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TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," IT'S THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE.

WE'LL LOOK AT THE WEEK'S TOP STORIES, INCLUDING "ARIZONA HORIZON" ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE KARI LAKE.

THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

IT'S FRIDAY AND THAT MEANS IT'S TIME FOR THE JOURNALISTS' ROUNDTABLE, AND JOINING US TONIGHT, MARK BRODIE OF KJZZ RADIO.

WAYNE SCHUTSKY ALSO FROM KJZZ AND MARY JO PITZL OF "THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC" AND AZCENTRAL.COM.

PANEL, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE INTERVIEW IN JUST A SECOND.

MARY JO, START WITH YOU, THIS PROP 140 BOUNCING AROUND IN THE COURT, WE GOT A FINAL DETERMINATION TODAY.

>> YES, LET THE VOTES BE COUNTED SAID THE STATE SUPREME COURT.

THAT WAS A BIG QUESTION ABOUT THE PROP 140 WHICH WOULD ESTABLISH OPEN PRIMARIES FOR ALL OF ARIZONA'S PRIMARY ELECTION.

IT'S ON THE BALLOT.

BUT WHEN THE SUPREME COURT ALLOWED IT TO BE ON THE BALLOT, THEY SAID, WELL, WE STILL RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ORDER ELECTIONS OFFICIALS TO NOT COUNT THE VOTES CAST FOR OR AGAINST IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO SORT OUT OTHER THINGS IN SUPERIOR COURT.

THAT SORTING OUT HAPPENED, THE JUDGE DETERMINED, THAT JUDGE SAID IT'S SORT OF MOOT, IT'S ON THE BALLOT.

THE DEADLINE WAS AUGUST 23 AND THE DOUBLE COUNTING THING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, SO I SAY LET IT GO, AND THE SUPREME COURT AGREED.

TED: WHAT WAS THIS WHOLE DOUBLE COUNTING THING?

WHAT WAS THE CLAIM HERE?

>> THE JUDGE AT THE LOWER COURT LEVEL GAVE A SUBSTANTIVE ORDER.

HE SAID, IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN THIS IS WHY I'M LETTING YOU SAY IT, ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS AN ARGUMENT THAT THE ACTUAL FORMULA THAT THE STATE USES TO EVALUATE SIGNATURES WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE INITIAL REVIEW RESULTS IN DOUBLE COUNTING OF INVALID SIGNATURES.

SOME MIGHT BE COUNTED TWICE AGAINST THE FOLKS TRYING TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT, AND THE JUDGE SAID THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION SAYS IF YOU GET X AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES, YOU'RE ON.

TED: THE TIMING, MARK, WAS A MAJOR FACTOR, WAS IT NOT?

>> IT WAS.

IT CAME DOWN AFTER BALLOTS HAD BEEN PRINTED, AND AS MARY JO SAID THERE, WAS A THOUGHT MAYBE THIS WAS PRINTED ON THE BALLOT, PEOPLE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR IT BUT THE VOTES WOULDN'T BE COUNTED AND WE HAD PEOPLE SAYING THAT'S UNPRECEDENTED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING AND SAY MAYBE NOT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COUNT IT.

I SPOKE WITH A COUPLE OF ATTORNEYS WHO WERE SURPRISED THAT THE COURTS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THE CASE EVEN, WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD ENOUGH VALID SIGNATURES, THEY ALLOWED THE CASE TO CONTINUE AFTER THE BALLOT DEADLINE, THAT'S THE DROP DEAD DATE FOR HAVING THE ELECTIONS CASES SORTED OUT.

>> HOW DO YOU RUN A CAMPAIGN WHEN FATE IS UNCERTAIN.

THE MAKE ELECTIONS FAIR CAMPAIGN PLOWED AHEAD AND PUT THE MESSAGE OUT THERE.

THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN TELLING VOTERS, BY THE WAY, YOUR VOTES MAY NOT COUNT.

