by Daniel Stefanski | Mar 22, 2023 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Legislation to separate election officials from political action committees is working its way through the Arizona Legislature, though receiving mixed signals from Democrats on their support for the proposal.
HB 2378, sponsored by Representative Leo Biasiucci, “prohibits the Secretary of State, a member of a county board of supervisors, a county recorder or any other officer in charge of elections, or their employee, from being a chairperson, treasurer or other member of a political action committee (PAC),” according to the purpose provided by the Arizona Senate.
The bill passed the House Committee on Municipal Oversight & Elections (MOE) back in January, receiving a unanimous and bipartisan vote of 10-0. It later cleared the House Rules Committee with a 5-3 vote. On the House floor, Biasiucci’s legislation gained 49 votes in support, and only 11 votes in opposition.
After HB 2378 made it past the House MOE Committee in January, bill sponsor, Representative Biasiucci, tweeted: “My bill, HB 2378, just passed the House Municipal Oversight and Elections Committee 10-0. Republicans and Democrats agree, you shouldn’t be involved in a PAC if you also oversee any significant aspect of election operations.”
Representative Austin Smith also celebrated the bill’s approval by the House MOE Committee, writing, “An individual who is an elections officer or employee who oversees any significant aspect of election’s operations may not serve on a PAC board.”
Earlier this month, HB 2378 was heard in the Senate Elections Committee and received more opposition from Democrats there than in the House – perhaps predicting a frostier reception to the policy if and when it arrives on the Senate floor for a vote. Democrat Senator Anna Hernandez explained that she believed “this bill is overly broad” when casting her vote against the legislation in committee. Fellow Democrat Senator Juan Mendez complained that HB 2378 was “only a symbolic measure,” and Democrat Senator Priya Sundareshan said that “this seems to be a particular measure to punish a particular someone in an intraparty dispute.”
Senator Sundareshan’s comments were a veiled reference to Republican Maricopa County Recorder, Stephen Richer, who, in late 2021, formed a political action committee named Pro-Democracy Republicans of Arizona. The PAC posts its mission on its website: “The Arizona election wasn’t stolen. We Republicans simply had a presidential candidate who lost, while we had many other candidates who won. It’s time we Republicans accept and acknowledge that fact. Candidates come and go. But our democratic institutions are long-lasting, and peaceful transitions of power are a hallmark of the United States. We should not abandon this history in favor of conspiracy theorists and demagoguery. To that end, we are launching this PAC to support pro-democracy Arizona Republicans. We hope you will join us. We will win some races. We will lose some races. But either way, we will be strengthening the processes that have long undergirded Arizona and the United States.”
Richer’s creation of this PAC, while serving as Maricopa County’s top election official, angered many Republicans during the 2022 election cycle.
Senate Elections Chair, Senator Wendy Rogers, cast her vote in support of the bill, arguing, “If someone is in a position to influence the outcome of an election, thank you Rep Biasiucci for calling out the need to separate that kind of person from a PAC which is brought together to assert influence as well.”
HB 2378 awaits a vote in the Arizona Senate.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Aug 19, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has nabbed two men who issued threats to elected Arizona officials critical of the 2020 election audit and claims of fraud — but has yet to act on threats made to at least two Republican officials.
On Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against a Missouri man for a threat of violence made against Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer. It is the first of few charges brought against anyone for threats issued to election officials concerning the 2020 general election.
The DOJ also followed through with election-related death threats against Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs. They arrested a Massachusetts man, James Clark, for a bomb threat placed to her office in February 2021.
The FBI Phoenix field office acting special agent in charge, Chris Ormerod, claimed in the indictment announcement that the FBI takes all death threats seriously.
“The FBI takes all threat-to-life matters very seriously,” said Ormerod. “While this arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to hold accountable anyone who tries to intimidate a public official, it also shows that people cannot threaten others with violence and physical harm without repercussions.”
Yet, no charges have been brought for death threats made against at least two Republican officials: Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) and State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-Scottsdale).
“You are a completely worthless human being and an evil s**t. And you will die very soon. It will look like an accident. I’ve done this before. I have killed people,” wrote one anonymous individual to Fann. “I will kill again. I will kill you. Sleep well.”
Another to Ugenti-Rita not only threatened the legislator, but her family as well.
“Listen up you s**c b***h, you have one chance to give the American people the Audit report or were [sic] coming from [sic] you, we know where you live, we know where you get your groceries, and we know where your family lives. You better do the right thing or your [sic] going to feel the consequences. Do you understand? We the people are no longer willing to play….”
The man accused of threatening Richer — Tecumseh, Missouri man, 50-year-old Walter Lee “Butch” Hoornstra — allegedly said last May in a voicemail that the recorder wouldn’t make it to his next board meeting if he didn’t fall in line with those challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“So I see you’re for fair and competent elections, that’s what it says here on your homepage for your recorder position you’re trying to fly here. But you call things unhinged and insane lies when there’s a forensic audit going on,” stated the voicemail. “You need to check yourself. You need to do your f*****g job right because other people from other states are watching your a**. You f*****g renege on this deal or give them any more troubles, your a** will never make it to your next little board meeting.”
The Phoenix Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case. Hoornstra faces up to five years in prison for making an interstate threat, and up to two years in prison for making a threatening phone call.
This latest arrest was executed by the DOJ’s special team formed to investigate threats against election officials and workers: the Election Threats Task Force. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco launched the task force last June.
The DOJ reported earlier this month that their task force has reviewed over 1,000 contacts reported as hostile or harassing by the election community. They said that only 11 percent of those contacts warranted a federal criminal investigation. It’s unclear whether the death threats made to Fann and Ugenti-Rita met that threshold.
The task force operates through the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and encompasses the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section as well as the Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and the FBI. Also involved with the task force is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
Richer said he was thankful for the FBI’s efforts. However, he said that he had plenty more threats for them to review.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
