The board of supervisors of Cochise County convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday afternoon to choose a legal representative after Secretary of State Katie Hobbs sued the board of supervisors. The hiring of Bryan Blehm, the same lawyer who defended Cyber Ninjas, the organization behind the contentious Maricopa County audit of the 2020 election, was approved by the board unanimously.
In the case Hobbs filed against the board after they declined to certify the results of the general election in 2022, Blehm will defend the board. There is, however, the issue of how the board will cover legal counsel. The board is not permitted by law to accept outside contributions for the cost of the lawsuit or for any other reason. Officials remained mum over the funding for Blehm. He hadn’t picked up the phone by the time the meeting began, so it’s uncertain if he will accept the case.
The former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley and Arizona attorney general Terry Goddard both called for a criminal probe of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The supervisors allegedly infringed at least three statutes by failing to certify the election, according to a letter sent to the current attorney general Mark Brnovich and the county attorney of Cochise, Brian McIntyre.
By their acts, the officials “threaten to destroy the proper administration and integrity of elections, disenfranchise thousands of voters, and maybe even alter the results of some races,” according to Goddard and Romley, who requested Brnovich and McIntyre to hold them accountable. They stated that the board’s rejection to certify lacks any legal justification.
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According to Arizona state law, counties had 20 days from the election to certify the results. Voters in Cochise County were upset with their elected representatives for disobeying the law and missing the deadline on Monday. During the board’s regularly scheduled Tuesday morning meeting, voters yelled at elected officials and some even called it a “clown show.”
One individual declared, “This assault on democracy will not stand.” Another guy cried out, “Help, I’m in Cochise County, where the board of supervisors is lost in conspiracy land and has taken their votes with them.” And I’ve never seen the national news mention our county. I just overheard the news being presented like a clown show. I’m embarrassed. Voters claimed they sought the resignation of the two officials who refused to declare the election.
The hiring of Bryan Blehm, the same lawyer who defended the Cyber Ninjas who oversaw the contentious Maricopa County audit in 2020, was approved by the board unanimously. Earlier coverage Following the filing of a lawsuit over the failure to certify election results, Cochise County holds an emergency meeting.
The remarks perfectly expressed the outrage leveled at GOP board members under pressure from well-known Republican lawmakers. The canvass was postponed until at least Friday by a 2-1 vote of the board on Monday. Hobbs previously stated that in order to change the Superintendent of Public Instruction and U.S. House Congressional District 6 seat from Republican to Democrat, the Secretary of State’s Office would have to finish the canvass by Dec. 8 at the latest.
In the meantime, Republican Kari Lake stands her ground in the battle for governor. Tens of thousands of voters were allegedly denied the right to vote, but Lake offered no supporting documentation. The 47,000 votes won’t count toward the state canvass, though, if the Republican-controlled Cochise County board refuses to certify the election before next week.