Finally! Forensic Election Audit in Maricopa County (AZ) Begins Next Week

a reply to: Boadicea

I will say, if they actually do dig into the results and post the report after investigation, it should make this ripe for some amazing sound bytes. Fantastic election material.

Ken Bennett: Auditing elections not a threat. Anything to make elections transparent and trackable strengthens election confidence. Lawful votes must be counted and not cancelled by unlawful votes. In 2020, closest results in history, 3/10ths of one percent margin. 34,000 ballots did not record any vote for president. Warrants review of each ballot. Done. Most significant finding very closely matches final results. Frustrating to many expecting different result. Audit never about overturning election. Is about laws and procedures were followed, how to maximize improvement. Missing/unmatched signs, missing serial numbers, common passwords, insufficient security, numerous voter registration anomolies. Most disturbing aspect was Maricopa's refusal to cooperate. Audit report forwarded to AG for answers and accountability. Must find ways to work amongst different levels and branches of government. Most officials honorable and well intentention. Same for auditors. Should welcome and embrace audit.

originally posted by: network dude
I suppose it's as good as a congressional hearing. Everyone gets 5 minute to berate the accused, then nothing happens.

Well, the good thing for Douglas Fresh is that he cannot get berated about all the amazing data he collected in the 4 months of milking it. One day we might see what he has. Soon, I'm sure. Any day now.

originally posted by: network dude
good thing they are objective and have no pre-conceived notions. Otherwise this would look fishy.

What's that word....? Ummm.... I know it was used against the Cyber Ninjas.... Oh, yeah. Biased.

I hope all the people that kept screaming the Cyber Ninjas were biased show up here and define biased for us all.


TCB

Chairwoman addressing Gates and Sellers: Outspoken messengers that election was safe, secure and fair. Even in conflict with own party. Voted to hold in contempt for holding up audit, even arrested and placed in solitary confinement. Why do you "speak out so forcefully"?

Gates: BoS took more authority because we wanted to run "excellent" election. People distorted what happened in this election. Went to court to get direction from judge about their authority to turn over election materials. Wrong for Senate to demand, wrong for auditors with no election experience, problem with this audit -- not all audits.

Sellers: Took back election processes they could due to previous problems. Every step of the way, assured we were staying within AZ and US Constitution. With pandemic had to change ways, got agreement from "all" officials that methods legal.

Chairwoman: You were pressured to support "Big Lie," called by Giuliani, did not answer calls. Will play audio of Giuliani...

"We're all Republicans. I think we have the same goal." Mr. Gates, what do you think that goal was?

Gates: In litigation at the time with the Senate. Trying to get us to settle lawsuit to get ballots in advance of Jan 6 certification.

Chairwoman: What was ultimate goal?

Gates: Look at evidence to find evidence not to certify results.

Chairwoman: Thanks all for efforts to resist Trump's efforts to overturn election. We are Americans first. Thanks Gates and Sellers for testimony.

Rep Gosar: Reminded of 2017 when Raskin asked for election vendor security measure, potential 100% corrupt. Film released in 2021, "Kill chain" (??) with Hursti. Original machines basically adding machine, today are hackable computers. Results "supposedly" don't change outcome, but can be changed by machine, and calibration can change results. Highlights series of problems -- undeniable. Problems with 2018 election. Fontes kept custody of voter registration rolls. Want independent parties to examine/verify processes and results. (inaudible) Multiple dumps throughout night. If random, would expect rest of dumps to be similar. Big question mark there. Four anomolies. Maricopa, Pima, Coconio and Pinal Counties. Officials in Pinal resigned next morning. Maricopa took 100 random duplicate ballot, create new one with judges from both sides, 3% error. Then did 25,000 but never finished, never released, double digit error rates. Over 200,000 ballots should be cause for audit. Went to court, Senate won, but County locked it all up, lost in court. Would not allow full canvass. Would not allow access to routers. Would not allow ballot/envelope examination. Should have been audit.

