By Ryan Randazzo | Arizona Republic
An Arizona judge for the first time Wednesday directly ordered the company that led the audit of the 2020 Maricopa County election to preserve all of its records from the effort so they can be released to the public.
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The Arizona Senate and the company, Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, have argued in court that emails about the audit and other records are not subject to the state’s Public Records Law that would require their disclosure.
The order in the case brought by The Arizona Republic is among several rulings dealing with the audit records held by Cyber Ninjas but is the first that addresses the company directly.https://www.azfamily.com
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah didn’t order the Senate and Cyber Ninjas to turn over those documents immediately, however, because a similar order from a judge in another case was placed on hold Tuesday by the Arizona Supreme Court.
But the order aims to ensure Cyber Ninjas preserve the emails so the public can review them once the litigation is settled.
“All defendants, including Cyber Ninjas, are ordered to carefully secure, protect and preserve from deterioration, mutilation, loss or destruction any and all records in their custody, possession or control that are reasonably necessary or appropriate to maintain an accurate knowledge of their official activities concerning the 2020 Maricopa County election audit, including records of the performance, funding and staffing of said audit,” Hannah wrote.
