Arizona

‘Kill them’: Arizona election workers face midterm threats

Published

2 years ago

November 6, 2022

‘Kill them’: Arizona election workers face midterm threats

Nov 6 (Reuters) – Election employees in Arizona’s most fiercely contested county confronted greater than 100 violent threats and intimidating communications within the run-up to Tuesday’s midterms, most of them primarily based on election conspiracy theories promoted by former President Donald Trump and his allies.

The harassment in Maricopa County included menacing emails and social media posts, threats to flow into private info on-line and photographing workers arriving at work, based on almost 1,600 pages of paperwork obtained by Reuters by way of a public data request for safety data and correspondence associated to threats and harassments towards election employees.

Between July 11 and Aug. 22, the county election workplace documented at the least 140 threats and different hostile communications, the data present. “You’ll all be executed,” mentioned one. “Wire round their limbs and tied & dragged by a automotive,” wrote one other.

The paperwork reveal the implications of election conspiracy theories as voters nominated candidates in August to compete within the midterms. Most of the threats in Maricopa County, which helped propel President Joe Biden to victory over Trump in 2020, cited debunked claims round pretend ballots, rigged voting machines and corrupt election officers.

Different jurisdictions nationwide have seen threats and harassment this 12 months by the previous president’s supporters and distinguished Republican figures who query the legitimacy of the 2020 election, based on interviews with Republican and Democratic election officers in 10 states.

The threats come at a time of rising concern over the chance of political violence, highlighted by the Oct. 28 assault on Democratic Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband by a person who embraced right-wing conspiracy theories.

In Maricopa, a county of 4.5 million individuals that features Phoenix, the harassment unnerved some election employees, based on beforehand unreported incidents documented within the emails and interviews with county officers.

Plenty of momentary employees give up after being accosted exterior the principle ballot-counting middle following the Aug. 2 major, Stephen Richer, the county recorder who helps oversee Maricopa’s elections, mentioned in an interview. One momentary worker broke down in tears after a stranger photographed her, based on an electronic mail from Richer to county officers. The unidentified employee left work early and by no means returned.

She wasn’t a political particular person, she instructed Richer. She simply needed a job.

On Aug. 3, strangers in tactical gear calling themselves “First Modification Auditors” circled the elections division constructing, pointing cameras at workers and their automobile license plates. The individuals vowed to proceed the surveillance by way of the midterms, based on an Aug. 4 electronic mail from Scott Jarrett, Maricopa’s elections director, to county officers.

“It feels very very like predatory habits and that we’re being stalked,” wrote Jarrett.

ATTACKS PERSISTED

For the reason that 2020 election,Reuters has documentedmore than 1,000 intimidating messages to election officers throughout the nation, together with greater than 120 that would warrant prosecution, based on authorized specialists.

Many officers mentioned that they had hoped the harassment would wane over time after the 2020 outcomes have been confirmed. However the assaults have endured, fueled in lots of circumstances by right-wing media figures and teams that proceed with out proof to forged election officers as complicit in an unlimited conspiracy by China, Democratic officers and voting gear producers to rob Trump of a second presidential time period.

In April, native election officers in Arizona participated in a drill simulating violence at a polling web site by which a number of individuals have been killed, based on an April 26 electronic mail from Lisa Marra, the president of the Election Officers of Arizona, which represents election directors from the state’s 15 counties. The drill aimed to assist officers put together for Election Day violence, and left individuals “understandably, disturbed” mentioned the e-mail to greater than a dozen native election administrators.

In a press release, Marra mentioned: “This is only one different device we are able to use to make sure election security for all.”

Maricopa officers appeared at instances overwhelmed by threatening posts on social media and right-wing message boards calling for employees to be executed or hung. Some messages sought officers’ house addresses, together with one which promised “late evening visits.” Staff have been filmed arriving and leaving work, based on emails amongst county officers.

Two days after the Aug. 2 major election, the county’s info safety officer emailed the FBI pleading for assist.

