FBI Subpoenas Arizona Senate's 2020 Election Audit Records

Republican Senate President says federal grand jury issued subpoena for Maricopa County audit documents.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A federal grand jury has issued a subpoena for records related to the Arizona state Senate's audit of the 2020 election results in Maricopa County, a Democratic stronghold that former President Donald Trump lost, contributing to his overall defeat in the state. Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, confirmed that he complied with the subpoena last week, indicating the Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into the 2020 election.

Why it matters

The subpoena suggests the FBI and Department of Justice are intensifying their scrutiny of the 2020 election, including much-debunked allegations by Trump and his supporters that he was cheated out of victory due to widespread voter fraud. Maricopa County, like Fulton County, Georgia, was a focus of Trump's claims that he was unfairly denied re-election.

The details

Senate President Warren Petersen, a Republican, revealed on social media that he received a subpoena last week from a federal grand jury for records related to the Arizona state Senate's audit of the 2020 election results in Maricopa County. Petersen said he complied with the subpoena, indicating the Department of Justice has expanded its investigation into the 2020 election.

  • On March 9, 2026, Senate President Warren Petersen announced he received a federal grand jury subpoena for records related to the Arizona Senate's 2020 election audit in Maricopa County.
  • In February 2026, the FBI raided an election facility in Fulton County, Georgia and seized ballots from the 2020 election.

The players

Warren Petersen

The Republican president of the Arizona state Senate who received a federal grand jury subpoena for records related to the 2020 election audit in Maricopa County.

Donald Trump

The former president who has long claimed he was cheated out of victory in the 2020 election, including making unsubstantiated allegations of widespread voter fraud.

Joe Biden

The current president who defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 election, in part by winning the key swing states of Arizona and Georgia.

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What they’re saying

“Great!!! FBI secretly seizes election records from Arizona's largest county as voting probe expands.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

What’s next

The judge overseeing the federal grand jury investigation will likely make a decision in the coming weeks on whether to allow the release of the Arizona Senate's 2020 election audit records to federal authorities.

The takeaway

This subpoena is the latest sign that the Department of Justice is intensifying its scrutiny of the 2020 election, including unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, as part of a broader investigation into the integrity of the electoral process.