NOW WITH THE ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS, THEY WON'T HAVE TO DO THAT AND THEY CAN HAVE MESSAGE OUT THERE AND THE REAL FIGHT CAN BEGIN OVER THE SUBSTANCE OF IT.

TED: HARD TO RAISE MONEY FOR A CAMPAIGN IF YOU ARE TOLD THE VOTES DON'T COUNT.

>> AND CHUCK COUGHLIN WHO HAS BEEN ON THE SHOW SAID IT HAS A DAMPENING EFFECT TO RAISE MONEY BUT THREW OUT NUMBERS, THEY'VE GOTTEN SUBSTANTIAL FUND-RAISING IN RECENT WEEKS FROM THE BIGGER NATIONAL GROUPS THAT ARE BACKING THEM.

TED: LAST POINT ON, THIS MARY JO, MARK CALLED IT UNPRECEDENTED.

HAVE WE SEEN THIS BEFORE WHERE, A MEASURE COULD BE ON THE BALLOT, IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR IT FINE, IT DOESN'T MATTER?

>> WELL, I MEAN FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S THE EVIDENCE THAT THE ATTORNEYS FOR MAKE ELECTIONS FAIR PRESENTED GOING BACK THROUGH LEGAL DOCUMENTS IS THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN 80 YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 80 YEARS AGO, BUT THIS IS WITHOUT PRECEDENT, AND APPARENTLY THAT PRECEDENT HAS YET TO BE SET.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, COULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN?

THE IDEA OF THIS SUCCEEDING MEANS ANYONE AND THEIR BROTHER CAN BRING A LAWSUIT LATE IN THE GAME.

THAT WOULD BE A NEW PRECEDENT, WOULD IT NOT?

>> IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE AN INTERESTING SITUATION, THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE THE DEADLINE.

NOT LIKE SOMEBODY BROUGHT IT UP AT THE 11th AND A HALF HOUR.

A CANDIDATE WILL WITHDRAW FROM A RACE AND YOU GET A NOTICE OR SIGN POSTED, THIS CANDIDATE HAS WITHDRAWN.

IF YOU VOTE FOR THEM, IT WON'T BE COUNTED, BUT NEVER AFTER -- AS MARY JO SAID, I CAN'T RECALL THERE BE SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT WHERE YOU VOTED NOT KNOWING IF YOUR VOTE WAS GOING TO COUNT OR NOT.

>> COULD THIS BE THE SUPREME COURT FINALLY TRYING TO PUT THE PRECEDENT DOWN ON PAPER.

IN THE FUTURE IF IT HAPPENS, THEY HAVE A RULING TO POINT TO.

TED: A UNANIMOUS DECISION AS MARY JO MENTIONED.

ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW WITH KARI LAKE ON "ARIZONA HORIZON" LAST NIGHT.

IT WAS ROBUST, TO PUT IT MILDLY.

WE DID IT BASICALLY BECAUSE RUBEN GALLEGO HAS NOT AGREED TO DO A DEBATE.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT.

WE DID YESTERDAY.

I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO DEEPLY INTO THIS, YOU CAN WATCH IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT THE OVERRIDING SENTIMENT AND INTEREST HERE IS KARI LAKE TRYING TO GET THAT INDEPENDENT VOTE, TRYING TO GET FOLKS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WHO DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT SHE ALIENATED SO MANY.

IS SHE ON THE RIGHT TRACK OR IS THIS GOING WHERE IT'S GOING?

>> IF YOU LOOK AT PUBLIC POLLS.

SHE WILL TELL YOU, I THINK SHE DID MENTION THAT THE INTERNAL POLLS SAY SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

IF YOU LOOK AT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE POLLS, SHE'S NOT DOING BETTER WITH INDEPENDENTS.