“I recognize the constraints of what the FBI can do, however I simply need to underline this,” wrote Michael Moore, info safety officer for the Maricopa County Recorder’s Workplace. “Our employees is being intimidated and threatened,” he added. “We’re going to proceed to seek out it increasingly troublesome to get the job executed when nobody desires to work for elections.”

A particular agent for the FBI acknowledged the company’s limitations, based on the emails. “As you place it, we’re restricted in what we are able to do – we solely examine violations of federal legislation,” the FBI agent responded in an Aug. 4 electronic mail. Reporting threats to native legislation enforcement is ”the one factor I can counsel,” the agent wrote, “even when at this level it has not resulted in any motion.”

The FBI declined to touch upon the agent’s response to Moore. It additionally declined to substantiate or deny the existence of ongoing investigations into the threats.

Moore didn’t reply to requests for remark, however Richer, his boss, mentioned in a press release that he significantly appreciated the FBI’s partnership and vigilance. “That is an inherently emotional matter – communications of essentially the most vile nature have been repeatedly despatched to my staff,” the assertion mentioned.

One nameless sender utilizing the privacy-protective electronic mail service ProtonMail despatched “harassing emails” for nearly a 12 months, Moore, wrote in an Aug. 4 electronic mail to the FBI. One message warned Richer that he’d be “hung as a traitor.”

“I’d prefer to have a black and white poster in my workplace of you hanging from the tip of a rope,” the sender wrote.

The harassment and threats have been affecting the psychological well being of election employees, Jarrett wrote in his Aug. 4 memo. “If our everlasting and momentary employees don’t really feel secure, we won’t be able (to) recruit and retain employees for upcoming elections.”

In all, county officers referred at the least 100 messages and social media posts to FBI and state counter-terrorism officers. Reuters discovered no proof within the correspondence that officers noticed any of the messages as breaching the expansive definition of constitutionally protected free speech and crossing into the territory of a prosecutable menace.

The U.S. Justice Division declined to touch upon particular ongoing investigations however mentioned it has opened dozens of circumstances nationwide involving threats to election employees. Eight individuals face federal expenses for threats, together with two who focused Maricopa County officers.

DOJ spokesperson Joshua Stueve mentioned that whereas the “overwhelming majority” of complaints the company receives “don’t embrace a menace of illegal violence,” he mentioned the messages are “usually hostile, harassing, and abusive” in the direction of election officers and their employees. “They deserve higher,” Stueve mentioned.

ONLINE INSPIRATION

Misinformation on right-wing web sites and social media fueled a lot of the hostility in the direction of election employees, based on the interior messages amongst Maricopa officers.

On July 31, the Gateway Pundit, a pro-Trump web site with a historical past of publishing false tales, reported {that a} Maricopa County election official allowed a employees technician to achieve unauthorized entry to a pc server room, the place he deleted 2020 election knowledge that was set to be audited. The web site revealed the names and pictures of the official and the tech; readers responded with threats towards each.

“Till we begin hanging these evil doers nothing will change,” one reader wrote within the Gateway Pundit’s remark part. One other recommended dying for the pc tech recognized within the story: “hold that criminal from (the) closest tree so individuals can see what occurs to traitors.”

The tech hadn’t deleted something, based on a Maricopa spokesperson. The county election director had instructed him to close down the server for supply to the Arizona State Senate in response to a subpoena. A evaluation of server data confirmed nothing was deleted, the spokesperson instructed Reuters, and all knowledge from the 2020 election had been archived and preserved months earlier.

Election workers singled out in Gateway Pundit tales “are likely to see a surge in being focused” for threats and harassing messages, Moore, the county’s info safety officer, mentioned in a Nov. 18, 2021, electronic mail to the FBI. These tales, he added, are sometimes “flagrantly inaccurate.” A Reuters investigationpublished final December discovered the Gateway Pundit cited in additional than 100 threatening and hostile communications directed at 25 election employees within the 12 months after the 2020 election.

Different right-wing information shops and commentators elicited comparable hostile feedback in response to their allegations towards Maricopa officers. In August, right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk posted a remark in Telegram accusing Richer, the county recorder, and “his cronies” of constructing Arizona’s elections “a Third-World circus.”

