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https://reclaimthenet.org/maricopa-recorders-email-trail-sparks-controversy-over-censorship-war

Newsletter Archive: October 15, 2024

Maricopa Recorder’s Email Trail Sparks Controversy Over Censorship War

The county recorder in Arizona’s Maricopa, Stephen Richer, decided to “seek help” from two controversial groups – one foreign, although funded by the US State Department, and one domestic but ideologically biased.

This is according to an exclusive report based on email records, which speaks about Richer and his ilk’s “war on disapproved speech.” From their point of view, however – or according to the narrative they push in the media – it’s actually a “war on disinformation.”

The groups involved in helping Richter and his office navigate the “treacherous waters of free speech” so to speak, are the States United Democracy Center NGO, and the UK-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), which has a reported track record of censoring conservative speech around the world.

As a county recorder, Richter is in charge of keeping public records and voter registration, as well as that related to early voting. The Federalist now writes that the emails it has seen reveal he thanked the States United Democracy Center for assistance in “deep-scanning the internet for disinformation."

An email Richer, a Republican, sent in late June 2022 reads, “Thanks very much to States United for the kind offer to let us piggyback on some of the deep scanning you’re contracting for election threats and disinformation.”

The email was addressed to Bo Dul, who was at the time the NGO’s senior counsel. But – “Oh what a tangled web we weave…” as the classic verse goes. Before this role, Dul served as senior elections policy adviser and general counsel in the Arizona secretary of state’s office, led by a Democrat.

Given Richter’s role as the county’s “elections chief,” engaging with the NGO in this way, considering its bias and activities, is deeply controversial. According to the report that cites InfluenceWatch, the group “consistently opposes Republican election integrity legislation like voter ID laws and supports Democrat attempts to diminish election security.”

It was States United that put Richter in touch with ISD, which has also worked with various governments, ideologically anti-conservative organizations and funders, as well as Big Tech.

One of Richter’s targets was Arizona State University (ASU) Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Associate Aaron Ludwig, who expressed his misgivings about elections online.

“He (Ludwig) is a regular purveyor of election disinformation and misinformation. I ask that you assess if he is fit to be part of the ASU faculty,” Richer’s July 31, 2022 email, which contained a link to the professor’s Twitter account, said.

The real question now is – how long has this been going on, and has it stopped? The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office chose to appear to “respond” to these questions while actually ignoring them.

The office said it has “worked with numerous entities (…) over the last several years.”