If there’s been one hallmark of the Donald Trump presidency, it’s been the stupidity surrounding the 2020 election. Trump’s “big lie,” the one that says the 2020 election was stolen from him in a complicated alliance between Democrats, Republicans, Italy, and vote tabulating machine companies, inspired a host of actors to come to the forefront to deride a sham election. Today, months after the inauguration of President Joe Biden, sham “audits” continue and Trump supporters continue to cling to a narrative regarding a fake election stolen from their chosen leader.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Statement from Senate President @FannKfann #AZSenate #Audit pic.twitter.com/H7xDHdRiK3
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) August 23, 2021
In Arizona, one of a handful of states that had voted Republican consistently in recent years but went blue in November, an election “audit” performed by a company known as Cyber Ninjas has dragged on for months, and House Democrats have made legal requests for information. Their failure to comply is drawing backlash and the company may now face legal consequences.
A letter from the House Oversight Committee to the CEO and principal consultant of Cyber Ninjas, Douglas Logan, said that:
‘Cyber Ninjas failed to produce key documents responsive to the Committee’s requests, including the company’s communications with former President Trump, his allies and advisors, and the partisan dark money groups that financed this audit. Cyber Ninjas also declined to produce communications related to the company’s engagement by the Arizona State Senate and the various conspiracy theories that reportedly have been considered by you and your company in connection with the 2020 election.’
"Unfortunately, Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan and two other members of the five-person audit team have tested positive for COVID-19 and are quite sick…" https://t.co/xpi5o2ourJ
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) August 23, 2021
The company has failed to meet deadlines to submit documents despite multiple requests that they do so, and chaos has been reported from those witnessing the scenes there. Congress appears to be no longer willing to humor them.
‘The Committee accommodated Cyber Ninjas’ request to extend the deadline until August 9, 2021. Rather than producing the requested documents, Cyber Ninjas sent a letter objecting to all nine of the Committee’s requests. Cyber Ninjas also sent 336 pages of material that was already publicly available, as noted in the company’s response letter, and that failed to address the Committee’s serious concerns.’
Not only is a dark-money powered and Trump-aligned firm "auditing" Arizona’s 2020 election, but now it’s refusing to comply with a Congressional voting rights probe.
Audit or fraudit? We demand transparency from “Cyber Ninjas,” and I won't rest until America gets answers. https://t.co/3deapTFonm
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) August 23, 2021
Although Trump convinced his supporters that Congress has no authority over him, and that was as untrue as the rest of his many lies, they have a significant amount of authority over election security. Cyber Ninjas has insisted that they do not have to comply with the demands of House Democrats and that their requests are interfering with a state election process, Democrats from the House Oversight Committee were happy to explain the facts to them.
‘These objections are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Congress’s authorities under the Constitution to regulate federal elections and protect Americans’ right to vote—and to conduct investigations related to these topics. Article I grants Congress the power to pass laws regulating the time, place, and manner of federal elections. The Fifteenth Amendment guarantees the right to vote and empowers Congress to legislate to protect that right. Congress has for many years enacted legislation to safeguard the right to vote and to ensure that elections are safe, secure, and administered fairly and impartially.’
This GOP-led effort has been a sham from the start. Cyber Ninjas (yes, that's the firm’s real name) has no experience in conducting election audits, and its conduct has been so egregious that a coalition of civil rights groups asked the DOJ to send federal monitors to observe it. https://t.co/MHd1ECg6Dh
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) August 23, 2021