Barrett Rainey's Second Thoughts

Of course, you’ve heard of red states and blue states. Well, I’m not sure where the latest political charade puts Arizona on the political color chart. That’s because I can’t think of a color for crazy!

There are roughly 4-million residents in our county – Maricopa. Of that number, just over 2-million of us voted in November. Our ballots have officially been recounted twice. Certified. And, it ain’t over yet!

Arizona State Senate Republicans – nearly all of a rightward persuasion – numerically control the Senate by just one member. They’ve authorized four private firms to recount those 2-million-plus ballots. FOUR! The lead company, Cyber Ninjas, a Florida outfit, previously promoted various conspiracy theories, especially QANON. Promoted that fiction and Donald Trump. Heavily, in times past.

The states largest news outlet reports “The county has provided the ballots, 385 ballot tabulators and nine central count tabulators, some hardware and ll gigabytes of data with such information as voter registration details and election day logs.” But, it will steer clear of any participation or sponsorship.

Naturally, this is fertile ground for – wait for it – the Trump folks to jump in. Prominent supporters are out raising big bucks for this ill-advised (mis)adventure into partisanship to pay costs after the Senate’s allotted $150-thousand contract runs out. It will. Don’t they always?

Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs – a Democrat, of course, – is among those calling this show “a circus.” She believes – as do most onlookers – this private recount “will do nothing to restore anyone’s confidence in our election system and no one should take it seriously.”

Two independent companies were hired by the county last November. Both verified voting machines were not hacked, were not connected to the Internet and vote totals were accurate. The November results in Maricopa county have been officially counted. And recounted. Twice. Each time, results were the same. Joe Biden won.

Now, there’s old Steve Bannon – a Trump minion’s voice deep in the swamp – calling this fiasco “Top of the first inning with many lawsuits to come. This is where the grind really starts.” End quote. Mercifully.

So, you can see which way this “private counting” is likely to go and we all have a pretty good idea, by now, what the outcome will be. Cyber Ninjas has already had it’s soiled hands slapped for allowing counters to use blue ink pens during this fiasco – blue is the color voters use on ballots. So, how easy would it be to change a vote? Many votes in a close race? Green and red pens have been issued. Some ballots are being viewed with special lights. No one has explained why these lights are necessary or what they’re used for.

There are 46 pallets of boxes – 1,691 boxes to be exact. There are no clear procedures or controls and no tracking, as yet, by the contractor.

Naturally, those right-leaning Republicans in the Arizona Senate set some rules for all this. There’s even a former Secretary of State – Republican, of course – appointed as the Senate’s liaison. Among Ken Bennett’s initial comments? “The rules can change.” Day four and they already have. Several times.

There are questions all over the place about security, accountability, who can observe and the media’s role. At the moment, that role is limited. Cyber Ninjas wanted to require all media take training to be “official observers.” That failed. Democrats went to court seeking open up the process. The judge so ordered. But, the Ninja guys wouldn’t discuss their counting process in court so we don’t know what it is. Or, if such exists.

Basically, Republicans are alone in this. County administrators of both parties have officially washed their hands of the whole thing. The State Democrat and Republican Parties, too. All this worries a lot of legitimate national election consultants who call the effort “inherently biased” and “lacking transparency.”

The security question? Our Sheriff, Paul Penzone, said he wouldn’t provide security – he estimated it would cost $175-thousand – because the affair is “not in his departmental budget.” Phoenix city cops and the Department of Public Safety have also demurred. Who pays for private security? What security? More unknowns.

So, we have a third, full hand count, expected to take 35 days. Our unsecured official ballots are in the hands of Trump-affiliated folks, just itching to find devilment afoot. Outside experts expect the hand count will take whole lot longer than 35 days “if it’s done right.”

Tabulators are looking for “deceased voters” and “non-citizens” the other official re-counters “missed.” They’re also trying to find ballots “uncounted” in the previous work. No one knows where the Senate will get its necessary information to verify those voters who cast ballots are dead or not legal citizens. Another important unknown.

So, what do you think? Will our thrice previously certified election totals be undone? Will Donald Trump win? Will we have a “do-over” election? Will Mike Pence be brought out of retirement? Will we, at last, find what happened to Jimmy Hoffa?

If there ever was a screwy – and somewhat dangerous – “make work” project, this has to be it. The whole damned thing is a “make dirty work” project.

Oh, didn’t I tell you? Those Trump-related folks are looking at one other race, too. Only one. Democrat, of course. Mark Kelley, who won the 2020 Senate contest. All other races, hundreds of them, are deemed by the Cyber Ninja folks to be kosher. Odd, that.

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