New Mexico GOP Accuses Secretary of State of Withholding Election Records From Trump

Tom Ozimek
By Tom Ozimek
January 1, 20212020 Election
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New Mexico GOP Accuses Secretary of State of Withholding Election Records From Trump
Balloons fly past the New Mexico state flag on Oct. 9, 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images for Lumix)

The New Mexico Republican Party is accusing the state’s Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver of “partisan political games” by intentionally delaying the release of election records requested by President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Trump’s legal team on Dec. 17 filed an Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) request with the New Mexico Secretary of State, asking for information related to Dominion Voting Systems contractors who may have had access to these voting machines during the 2020 election. The request relates to so-called “one day contractors” reportedly used by Dominion in some New Mexico precincts, with the New Mexico GOP saying in a statement that a poll watcher has testified that “Dominion had three contractors who had unfettered access to restricted areas.”

The GOP alleged in a Dec. 31 press release that Toulouse Oliver had committed to turning over the records by Dec. 30, but later notified Trump’s attorneys that her office was changing the response date to Jan. 14, eight days after Congress meets for a joint session to certify Electoral College votes.

“The Secretary of State’s move is a deliberate effort to keep any evidence of potential issues from the Trump Campaign until after Congress certifies the Electoral College vote on January 6,” New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce said in the release.

Accusing Toulouse Oliver of playing “partisan political games,” the GOP said she has a legal obligation to provide the election operation records and that she is stalling in providing them “because they are evidence that can be used by Trump.”

“Again, the Secretary of State is partisan and defiant in refusing to uphold and oversee election integrity. She just makes up her rules. There’s no transparency of government here,” Pearce said.

The Epoch Times reached out to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office for comment, but did not receive a reply by publication.

The Trump campaign on Dec. 14 filed a contest-of-election lawsuit in New Mexico, challenging the state’s use of ballot drop boxes, alleging that the Secretary of State violated state election laws by allowing voters to return their absentee ballots in drop boxes placed outside polling locations instead of handing their ballot to a presiding election judge. The campaign asked the court to delay the certification of New Mexico’s election results or, alternatively, to order the New Mexico legislature to appoint the electors.

New Mexico’s certified Democrat electors on Dec. 14 cast their votes for former vice president Joe Biden.

Since Election Day, Trump and third-party groups have pursued legal challenges to the outcome of the election across multiple states. None of the efforts have so far borne fruit.

From The Epoch Times

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