“When will we begin hanging these individuals for treason?” one reader commented. One other merely added, “Kill them.”

The Gateway Pundit and Kirk didn’t reply to requests for remark.

After a safety evaluation by the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety in late 2021, Maricopa strengthened doorways, added shatterproof movie on home windows and acquired extra first help kits, based on the paperwork.

However the harassment has continued.

“This goes past simply onsite safety. It’s a psychological well being subject,” Jarrett, the county elections director, wrote in an electronic mail to county officers two days after the first.

“I very a lot respect freedom of speech and welcome public scrutiny,” Jarrett added. “Nevertheless, permitting this predatory exercise to happen is damaging and threatening the viability of the elections division.”

Reporting by Linda So, Peter Eisler and Jason Szep; Modifying by Suzanne Goldenberg

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Rules.

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Arizona

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/Arizona State

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. – What does the EA Sports College Football 25 video game believe will happen in the BYU/Arizona State game?

We simulated the matchup to find out.

No controller was used in the simulation. The computer handled it all.

Simulating BYU/Arizona State on EA Sports College Football 25

Before firing up the simulation, I edited the depth charts for both teams based on what we could see on Saturday afternoon inside Mountain America Stadium.

#BYU vs. Arizona State sim on #CFB25 #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/B4rkWxq3QG
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Brayden Keim continues to be out at right tackle, with Isaiah Jatta stepping in for him. This week, I moved Keanu Hill down to the third string, with Mata’ava Ta’ase as the No. 1 and Ray Paulo as the primary backup.

I removed wide receiver Jake Smith from Arizona State because head coach Kenny Dillingham said earlier in the week that he was “questionable to doubtful.”

EA Sports College Football 25 Sim Scores for BYU football

BYU 42, Southern Illinois 39 | Actual: BYU 41, SIU 13
SMU 49, BYU 35 | Actual: BYU 18, SMU 15
BYU 28, Wyoming 17 | Actual: BYU 34, Wyoming 14
Kansas State 35, BYU 10 | Actual: BYU 38, No. 13 Kansas State 9
BYU 30, Baylor 18 | Actual: BYU 34, Baylor 28
BYU 25, Arizona 17 (2OT) | Actual: BYU 41, Arizona 19
BYU 29, Oklahoma State 12 | Actual: BYU 38, Oklahoma State 35
UCF 21, BYU 17 | Actual: BYU 37, UCF 24
BYU 28, Utah 7 (Played against Utah Insider) | Actual: BYU 22, Utah 21
Kansas 26, BYU 20 | Actual: Kansas 17, BYU 13

First Quarter

The game opened with four three-and-outs, two from each team. It was so ugly that I wondered if the sim had a glitch and needed a reset, but we pushed on watching this brutal game.

Things started to get interesting when BYU defensive tackle John Nelson forced a fumble on ASU QB Sam Leavitt. Nelson’s defensive tackle teammate, Blake Mangelson, was there to recover the fumble. That turnover set BYU’s offense up on the ASU 17-yard line.

#BYU defense comes up with a takeaway. pic.twitter.com/TMl86Ueuao
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

It gave Jake Retzlaff a red-zone opportunity. He immediately pounced as he connected with Darius Lassiter for a 16-yard reception. One play later, Hinckley Ropati found the endzone for a score to give BYU an early lead.

Ropati was in the game because LJ Martin was injured on the second drive.

BYU takes advantage of the turnover and comes away with a touchdown in their first red zone visit. pic.twitter.com/bHbrp4A5iv
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU muffed the snap on the extra point attempt, and ASU sacked Will Ferrin in the backfield.

BYU 6, Arizona State 0

Second Quarter

Arizona State star running back Cam Skattebo got going with a 41-yard run to put the Sun Devils into BYU territory. But BYU’s defense got a stop behind sacks from Tanner Wall and Logan Lutui.

Cam Skattebo pops off his first big run pic.twitter.com/rSA0889M5h
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU was then on the move, highlighted by a 40-yard pitch and catch from Retzlaff to WR Chase Roberts. The Cougars got down to the ASU 1-yard line again. But unlike the previous possession, BYU’s woes in the red zone flared up.

