Journalists’ Roundtable: 11-20-20: Gov. Ducey’s response

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Governor Ducey this week addressed Arizona’s recent surge of COVID-19 cases. The governor was also asked about continued claims of fraud in the state’s election count. Those are the topics of conversations in this week’s Journalists’ Roundtable, with Laurie Roberts of The Arizona Republic and Howie Fischer from Capitol Media Services.

This week’s Journalists’ Roundtable covered:

  • Governor Addresses Covid Surge
  • Governor Addresses Election Claims
  • GOP Election Suit

Governor Addresses Covid Surge

Laurie Roberts: “He just cannot bring himself to require masks in the state. He relies on the fact that we have these mask mandates and what he says is 90% of the state. One would think that they work as well as he says that they work that he would make it 100%, but he just will not go there. He also set up testing stations at the airport for visitors coming into town; however, they’re not mandatory. You don’t have to get a test, you don’t have to quarantine, you don’t have to do anything… just wash your hands, please.”

Laurie Roberts: “[Gov. Ducey] cast it as there are two camps of people in this state. There are people who want to lock everything down, and there are the people this thing is a hoax. Well, I think that’s not correct, I think there’s a third group of people here, and it’s most of the state, that certainly believe this is a real thing… that’s why we’re suggesting that the governor show some leadership and do some things to try to slow the spread of this thing, so we don’t go there.”

Governor Addresses Election Claims

Howie Fischer: “So the question is if, in fact: you are a lame duck if you have nothing to lose, why not take these steps. What’s with the caution here? And I realize, as Bob Robb has said, he is an inbox governor, he is presented with something, and he deals with it to the minimum extent possible, but here’s the time for some bold action, and a lot of people are waiting for it.”

GOP Election Suit

Howie Fischer: “Everybody’s heard of something… we’ve even had senate president Karen Fann, who’s generally been one of those saner voices in the capitol, opening up a website where people could file complaints. It’s just fueling the fire here — it’s just like SharpieGate, ‘Well, it didn’t happen to me, but I heard it happen. I’ve heard that somehow that all these votes for Donald Trump weren’t counted.’ Everybody’s heard something, but when they finally have a chance to prove it in court, the court cases disappear.”

Howie Fischer says there are fail-safes in place, such as random hand counts and logic and accuracy tests, to check for inconsistencies, none of which have presented evidence of tampering.

Laurie Roberts, The Arizona Republic; Howie Fischer, Capitol Media Services

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