Grand Canyon Times

State Rep. Bret Roberts (R-Maricopa) is calling out House Speaker Rusty Bowers (R-Mesa) for a Friday news release saying the state’s electoral votes could not be awarded to Donald Trump by the legislature. 

In the letter, Bowers said the Trump campaign had made allegations of wrongdoing but were unable to back them up with evidence. 

“This week, Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and others representing President Donald Trump came to Arizona with a breathtaking request: that the Arizona Legislature overturn the certified results of last month’s election and deliver the state’s electoral college votes to President Trump. The rule of law forbids us to do that,” Bowers said in a press release. 

Roberts said he wholeheartedly disagrees with Bowers. 

“I'm sorry but I have to respectfully disagree. Several members attended a zoom meeting last evening with Constitutional Scholar Rob Natelson of approximately 30 yrs who refuted pretty much everything in this press release,” Roberts said in a tweet. 

Bowers said such an action would run counter to state law. 

“Our state’s canvass was completed on Monday, and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris received the most votes, so those are the candidates whom the state’s presidential electors must vote for.  Nothing in the U.S. Constitution or the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court even suggests that the Arizona Legislature could retroactively appoint different electors who would cast their ballots for 2 different candidates,” 

Roberts and Bowers have been at cross purposes post-election.

Roberts accused Bowers of trying to get him to not send a letter regarding alleged irregularities in Maricopa County. 

“Republican House Speaker Rusty Bowers called me into his office and made it very clear he was opposed to me releasing my letter calling on election officials to abide by existing state law in conducting a hand count of the ballots. I am not sure what the Speaker’s motives are, but it was disappointing that the Speaker would try and stop our effort to protect the integrity of our elections,” Roberts said at the time.