It all comes down to greed for money and for power. Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) come from the same mold. The ex-president and the Senate minority leader will do anything to win, anything. We have seen this play out in Georgia and other swing states, but the Arizona details are both intriguing and condemning.
Even as the votes were being still counted, Trump and his cohorts allegedly pressured Maricopa County supervisors to throw the race to them. Secretary of State for Arizona Katie Hobbs asked the state Attorney General Mark Brnovich to open an investigation into them.
Hobbs spoke about their communications, saying they could well violate an Arizona with at least one felony charge, according to The Arizona Republic.
She cited an Arizona law that wrote interfering “in any manner” with an election official while attempting to “induce” the official “to violate or refuse to comply” with their duties is a class 5 felony in the state, according to The Newsweek Magazine.
The Arizona Republic unearthed text messages and voicemails from the White House to Rudy Giuliani and the Arizona Republican Party Chair Kelli Ward and Republican members of the Board of Supervisors:
‘[They] involve clear efforts to induce supervisors to refuse to comply with their duties. Â The reporting also includes firsthand statements from the victims of this potential crime.’
Wednesday, Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland:
‘[Their efforts] reflect a disturbing trend following the 2020 election of Trump advisors and allies, and even former President Trump himself, committing potential crimes to overturn the election.’
Hobbs wrote to Brnovich seeking an investigation:
‘As you said just last week. Fair elections are the cornerstone of our republic, and they start with rational laws that protect both the right to vote and the accuracy of the results. Arizona law protects election officials from those who would seek to interfere with their sacred duties to ascertain and certify the will of the voters.’
Chair of the Board of Supervisors Clint Hickman was responsible for elections in the county. Calls to Hickman:
- ‘Giuliani made calls to supervisors before and after his Nov. 30 meeting in Phoenix with GOP state lawmakers.
- Â ‘[Trump called] from the White House switchboard on Dec. 31, while he was out celebrating the coming new year with his wife and friends. He let the call go to voicemail.
- ‘[Trump called the] night of Jan. 3, after the Washington Post published a recording of Trump’s hourlong phone call with the Georgia secretary of state. Hickman sought to avoid talking to the president because of ongoing litigation and let the call go to voicemail.’
Giuliani said in one message:
‘If you get a chance, would you please give me a callI have a few things I’d like to talk over with you? Maybe we can get this thing fixed up. You know, I really think it’s a shame that Republicans sort of are both in this kind of situation. And I think there may be a nice way to resolve this for everybody.’
In one text to GOP Supervisor Jack Sellers, Ward wrote:
‘We have 4 years to support you guys politically and we will. You are what stands between integrity and theft.’
Ward tweeted “BS” after the article was printed:
‘No one can ever say that I am not doing everything I can to assure #ElectionIntegrity. And I always will! #ProudAmerican.’
Hobbs asked Brnovich to refer her request for an investigation to another law enforcement agency should he feel it was unethical for him to participate.
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