LJ Martin fumbled the ball at the goal line, and the Arizona State defense recovered it. There was no review up in the booth or a coach’s challenge.

Red Zone fumble pic.twitter.com/mqDwAJxlN7
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Arizona State took over from the BYU 20. The Sun Devils were held to a three-and-out and forced to punt, but the drive continued after Tanner Wall was called for a roughing the kicker penalty. That extended the drive. The Sun Devils capitalized six plays later as Sam Leavitt connected with Melquan Stovall for a 16-yard touchdown pass to put ASU in front.

BYU then responded with another offensive series with a pass-heavy attack. Retzlaff moved the team down the field and picked three third downs before stalling at the six-yard line. BYU settled for a 23-yard Ferrin field goal to go into the half with a lead.

BYU 9, Arizona State 7

Third Quarter

Between the two teams, only one possession passed the 50-yard line in the third quarter. That was BYU’s first possession. They reached the 21-yard line before allowing two sacks that put them out of field goal territory.

BYU 9, Arizona State 7

Defensive battle opens up with a big grab by Chase Roberts from Jake Retzlaff. pic.twitter.com/G4auFPZcbk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Fourth Quarter

Arizona State found some success on offense at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Leavitt connected with Jordyn Tyson for a 20-yard gain on third down. Then Skattebo broke free for a 31-yard gain to get ASU down to the BYU 32-yard line.

BYU’s defense once again answered the call and got a TFL from Tyler Batty on Skattebo for a loss of six yards. ASU attempted a 55-yard field goal, but it wasn’t close.

Retzlaff and BYU’s offense then went to work and put together a scoring drive that once again stalled in the red zone. BYU got to the 20-yard line but had two straight plays for no gain. Will Ferrin finished the drive with a 37-yard field goal.

#BYU settles for a field goal.
BYU 12, ASU 7 – 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/0RQogARFHx
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Arizona State’s offense punted with 5:21 remaining and down by five after Jonathan Kabeya nearly picked off Leavitt on third down. They didn’t get the ball again.

BYU closes it out on the ground. pic.twitter.com/nPBYyRrv1d
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU closed out the game on the ground with Hinckley Ropati and occasional carries from LJ Martin, who returned early in the fourth after leaving in the first half. Ropati got the final first down after the two-minute timeout and BYU escaped Tempe with a 12-7 victory.

Victory formation. BYU wins a defensive battle. pic.twitter.com/Oq3kBgmSGk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Score: BYU 12, Arizona State 7

No. 14 BYU vs. No. 21 Arizona State

Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024

Location: Mountain America Stadium

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MST)

TV: ESPN

Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM — Extended pregame begins at 11 a.m.)

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. It allows you to stream live radio and video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.

Follow @Mitch_Harper

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Arizona

Two Cubs Prospects Earn High Marks for Their Arizona Fall League Performance

Published

17 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Two Cubs Prospects Earn High Marks for Their Arizona Fall League Performance

The Arizona Fall League gives organizations a chance to see how some of their prospects might look when facing other stars in pipelines around the league, and for the Chicago Cubs who have a loaded farm system, this allowed them to formulate a plan for a group of their minor leaguers.

Things seem to be brewing for the Cubs this winter.

Unlike last year, they have been aggressive in the early portion of the offseason, already making trades to upgrade their bullpen by acquiring Eli Morgan, and giving themselves a solid backup catcher by landing Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels.

More moves are expected to come for Chicago, specifically regarding their starting rotation.

By adding a reliever and backstop with early trades, that allows them to hold onto some of the money they allocated to potentially get this done in free agency.

However, shipping out more talent is something they might continue to do.

Someone they could potentially look to move coming off his good showing at the Arizona Fall League is Jonathon Long.

When sharing some final thoughts on what occurred at this year’s AFL, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic gave high marks for two Cubs prospects who competed in this event, Long being one of them.

He followed up his strong Double-A season with an eye-catching performance in the Arizona Fall League by slashing 338/.425/.662 with six home runs.

