Arizona Senate Leader Hands Over 2020 Election Records to FBI

The move is the latest sign the Trump administration is pursuing claims of election fraud despite lack of evidence

Mar. 10, 2026 at 12:18am

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The Republican leader of Arizona's state Senate, Warren Petersen, said he has complied with a federal grand jury subpoena and handed over records related to the 2020 presidential election to the FBI. This comes as the Trump administration continues to investigate unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, even though multiple audits and investigations have found no evidence to support those claims.

Why it matters

The ongoing federal probe into the 2020 election results in key battleground states like Arizona highlights the Trump administration's persistent efforts to undermine confidence in the electoral process, despite a lack of credible evidence of significant fraud. This raises concerns about the potential politicization of federal law enforcement and the erosion of democratic norms.

The details

Petersen said he complied "late last week" with the subpoena for records related to a controversial audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that was ordered by Republican state lawmakers. This audit, conducted by the firm Cyber Ninjas, ultimately found that Biden received 360 more votes than the certified results, contradicting Trump's false claims of a stolen election. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, criticized Petersen for "spreading false stories of election fraud" and accused the Trump administration of "weaponizing federal law enforcement" to pursue "crackpots and lies."

  • In January 2023, the FBI seized ballots and other records from Georgia's Fulton County after obtaining a search warrant.
  • In March 2026, Senate President Warren Petersen complied with a federal grand jury subpoena and handed over 2020 election records to the FBI.

The players

Warren Petersen

The Republican leader of Arizona's state Senate who complied with a federal grand jury subpoena and handed over 2020 election records to the FBI.

Kris Mayes

The Democratic Attorney General of Arizona who issued a scathing statement criticizing Petersen for spreading false claims of election fraud.

Donald Trump

The former president who has persistently made false claims about the 2020 election being "stolen" from him.

Joe Biden

The Democratic candidate who won the 2020 presidential election, including in the battleground state of Arizona.

Cyber Ninjas

The firm hired by Republican lawmakers in Arizona to conduct a controversial audit of the 2020 election, which ultimately found that Biden received more votes than the certified results.

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What they’re saying

“Warren Petersen knows all of this. He has known it for years. He spread false stories of election fraud in 2020, and he remains an unrepentant election denier.”

— Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General

What’s next

The FBI's investigation into the 2020 election records from Arizona is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what, if any, evidence of wrongdoing the agency will uncover. The Justice Department's efforts to obtain detailed voter data from states have also faced legal challenges, raising concerns about privacy and potential voter suppression.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's continued pursuit of unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, even after multiple audits and investigations have found no evidence to support those claims, raises serious concerns about the politicization of federal law enforcement and the erosion of democratic norms. This case highlights the need for a nonpartisan, fact-based approach to election integrity that upholds the will of the voters.