Appeals court rules in favor of Arizona GOP, reverses $27,000 sanctions in 2020 election case

The Arizona Republican Party successfully overturned a lower court decision that sanctioned them $27,000 for their legal challenge to the Maricopa County election results in the 2020 election. The party had originally sued the county, contesting the hand-count audit process. The lawsuit was ruled to be meritless in 2021, with the state GOP ordered to pay $18,000 in legal fees. An appeals court later upheld the decision, adding an additional $9,000 in sanctions. However, the Arizona Supreme Court recently reversed these sanctions, stating that the claim was not groundless and praising the GOP for raising legitimate questions about election laws. The party welcomed the court’s decision, emphasizing their right to ensure the integrity of election laws. President Joe Biden narrowly won Arizona in 2020, marking the first time a Democrat had done so since Bill Clinton in 1996.