Arizona plans to execute prisoners with a lethal gas the Nazis used at Auschwitz

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Arizona is taking steps to use hydrogen cyanide, the deadly gas used during the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis at Auschwitz and other extermination camps, to kill inmates on death row.

Corrections officials have refurbished a gas chamber that hasn’t been used in more than 20 years and have procured ingredients for the lethal gas, also known as Zyklon B, according to partially redacted documents obtained by the Guardian. Invoices show that the state purchased a brick of potassium cyanide, sodium hydroxide pellets and sulfuric acid, and a report details the considerable efforts taken to deem the gas chamber at a prison in Florence, Ariz., “operationally ready.”

Critics of the gas method say that in addition to hydrogen cyanide’s infamous use in the mass killings of Jewish people by the Nazis, it has produced some of the most botched, disturbing executions in the United States. Continue reading.

Arizona GOP Hires Conspiracy Theorist To Conduct Third 2020 Election ‘Audit’

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Arizona Senate President Karen Fann announced that she has hired Cyber Ninjas, a firm led by a Donald Trump supporter who was active in pushing “Stop the Steal” conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, to conduct an audit of the state’s election results.

This is the third audit to be conducted in the state as Republicans continue to push the lie that the election was stolen from Trump due to mass voter fraud — a lie that’s been debunked multiple times by the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and two previous audits of Arizona’s ballots.

Fann said the third audit will consist of a full hand recount of 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County, the most populous county in the state and formerly a Republican stronghold. Continue reading.

Judge rips Arizona GOP for ‘groundless’ lawsuit challenging Biden’s win, orders it to pay legal fees

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Calling its lawsuit challenging 2020 election procedures “groundless” and “disingenuous,” a judge has ordered the Arizona Republican Party – and its lawyers – to pay the state thousands of dollars in legal fees.  

In his ruling, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah contended the GOP’s team acted in “bad faith” when it questioned the process for auditing voting machines and sought to delay certification of election results last November. 

Instead of living up to the “privileged position in the electoral process” afforded to it by state law, Hannah said, the party sought to undermine Arizonans’ confidence in election results. Continue reading.

Kelli Ward led a push to overturn Biden’s victory. Now her own win as Arizona GOP chair is being questioned.

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Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward spent weeks relentlessly questioning the results of November’s presidential election. She emerged as a leading voice in the “Stop the Steal” movement to deny President Biden’s win, making false claimsof mass fraud.

But after Ward was narrowly reelected Saturday to her position leading the beleaguered state party, she is facing questions about the integrity of her own victory.

Sergio Arellano, a Pima County small business owner who lost to Ward by 42 votes, requested a recount of all state party races on Monday, he told The Washington Post. More than two days later, he said, Arizona state party leaders — who report to Ward — have not yet scheduled the audit, which was first reported by the Arizona Republic. Continue reading.

Sen. McCain’s Widow, Arizona Governor Shrug Off GOP Censure

Top Arizona Republican party officials are still upset with lawmakers for not objecting to presidential election results. But their criticisms are being met with yawns from their targets. 

Over the weekend, the Arizona state GOP censured three top leaders of their own party: Governor Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake and Cindy McCain – the widow of late Sen. John McCain.

The state party organization censured Sen. Flake because he did not object to the electoral votes on January 6, the same day supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol. McCain, a businesswoman, was censured for supporting what they called “leftist causes” after endorsing President Joe Biden. Continue reading.