SORT OF THE McCAIN REPUBLICANS QUOTE, UNQUOTE ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS THAN TWO YEARS AGO IN HER RUN FOR GOVERNOR, AND I'M NO EXPERT HERE, BUT IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE SAME STUFF SHE DID TWO YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE DID NOT THAT WELL WITH THE GROUPS AND STILL SAYING THE SAME THINGS.

YOU WOULDN'T IMAGINE THE RESULT WOULD BE TERRIBLY DIFFERENT.

>> SHE'S SAY SOMETHING OF THE SAME THINGS BUT UNLIKE THE ISSUE DU JOUR, ABORTION, AS WE HEARD LAST NIGHT, SHE'S SAYING WHAT I THINK DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THIS IS NOW A STATE DECISION.

THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE IN NOVEMBER WHAT ARIZONA'S ABORTION POLICIES SHOULD BE, AND I SUPPORT LETTING THE STATES SET THEIR OWN RULES ON THIS, WHICH STILL LEAVES OUT THERE IN 2022, SHE SPOKE AND RUBEN GALLEGO'S ADS REMINDING US OF THIS ALL THE TIME, SHE THINKS ABORTION IS AN ORIGINAL SIN, IT'S TERRIBLE, AND IT'S THE MURDER OF A CHILD, AND SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO THERE.

TED: YEAH.

DID YOU SEE ANYTHING OR HEAR ANYTHING THAT WOULD HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS MAYBE ON THE FENCE SAYING, OKAY, I GET IT NOW.

I'M ON HER SIDE?

>> NOT REALLY, THE ISSUE THAT ALIENATED EVERYONE IS THE ELECTION DENIALISM WHICH YOU TRIED TO GET HER TO SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

MAYBE SHE IS MODERATING HER LANGUAGE SAYING THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTION VERSUS SCREAMING FRAUD.

SHE STAKED OUT THE SAME POSITION, THAT IS THE MAJOR ISSUE THAT ALIENATED INDEPENDENTS AND MODERATE REPUBLICANS WHO SPLIT TICKETS LAST TIME AROUND AND MIGHT DO SO AGAIN.

TED: DO YOU SUSPECT A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE, CHANGE IN PERFORMANCE, TEMPERAMENT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, SOFTENING, GETTING TOWARD THE MIDDLE OR BEHOOVE HER TO PUT PEDAL TO THE METAL AND SEE DONALD TRUMP.

>> YOU SAW SHE TRIED TO SOLIDIFY HER BASE.

THAT'S WHAT IT APPEARED TO BE DOING, SHE TOLD THE McCAIN FOLKS TO GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE RIGHT STRATEGY IS THIS TIME, BUT LAST TIME IT DIDN'T WORK, SO MAYBE A DIFFERENT -- A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

>> IT'S HARD TO DO BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IN 2022 IS STILL GOING ON, RIGHT?

I THINK MOST OF THE COURT THINGS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, BUT VOTERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH KARI LAKE.

THEY'VE BEEN HEARING FROM HER FOR 2 1/2 YEARS NOW, SO TO PIVOT MUCH REALLY WOULDN'T SEEM SINCERE.

TED: NOT SINCERE, BUT IF YOU ARE DOWN IN THE POLLS, YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING, DON'T YOU?

>> I WILL WITHHOLD MY COMMENT ON THAT.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.

AMONG THE MANY THINGS THAT WERE SAID LAST NIGHT THAT ATTACKS SHE IS STEPPING UP ATTACKS ON CONGRESSMAN GALLEGO, THE OPPONENT IN THE U.S. SENATE RACE.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS THAT HE'S -- SUGGESTING HE'S CONTROLLED BY DRUG CARTELS AND HAS A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER, WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> BASICALLY TOOK SOMETHING WITH THE KERNEL OF TRUTH THAT CONGRESSMAN GALLEGO SAID, HIS FATHER, NOT REALLY INVOLVED IN HIS LIFE WAS CONVICTED FOR DRUG DEALING AND BLEW IT OUT LIKE IT WAS A WILD CONSPIRACY CONTROLLED BY DRUG DEALERS, AND I BELIEVE THE CONGRESSMAN GAVE A STATEMENT CRITICIZING THE REMARKS SAYING HE WAS RAISED BY HIS SINGLE MOTHER, HE AND HIS SIBLINGS, THEY WORKED HARD TO MOVE PAST IT.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THE POLLS SHE'S DOWN HARD, TAKE BIG SWINGS AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