Rep from DC: Cyber Ninjas not here -- should be first to step up. Never been a problem such as seen here. Mentioned Bush vs Gore, Gore stepped up to conceded. That is American way. Questions for Sellers and Gates. Subject to threats of violence, also unprecedented. Sellers, how many threats have you received and how affected?

Sellers: I have not reacted as much to threats, because I'm widowed and live alone. Admonished for not being concerned enough. Had Sheriff and Chandler police park overnight in front of home. Maricopa County Sheriff offered to buy him Ring doorbell to enhance security.

Rep from DC: Unprecedent. Similar question to Gates.

Gates: Has three daughters, subjected to many threats, doxxed, employee had 90 people outside their home, phone threats to "slaughter" families, one Senator told to "check their six." Generally people unhappy with election results. Will deter good people from being involved in election.

DC Rep: Have other employees been target similarly?

Sellers: Yes, absolutely. Fence put up around office building and election center. Employees non-partisan. Just experts at what they do.

DC Rep: Expect this conduct in autocratic nation, not here.

Andy Biggs: Threats unfortunate. Received similar threats from Dems/lefts. Fann received threats. Problem we face in divided nation. Re Gates testimony, stated in written testimony that Senate trying to put you in jail. Full context is that Senate was trying to respond to County's refusal to comply with subpoenas. Court affirmed lawfulness of subpoenas. Did not ask for guidance, did not want to comply. Senate trying to cite you for contempt for lawful actions.

Gates: Can I respond?

Biggs: No, you can't. To Bennett: Can you talk to us about the chain of custody?

Bennett: Becker's testimony that Senate "seized" ballots. Not true. Supervised transition of ballots. Found 26 mis-marked boxes. 8 boxes not listed on manifest. 2 boxes on manifest but not on pallets. Out of 1691, 41 boxes of errors. Once in custody, never had a break or lack of chain of custody until returned.

Biggs: Why is chain-of-custody important?

Bennett: Chain of custody required by law. Never received chain-of-custody from County. Important for audit for same reason as County, to prove and confirm integrity of ballots.

Lynch of MA: Shameful the conduct of colleagues in perpetuating "Big Lie." Chair subcommittee on National Security. One common denominator in failed states: No trust in process. Loser undermines ability of winner to govern. Having same impact on our country. Shameful. All about Trump. Trump questioned elections before, Romney vs Obama, Cruz vs Trump, now Biden vs Trump. Shameful taken so many good people down. History will remember people like Gates and Sellers standing up for democracy... will also remember "quislings" believing Trump. Will be visited on "your family" for attacking election in favor of "that man," Trump. No court cases won. Most dismissed for lack of evidence, never got to the evidence.

Gates: Did not try to squash subpoena, tried to get guidance. Want to make sure that is clear. We told Fann you don't have to do this... Fann said you won't go to jail... Said yes it will."

Heiss (sp?) from GA: Committee ignores its responsibility. Meddling in state matters. Hearing lots about "Big Lie." The Russian collusion is real "Big Lie," but no hearing. Somehow wrong to raise questions in elections where laws were changed immediately prior. Voters must have faith in election process, but tens of millions have serious concerns with potential fraud. Thousand of thousands of affidavits expressing that. When people lose faith, that they can enact change at ballot box, serious problem and major disservice to sweep under rug. Illegal votes disenfranchise legal voters. Must look. Only way to deal with it is expose it and address it. GA enacted SB202 for this purpose. Still trying for GA audit, AZ audit important. Still problems,inconsistencies, question marks with results. Ballots from voters who moved, missing files from election mgmt system, numbers don't add up, ballot batches no clearly delineated, ballots missing, chain-of-custody missing. Must take all seriously. Election integrity utmost importance. Concerns must be dealt with.

