Florida man catches COVID, delaying $6M Arizona vote “audit”

Enlarge / Contractors working for Cyber Ninjas, who was hired by the Arizona State Senate, examine and recount ballots from the 2020 general election at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 1, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Maricopa County ballot recount comes after two election audits found no evidence of widespread fraud. (credit: Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images)

In a development that's sure to fan the flames of a thousand conspiracy theories, a report from the presidential election audit" in Arizona has been delayed because COVID-19 has swept through the private company running the show.

The team expected to have the full draft ready for the Senate today, but unfortunately, Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan and two other members of the five-person audit team have tested positive for COVID-19 and are quite sick," Arizona Senate President Karen Fann said in a statement. It's not clear whether any of the people were vaccinated against the virus.

Though state Republicans launched the spectacle, politicians from both parties have panned the so-called audit. Election experts have called the exercise deeply reprehensible," saying that it more closely resembles a clown show" than an audit. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, all but one of whom are Republicans, said in a letter, Your auditors' are in way over their heads."

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