An Arizona judge pressed pause on a longshot effort to recount presidential election votes in the state’s largest county, but there’s a catch: Democrats must pay $1 million to compensate a cybersecurity firm hired by Republicans. Christopher Coury, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge, ruled that Democrats must compensate Cyber Ninjas work already done recounting the county’s 2.1 million votes in order for the stay to go into effect. Arizona Democrats said Friday they would not pay and would challenge the order. No substantive evidence has emerged to back up Republican claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, despite numerous investigations, recounts, and lawsuits across the country. Even the Maricopa Board of Supervisors, controlled by Republicans, has objected to the party’s effort.
