'Insulting' GOP bill would let Arizona lawmakers throw out presidential election results

As Republican lawmakers in Arizona introduce a number of proposed eletion bills, one piece of legislation has sparked outrage among Democratic lawmakers.

According to 12News, the Republican-backed bill proposing changes to the state's election laws is facing sharp opposition despite lawmakers' claims about preserving "election integrity."

The bill, authored by Republican State Rep. Shawnna Bolick, would grant lawmakers the power to remove Arizona's electors tasked with the responsibility of selecting the next president. The passing of this type of bill would revoke voters' rights to select Arizona's 11 electors.

The verbiage within the bill reads, "the Legislature...by majority vote at any time before the presidential inauguration may revoke the secretary of state's issuance or certification of a presidential elector's certificate of election."

Democratic lawmakers in Arizona are slamming the proposed bill. On Friday, Feb. 5, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (D) shared her opinion of the bill as she criticized Republicans' governing tactics.

"It is a punch in the face to voters," Hobbs said, adding, "These folks that are trying to legislate based on disinformation, they are insulting the same voters who sent them into office."

Another bill relating to election laws was also proposed by Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, (R-Chandler). "A lot of people — and by a lot, I mean hundreds of thousands of people — think the election was fraudulent," Mesnard said to the Senate Government Committee as he introduced the bill, according to AZ Central.

Although Mesnard insists the bill is influenced by the outcome of the 2020 presidential elections which many Trump supporters believe was rigged, Sen. Martín Quezada (D-Glendale) argued a different perspective.

Quezada said, "The way to fix those concerns is not to run bills like this, it's to tell people the truth."

Republican lawmakers' efforts come as the 2020 presidential election brought surprising changes to the state of Arizona. For the first time since 1996, voters turned the state blue in the presidential election and served as a catalyst for President Joe Biden's electoral victory.