AUDIO: CN2Go: Federal court hears voter intimidation case

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: CN2Go.
  • Runtime: .
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download)

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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

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I’M EMILY MAI ( go to story )

Federal judge to hear ballot box security (Autriya)

TWO LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT IN ARIZONA ASKING A FEDERAL JUDGE TO STOP RIGHT-WING GROUPS FROM INTIMIDATING VOTERS AT DROP-OFF BOXES. AN INITIAL HEARING TOOK PLACE WEDNESDAY IN A CASE FILED ON BEHALF OF THE ARIZONA ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS, AND VOTO LATINO. THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ASKING THE JUDGE FOR A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GATHERING OUTSIDE A BALLOT DROP-OFF BOX. THE OTHER LAWSUIT ADDRESSES A SIMILAR CONCERN. BOTH CASES ASSERT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN VIOLATIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND AN ACT FROM 1871 THAT PREVENTS VIGILANTE-LED INTIMIDATION. AS OF THE TAPING OF CN2GO, THE HEARING WAS ONGOING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

ELECTION SECURITY (YOORI)

HOST INTRO:
VOTER INTIMIDATION CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THIS ELECTION CYCLE. THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE SAYS THEY HAVE NOW SENT SIX CASES OF ALLEGED VOTER INTIMIDATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR INVESTIGATION. THE TWO LAWSUITS ARE TO MAKE SURE VOTERS CAN FULFILL THEIR CIVIC DUTY WITHOUT FEAR.

CRONKITE NEWS’ YOORI HAN HAS MORE ON OFFICIALS ASKING THE PUBLIC TO KEEP ELECTIONS SAFE.
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PKG TRT= 1:30 OC: THERE ARE CHECKS AND BALANCES
< SOT/ Stephen Richer/ Maricopa County Recorder/ hits: 01 – :06 >
<SOT/ Allie Bones/ AZ Asst. Secretary of State/ hits: :35 – :40 >
<SOT/ Paul Penzone/ Maricopa County Sheriff/ hits:1:05 – 1:10 >

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PHOTOS OF PEOPLE IN TACTICAL GEAR NEAR DROP OFF BALLOT SITES HAVE VOTERS WORRIED ABOUT INTIMIDATION AS THEY GO TO VOTE. BUT MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER STEPHEN( STEVEN )RICHER SAYS THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENSURE VOTER SAFETY.

< SOT/ Stephen Richer/ Maricopa County Recorder/ hits: >
“We have asked people to follow the law. We have asked people to comply with election law. We have asked people to show respect to the sheriff’s office and the county attorney’s office. And the FBI and the DOJ have the same sort of legal parameters that are placed on any other department and administration, and we would expect them to act when it’s appropriate to act when the law is not there.”
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE ALLIE BONES SAYS HER OFFICE HAS RECEIVED THREATS EVER SINCE THE 2020 ELECTION AND MORE RECENTLY THEY’VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF REPORTS OF INTIMIDATION FROM PEOPLE DROPPING OFF BALLOTS FOR THE MIDTERM ELECTION.

“We’ve been getting reports of folks who are trying to drop off their ballot at uh dropbox locations and are feeling intimidated, or that they are, you know, being watched or filmed, or even approached.”
MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF PAUL PENZONE SAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE MONDAY HE’S DEDICATING RESOURCES TO ENSURE ELECTION SAFETY BUT WANTS PEOPLE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THINK ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
<SOT/ Paul Penzone/ Maricopa County Sheriff/ hits: >
“The people who work in those offices and those polling sites out in the community are people from the community that represent all parties, all walks of life and all interests. And there are checks and balances.”

TAG

SHERIFF PENZONE SAYS RESOURCES NEEDED FOR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES ARE BEING USED TO INVESTIGATE ELECTION CONCERNS. THE SECRETARY OF STATES OFFICE SAYS THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES INCLUDING WORKERS TO ENSURE SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY DURING THE ELECTION IN EVERY COUNTY

Heat deaths (reader/Autriya)
MARICOPA COUNTY SAW A RECORD 359 HEAT-RELATED DEATHS THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO PUBLIC HEALTH STATISTICS. THIS IS 20 MORE DEATHS COMPARED TO NUMBERS IN 2021. NEARLY EIGHTY-PERCENT OF THE DEATHS HAPPENED OUTDOORS. THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED THIS YEAR WAS 115 DEGREES, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

DEATH TOLLS COULD CONTINUE TO CLIMB AS 91 MORE DEATHS ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Shipping containers update (reader/Emily)
ARIZONA WILL CONTINUE INSTALLING SHIPPING CONTAINERS ALONG GAPS IN THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER WALL IN COCHISE COUNTY DESPITE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S DEMAND TO STOP AND TAKE THEM DOWN.

THE NEW SECTION OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS IS AIMED AT A 10-MILE SECTION OF THE BORDER NEAR SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA. GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN 27-HUNDRED SHIPPING CONTAINERS TO FILL THE GAP.

THE U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION TOLD ARIZONA OFFICIALS THAT THE CONTAINERS WERE UNAUTHORIZED AND VIOLATED U.S. LAW. THEY ASKED THE STATE OF ARIZONA TO REMOVE THEM TO PREVENT CONFLICTS WITH SEVERAL FEDERAL CONTRACTORS HIRED TO FILL IN THE BORDER WALL GAPS.

DUCEY SUED IN FEDERAL COURT ON FRIDAY, ASKING A COURT TO ALLOW THE STATE TO KEEP MORE THAN 100 DOUBLE-STACKED CONTAINERS TOPPED WITH RAZOR WIRE ALREADY IN PLACE NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF YUMA.

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WE HAD HELP TODAY FROM YOORI HAN. SPECIAL THANKS FOR AUTRIYA MANESHNI WHO PRODUCED OUR SHOW . (list everyone who contributed for the show including the producer credit as well)

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YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE, BY GOING TO CRONKITENEWS-DOT-AZPBS-DOT-ORG.

THAT’S ALL FOR YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2 GO. I’M EMILY MAI .

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