https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/maricopa-county-officials-blast-ineptitude-of-2020-election-auditors-and-refuse-meeting-with-arizona-senate/ar-BB1gQpa4?ocid=msedgntp

Maricopa County officials blast 'ineptitude' of 2020 election auditors and refuse meeting with Arizona Senate

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The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors demanded an end to the Arizona Senate-led audit of the 2020 election in the populous county that includes Phoenix, a significant new stand by the Republican-led group against the review that former President Donald Trump and his allies have cited to further claim the contest was stolen.

Board members issued their defiant response after holding a meeting Monday afternoon to address questions raised by Senate President Karen Fann in a letter to Chairman Jack Sellers regarding the audit, which includes a review of the county's 2.1 million ballots and election equipment, raising "serious issues" auditors claimed to have found during their work. Among them, Fann said, was the county's failure to provide virtual copies of Wi-Fi routers and allegations that someone deleted a main database from the Election Management System.

"These accusations are false, defamatory, and beneath the dignity of the Senate," the board wrote in a 13-page letter signed by all five members. "They are an insult to the dedicated public servants in the Maricopa County Elections Department and Office of the Recorder, who work incredibly long hours conducting the County’s elections with integrity and honor."

Compounding the controversy surrounding Fann's letter last week are tweets by an account for the audit, run by unnamed volunteers, which has clashed with local journalists covering the process and made serious but so far unsubstantiated allegations about the election.

"Maricopa County deleted a directory full of election databases from the 2020 election cycle days before the election equipment was delivered to the audit," the account said while accusing the Elections Department of "spoliation of evidence."