Overview
- A late‑night video posted by the far‑right group We the People AZ Alliance showed two election workers inside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center and was first circulated online from an Oct. 7 livestream.
- Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap’s staff referred the clip to the FBI after being contacted by Shelby Busch, and the FBI in turn referred the matter to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for review.
- State investigators concluded there was no evidence the workers were unauthorized or acting outside their duties and the FBI and county attorney’s reviews were closed without finding wrongdoing.
- County officials say the employees were performing authorized software updates on an isolated ballot‑duplication terminal that is not connected to the internet or tabulators and that USB use for uploads is allowed under state rules.
- Tension remains between Recorder Heap and the Board of Supervisors over the decision to involve federal authorities, and officials warn the viral post has risked doxxing and harmed public confidence in election workers ahead of the election.