From today’s CNN News :
A federal judge in Arizona imposed new restrictions against a right-wing group after voters complained about aggressive patrols of ballot drop boxes in the state.
The judge blocked members of the group, Clean Elections USA, from openly carrying guns or wearing body armor within 250 feet of drop boxes. The judge also banned members from speaking to or yelling at voters who are dropping off their ballots. The group is additionally banned under the order from photographing or filming any voters at the drop boxes or from posting similar images online – which they’ve done in recent weeks.
The ruling is a partial win for the civic organizations and liberal groups that sued Clean Elections USA, which has falsely asserted that the 2020 election was rigged and claims its drop box stakeouts are needed to prevent massive voter fraud in the 2022 midterms.
The ruling comes at a moment of rising concerns about violence at the polls.
Federal Judge Michael Liburdi, a Trump appointee, convened a lengthy hearing on Tuesday, which featured testimony from at least one voter who described the harassment he and his wife faced while casting their ballots at a drop box in Mesa.
The parties in the lawsuit agreed to some of the terms that ended up in Liburdi’s order. But for some key provisions, specifically about filming and doxing voters, Liburdi imposed limits against Clean Elections USA that its lawyers argued were unnecessary.
Read the complete story here.