Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap filed a lawsuit Monday after sheriff’s deputies arrived at the houses of many Recorder’s Office employees and informed them they were under criminal investigation.
Heap filed an emergency motion asking the court to intervene, order the return of the disputed equipment, halt further retaliatory actions against Recorder's Office personnel, and ensure compliance with the court’s prior orders before the 2026 Primary Election.
According to a statement from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, as votes were being tabulated in the Tempe Jurisdictional Election about 1:30 p.m. March, a Maricopa County Recorder’s Office chief information officer and another employee were seen removing a piece of equipment from the Maricopa County Election and Tabulation Center via closed circuit security cameras.
