Recorder Stephen Richer is skeptical of audit results from Cyber Ninjas

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer is confident that votes in the 2020 Presidential Election were counted correctly, despite reports of discrepancies in the count found during a nearly three-month audit approved by the Arizona Senate.

Richer said he was not opposed to an audit but was skeptical of the results from the group chosen to perform it, Cyber Ninjas.

“We stand by our count,” Richer told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mike Broomhead Show on Wednesday.

“This is the same group that shot a conspiracy-theory film called “Deep Rig”, while performing the audit and the CEO of the Cyber Ninjas appeared in that movie and said the whole election was stolen,” Richer said.

“This company had no experience in elections, none, zero, zip.”

On Tuesday, Arizona Senate President Karen Fann said that the audit showed different results than the ones reported by the county.

On Wednesday, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to remove the machines examined by the Cyber Ninjas for fear of tampering.

“The Secretary of State and Department of Homeland Security told us they would not certify these machines for future use,” Richer said.

“A broad percentage of the Arizona public would not have confidence in these machines after the Cyber Ninjas returned them.”

The expected cost of replacement machines has been estimated at $2.9 million.

Richer said that he is confident new systems will be in place for local elections in November.

“Costs get passed on to the taxpayers. They don’t get absorbed by magical unicorns so whether its the county or the state, ultimately it’s the tax payers and that’s hugely unfortunate,” Richer said.

As for the results found by the Cyber Ninjas, Richer said he will examine the results with “an impartial mind.”

“I’m not optimistic but I am hopeful,” Richer said.

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