Judge Calls Temporary Halt To Arizona Election Audit

UPDATE: Arizona Democrats won't put up a $1 million bond required to halt an audit of Maricopa County's 2020 election. As a result, a judge's order to halt the audit won't be enforced. A lawyer for the Democrats says the bond is too risky.

ORIGINAL STORY:

An Arizona judge is calling a halt to an audit of 2020 election results from the state’s largest county.

Maricopa County Superior Court judge Christopher Coury ruled Friday that the audit must stop between 5 p.m. Friday and noon Monday as long as the state Democratic party puts up a $1 million bond to cover potential higher costs. The audit includes a hand recount of 2.1 million ballots. It's being conducted on behalf of Republicans in the state Senate, who hired a cyber security firm run by a man who has shared unfounded allegations of election fraud. A lawyer for the Senate indicated he plans an immediate appeal.