Raskin of MD: Hope people remember right to obtain information they seek and jail people refusing will remember as insurrection of Jan 6 take place. Real problems must be addressed, but not fitting to spread lies and propaganda. Most important hearing in lifetime. Top ranking highly qualified election officials, Sellers and Gates, telling us this most secure and verified election, threats, attacks on elections are lies, confirmed by Counties, hand counts and confirmed by people who "believe" the lawful results. Own concocted audit discredits these lies. Was there any fraud or corruption materially affecting outcome of election?

Sellers: No. Before certifying, asked a lot of questions. Two hour meeting with results presented, asked/answered questions, very carefully went through everything before canvass and certification.

Rasking: Staggering refusal to follow will of people -- how do you explain?

Sellers: BoS does lost of things besides elections. Anxious to get back to those things. Virtually everything already answered.

Raskins: Much made of you being Republicans, just trying to stand up for free and fair elections. What if you were Democrats? What does that mean for Democracy if people question results?

Sellers: Very troubling when folks given "facts" and they still don't trust them.

Jordan: How about the Dems big lies? Protests are "peaceful," Russian collusion, Covid did not start in Wuhan lab, 2016 election stolen. Can't investigate 2020 election, but Dems objected to more states in 2016 than objected to in 2020. But Republicans cannot ask questions or object. Not allowed to changing laws unconstitutionally. Question to Becker: Chairwoman criticized private funding of audit. Do you agree?

Becker: Yes, resisted transparency.

Jordan: Do you object to Zuck bucks?

Beck: Yes, took money...

Jordan: And that's fine?

Becker: Yes. Put out full report of who received...

Jordan: Okay for private funds to run elections but not audit elections.

Becker: No, transparency.

Jordan: To Bennett: Is auditing bad thing?

Bennett: No, already in law. Every state agency audited regularly. Election audits also warranted.

Jordan: 23,344 mail-in ball 9,044 ballot with same name and birth dates. What are your thoughts?

Bennett: 15,000 moved within county, probably nothing wrong. 6,000 moved out of AZ, and probably should not have been allowed. Party about equal. Don't know votes. Other two numbers determined questionable, given rise to questions (inaudible) we welcome answers from County.

Johnson of GA: Claim that democracy when close elections re audited by outside entities. Reasonable people would agree if outside entity hired to audit, then Cyber Ninjas should not have been entrusted because AZ Senate knew they had no election experience or expertise, "notorious Pro-Trump extremist." Hired in no-bid no-sourced process despite claims. Also spreading racist QAnon theory. Promoted Stop the Steal movement key to Jan 6 "insurrection" to overthrow results. Choosing partisan hack revealing, to undermine public confidence.
--------------------------

Gotta step away for a while... Sorry!

a reply to: Boadicea

Thankyou for the superb real time updates!

I just read cyber ninja CEO won’t testify. What????

lMFAO!

This is so delicious - what a #ucking puss!

Maybe he’s too busy spending the millions he made milking the idiots.

Oh my god, classic and so expected.

a reply to: knoxie

Dougie Douglas is for troof, justice and the Murican way. One day soon he will drop a kraken on everyone so large you'll think a Mount Everest of fraud just landed on top of you. You'll see, it'll happen any day now. Annnnny day.

In Detroit they call full forensic election audits, "voter suppression techniques".

That's cute.

Sorry I couldn't finish the hearing. Had to supervise a delivery, and not everything was included so had yo straighten that out, and now the hearing is over...

I'm guessing nothing new or explosive was added to the conversation though. If I find anything comprehensive, I will post it.

LOL! I thought I posted this already... darned shredded pork was just begging me to be made into tacos and I guess I forgot myself...

originally posted by: IndieA
In Detroit they call full forensic election audits, "voter suppression techniques".

That's cute.

Adorable...

I figured that was about the gist of what I missed though!

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: Boadicea

good thing they are objective and have no pre-conceived notions. Otherwise this would look fishy.

Indeed!

Everything I saw at least was quite predictable.