![\"\"](\"https:\/\/zh-prod-1cc738ca-7d3b-4a72-b792-20bd8d8fa069.storage.googleapis.com\/s3fs-public\/styles\/inline_image_mobile\/public\/inline-images\/maricopa-county-phoenix-arizona-700x420.jpg?itok=sg5jR4P5\")
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason ruled that subpoenas issued by Arizona\u2019s state Senate are valid and should be enforced, and he disputed arguments from Maricopa County officials saying the subpoenas are unlawful. The county previously stated that multiple audits have been sufficient and said ballots should be sealed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Court finds that the subpoenas are legal and enforceable<\/strong>,\u201d Thomason\u00a0wrote (pdf)<\/a>\u00a0in his ruling. \u201cThere is no question that the Senators have the power to issue legislative subpoenas. The subpoenas comply with the statutory requirements for legislative subpoenas. The Senate also has broad constitutional power to oversee elections.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n He argued that the \u201cArizona legislature clearly has the power to investigate and examine election reform matters,\u201d adding that senators can \u201csubpoena material as part of an inquiry into election reform measures.\u201d<\/p>\n The move was hailed by Republican legislators in Arizona.<\/p>\n Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, a Republican, told news outlets after the judge\u2019s ruling that their move was \u201cnever about overturning the election, it was about the integrity of the Arizona election system.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis was always about voter integrity and the integrity of the voting system itself,\u201d Fann added.<\/p>\n State Sen. Warren Petersen, a Republican, confirmed that the Senate will go through with a \u201cforensic audit\u201d of Maricopa\u2019s Nov. 3 election results. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, saw more than 2.1 million people vote during the last election.<\/p>\n