.twitter.com/e4lZEzx2uh
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) April 30, 2021
The county will now have to recertify the machines at the expense of the Senate GOP:
COUNTY SAYS Cyber Ninjas owner Doug Logan was the ‘expert’ analyzing machines. County elections spokeswoman says they need to be checked to ensure they can be used in future elections. Senate GOP has formally agreed to cover county’s costs. pic.twitter.com/fIbpJg6uqv
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) April 30, 2021
And the hand count of the ballots continues:
YOU NEED TO KNOW Examination of machines was one part of the audit. Other main pieces: Hand count of 2.1 million ballots on Veterans Memorial Coliseum floor, voter contacts to confirm information. Hand count continues.
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) April 30, 2021
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