Bill Gates: Those pushing Maricopa County election lies do so for money, political standing

PHOENIX — Although Republican Bill Gates is no longer a Maricopa County supervisor, he isn’t backing away from those who amplified election lies.

Gates, who served two terms for District 3 on the board before deciding to not seek reelection in the past cycle, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Friday that he will always have a problem with individuals who pushed falsehoods during his tenure.

“I have no problems with questions. I encourage questions, I welcome questions about how government is run and in particular, about elections,” Gates said. “The thing I have a problem with is once those questions had been answered over and over again, there were people spreading lies and continuing to disparage people in elections for, really in a lot of instances, to raise money or their political profile.”

Maricopa County came under the microscope following the 2020 general election, which saw Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump in the state and in its most populous county.

Despite no proof of election fraud, loud factions disputed the result and pushed the county, including officials such as Gates, into the spotlight.

Gates, prior to announcing his decision to not run again in May 2023, told The Washington Post he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after being subjected to harassment and threats over the county’s elections.

Prior to that, Republican Steve Chucri, who served District 2, stepped down in November 2021, citing a political landscape “wrought with toxicity.”

“It was an incredibly sad time to see that people who were just doing their jobs, running elections … it was very unfair what happened to the people who were involved, some who were driven from working in elections because of the lies,” Gates said.

Gates said he was frustrated that some of the cries of election fraud came from people he had relationships with for long periods of time.

“It challenged my faith in humankind and certain individuals, quite frankly, who I knew for a long time,” Gates said. “I never expected that out of them and I believe that a lot of them never believed it and still don’t believe it.”

Bill Gates hopeful for future of Maricopa County Board of Supervisors

Gates said his tenure had “a lot of highs and a lot of lows” but expects a lot out of the new group of supervisors.

Republicans Debbie Lesko, Kate Brophy McGee and Mark Stewart have joined fellow Republican Thomas Galvin and the lone Democrat, Steve Gallardo, on the five-member board.

For Gates, it’ll be the first time he won’t be in an elected office since June 2009.

“The county is in good hands and I’m wishing the best for those who continue to serve,” Gates said.

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