Long could become an outfield option for Chicago down the line, but with other more heralded prospects who play his same position, he could be expendable as the front office searches for ways to improve their Major League roster.

The other player who received high marks shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Moises Ballesteros continues his ascent, following up his breakout performance in 2024 with a .316/.376/.557 slash line, five homers and four doubles in his 19 AFL games.

There was some thought he could be the backup catcher for the Cubs next season based on their need for offensive output at that position, but there are still questions about how he performs on the defensive end that could cause them to use him elsewhere while he continues to develop.

Still, he was impressive with the bat in his hand, prompting Lockard to state he “continues to look like a potential middle-of-the-order fixture.”

Whether it’s at designated hitter or he does become Chicago’s catcher of the future eventually, knowing he has this ability to be an elite offensive producer when he gets the call to The Show should excite the organization and fanbase.

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Arizona

Arizona State could push Big 12 title chase to final weekend

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Arizona State could push Big 12 title chase to final weekend

TEMPE, AZ (AP/AZFamily) — The Arizona State Sun Devils are set for a huge matchup this weekend when they host the BYU Cougars at Mountain America Stadium.

Saturday’s game in Tempe will have massive implications in the Big 12 Conference with multiple teams chasing a title game appearance.

A win over the 14th-ranked Cougars would massively boost title game hopes for the 21st-ranked Sun Devils. Ticket prices have been soaring for the highly anticipated conference game.

Arizona State Head Coach Kenny Dillingham joined Good Morning Arizona on Thursday to talk about the team’s expectation-busting season. Watch the full interview in the video player at the top of this page.

Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference:

Game of the week

No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) at No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2, No. 21), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

League newcomer Arizona State has a three-game winning streak and BYU is coming off its first loss. The Cougars, after losing at home to Kansas, still control their own destiny in making the Big 12 championship game. They can clinch a spot in that Dec. 7 game as early as Saturday, if they win and instate rival Utah wins at home against No. 22 Iowa State.

Arizona State was picked at the bottom of the 16-team league in the preseason media poll, but already has a five-win improvement in coach Dillingham’s second season.

The undercard

No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1, No. 16 CFP) at Kansas (4-6, 3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are in prime position to make the Big 12 title game in their return to the league after 13 seasons in the Pac-12. If BYU and Utah win, Colorado would be able to claim the other title game spot with a win over Kansas. The Buffs have a four-game winning streak.

The Jayhawks need another November win over a ranked Big 12 contender while trying to get bowl eligible for the third season in a row. Kansas has won consecutive games over Top 25 teams for the first time in school history, knocking off Iowa State before BYU.

Impact players

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 14 consecutive games, while receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both have more than 800 yards receiving. San Jose State is the only other FBS team with a pair of 800-yard receivers. Becht has 2,628 yards and 17 touchdowns passing for the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2), who are still in Big 12 contention.

Inside the numbers

Oklahoma State goes into its home finale against Texas Tech with a seven-game losing streak, its longest since a nine-game skid from 1977-78. The only longer winless streak since was an 0-10-1 season in 1991. This is Mike Gundy’s 20th season as head coach, and his longest losing streak before now was five in a row in 2005, his first season and the last time the Cowboys didn’t make a bowl game. … Baylor plays at Houston for the first time since 1995, the final Southwest Conference season. The Cougars won last year in the only meeting since to even the series 14-14-1. … Eight Big 12 teams are bowl eligible. As many as six more teams could reach six wins.

Repeating 1,000

The Big 12 already has four 1,000-yard rushers, including three who did it last season. UCF’s RJ Harvey is the league’s top rusher (1,328 yards) and top scorer with 21 touchdowns (19 rushing/two receiving). The others with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are Texas Tech career rushing leader Tahj Brooks (1,184 yards) and Kansas State’s DJ Giddens (1,128 yards). Cam Skattebo with league newcomer Arizona State has 1,074 yards.

Devin Neal, the career rushing leader at his hometown university, is 74 yards shy of being the first Kansas player with three 1,000-yard seasons. Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner needs 97 yards to reach 1,000 again.

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