The Arizona Department of Public Safety opened an investigation into a suspicious substance sent to Republican state Senate President Karen Fann, who ordered a controversial audit of the 2020 election results in Maricopa County.
An aide in Fann’s office opened a letter Wednesday afternoon that appeared to include a “small amount of substance.”
ARIZONA SECRETARY OF STATE THREATENS TO DECERTIFY EQUIPMENT EXAMINED BY 2020 ELECTION AUDITORS
“The package was secured by the DPS Hazardous Materials Response Unit and submitted to the DPS Crime Lab,” DPS spokesman Bart Graves said in a statement, noting an investigation has been launched.
Senate GOP spokesman Mike Philipsen said the unit responded to the Senate around 6:30 p.m. to test the substance, and results came back negative. It’s unclear what substance was tested by investigators.
“The personal attacks on [Fann] by some media and others is truly disturbing. If you don’t agree with the policy, disagree with it, but no need to attack her personally,” Republican Sen. Warren Petersen tweeted Wednesday night. “Now this. Today someone sent an unidentified white powder to her office. Not OK folks. DPS is investigating.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTONÂ EXAMINER
The audit of the 2020 election results in Maricopa County, being led by private firm Cyber Ninjas, is set to ramp back up after a weeklong pause.
The audit is not meant to overturn the contest results, although former President Donald Trump has touted how he believes it will show “massive” election fraud. Fann has insisted that the audit is meant to restore trust in the system and influence potential changes to the law.
Democrats, including Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, and some Republicans have criticized the audit and pointed to the results from two previous audits, conducted for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, that showed no irregularities in the county’s 2020 election.
