An Arizona legislator floated the possibility of introducing a resolution to “reclaim electors” if the controversial audit in Maricopa County puts President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory in doubt.
State Senate Majority Whip Sonny Borrelli provided insight on Monday into what the Republican-led Senate’s options are as he agreed with Senate President Karen Fann, who said last week the chamber does not have the power to recall electors by itself after some of its members demanded action.
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“I believe the only power we can [exert] is if, for example, I’m seeing evidence of ‘there’s no way to certify this.’ The county is not coming to us with answers to any of the questions that we have, or we can’t come up with a definitive conclusion,” he said in an interview with One America News Network.
“So, therefore, if you can’t come up with a definitive solution or conclusion, then how can this thing be certified in the first place? I believe the only thing we could do going forward once we get the full report done is reclaim the electors, but that will take a resolution to do so,” Borrelli continued.
The lawmaker said he is “prepared” to put forth such a resolution if the audit’s results are inconclusive and if the county “won’t come to the table and try to help us resolve questions that we have.”
Both the Arizona Senate and House would need to pass the resolution, added Borrelli, who said it would then go to U.S. Congress, which certified Biden’s victory in January. He cautioned that such a bid faces long odds because the Democrats are in control of the federal legislature.
Borrelli’s description of a mechanism for getting the ball rolling on recalling Arizona’s electors follows Fann saying on Friday that the Arizona Senate’s audit in Maricopa County is not about the presidential race and stressed her chamber alone does not have the authority to recall electors, although she left the door open for some sort of recourse.
“I am not saying there is no way it can be done. What I am saying is our Senate body does not have the authority to do it. However, we will turn [the audit’s findings] over to the attorneys general, not only on the state level but on the federal level. And we will turn it over to Congress, and they can make those decisions. And that is, I’m saying, if there were any wrongdoings,” she said.
Fann revealed last week that the audit tally did not “match with“ Maricopa County’s initial count, though she didn’t provide specific details. Officials involved in the audit told the Arizona Senate last week they need more materials and information to complete the review, which could involve more subpoenas and a prolonged legal fight with the county.
Biden won Arizona and its 11 electoral votes by more than 10,000 votes out of more than 3.3 million cast across the state. Biden was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the Southwestern state since President Bill Clinton captured it in 1996.
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Former President Donald Trump, who claims the 2020 election was stolen from him, has repeatedly promoted the audit in Maricopa County despite authorities at local, state, and federal levels, including the Justice Department, saying they saw no evidence of widespread fraud that would disrupt the results of the contest.
Maricopa County officials announced last month their voting machines subpoenaed for the audit will be removed from service after Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, Katie Hobbs, threatened to decertify the equipment citing concerns with the methods of Cyber Ninjas, a Florida-based firm hired to lead the review.
Trump and his allies have praised and urged other states to pursue similar audits. Should they replicate the Maricopa County audit, it paves the way for more GOP-led states to try to recall their electors, which Borrelli said would be key as Biden defeated Trump 306-232 in the Electoral College.
The senator said the Constitution is “kind of silent on this stuff,” but opined that if it does not say something is restricted, that doesn’t mean it is not a possibility.
