Gov. Katie Hobbs says it’s time to move on from investigation into Arizona’s 2020 election

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs emphasized that it is time to move on from the state’s 2020 election after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security renewed the investigation into President Donald Trump’s loss almost six years ago.

“I go around the state, I talk to folks who are struggling with rising costs. We’re looking at higher gas prices now. And instead of fixing those things, the president is focused on an election that was five and a half years ago,” Hobbs told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos on Thursday.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office confirmed Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security is looking into the state’s 2020 election. In addition, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said Monday that he recently complied with a subpoena for records related to the Cyber Ninjas-led audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County.

“(It) has been litigated over and over again, … (it) has been investigated over and over again, reviewed over and over again. … And every single time we found out what we already knew, that Donald Trump lost the election and we need to move forward,” Hobbs said. “Arizonans are tired of this.”

The governor added that she is concerned about the playbook of conspiracy theories being used to sow doubt, undermine confidence, suppress voter turnout and justify attacking results that politicians don’t like.

“We are not going to stand for it. I defended our elections in 2020. I’ve continued to since then,” Hobbs said. “We are gearing up. We are going to make sure that we have a secure, safe, fair election and that eligible Arizonans can participate.”

Hobbs also criticized the fact that Homeland Security Investigations is being used for the probe.

“Homeland Security Investigations … is supposed to be focused on homeland security like cartel activity, drug smuggling, human trafficking,” Hobbs said. “The fact that now they’re spending their time doing this other job, means they’re not going after the cartels and the terrorists and the smugglers. We should all be concerned about that.”

Gov. Katie Hobbs emphasizes that Arizona elections are secure

The governor reassured voters that elections in the Grand Canyon State are safe, secure and well administered by officials at every level, adding they don’t need to be overhauled like U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs suggests they do.

Biggs is one of the candidates in the upcoming GOP gubernatorial primary on July 21. The winner of will likely compete against Hobbs in the Nov. 3 general election.

“Arizonans don’t need to be concerned that there’s a problem in our elections,” Hobbs said. “And I will tell you, I think that this is someone who is not just an election denier, but maybe the chief election denier. He had a role in planning Jan. 6. He begged for a pardon after that. He defied congressional subpoenas about his role in that.

“And it shouldn’t be a question why Trump wants him in the governor’s office of a swing state during the next presidential election.”

The governor also said that while she can agree with the proof of citizenship portion of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, she finds the rest of it to be federal overreach.

“Elections are administered at the state and local level for a reason,” Hobbs said. “The 15 county recorders of our state are tasked with verifying voter eligibility, maintaining voter rolls. It’s incredible federal overreach for the federal government to want to control that. … We have things in place (and) we do a good job of voter roll maintenance.”

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