TED: AS FAR AS THE GALLEGO CRITICISM, I BELIEVE HE RESPONDED BY CALLING HER A, QUOTE, PATHETIC LOSER, THE ELBOWS ARE SHARPENING OUT THERE.

THIS IS PRETTY BIG STUFF, SUGGESTING THAT A LONG ESTRANGED FATHER HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRUGS AND APPARENTLY WAS A DRUG TRAFFICKER, THAT THAT SOMEHOW MEANS YOU COULD BE PART OF A DRUG CARTEL?

>> SINS OF THE FATHER SITUATION, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>> TO YOUR POINT, DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT OF LOVE LOST BETWEEN THE TWO.

THE ELBOWS, THAT'S PUTTING IT MILDLY.

THE ELBOWS ARE SHARP, THE TV ADS ARE SHARP, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER.

TED: THAT COULD HAVE TRACTION TRYING TO PUT RUBEN GALLEGO INTO A CAMP THAT HAS ASSOCIATION WITH SOME KIND OF NARCOTICS?

>> I MEAN, SHE'S ALREADY BEEN CRITICAL OF HIM FOR STANCE ON THE BORDER, WHICH TIES INTO THAT.

MAYBE THAT BRINGS FORTH TALKING ABOUT HIS FATHER'S CRIMINAL HISTORY SOMEHOW, REINFORCES THAT BORDER MESSAGE, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE LINES WERE DRAWN CLEARLY HERE.

WE DON'T GET A LOT OF UNDECIDES IN THAT RACE.

TED: THE DEBATE SET FOR NEXT WEEK, AND BEFORE WE GET TO THE GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE, WHICH IS VERY CONVOLUTED, DID WHAT WE SEE LAST NIGHT, WOULD WE SEE A GAME PLAN FROM KARI LAKE AS FAR AS A DEBATE NEXT WEEK?

>> I WOULD THINK SHE IS PERFECTLY FINE SAYING TO CONGRESSMAN GALLEGO'S FACE THE STUFF SHE SAID ABOUT HIM TO YOUR FACE LAST NIGHT.

I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE SURPRISED IF SOME OF THAT STUFF CAME BACK UP IN THE DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM ON THAT STAGE.

TED: YOU WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED, MARY JO?

>> I WOULD EXPECT HER TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY, INFLATION REDUCTION ACT, WHICH SHE SAID INFLATING INFLATION ACT.

I THINK HER MARKERS ARE DOWN, AND TAKE NOTE.

TED: TOOK A SPRING TRAINING EXERCISE HERE LAST NIGHT.

WILL SHE BE TALKING AND THE CONGRESSMAN, TALKING ABOUT A GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE JOINING THEM ON THE SET?

>> I'M SURE CLEAN ELECTIONS WON'T WANT THEM TO.

I'M SURE MS. LAKE WILL BRING IT UP, WHICH ESSENTIALLY, THERE IS A GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE ON THE BALLOT FOR SENATE.

HE WON THE RACE WITH A FEW HUNDRED VOTES AS A WRITE-IN CANDIDATE IN THE PRIMARY, BUT NOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE UNDER A RULE BY THE ARIZONA MEDIA ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH CLEAN ELECTIONS, YOU HAVE TO GET X AMOUNT OF VOTES IN THE PRIMARY, HE SAW WELL BELOW THE THRESHOLD AND CRITICS, GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES, EDUARDO QUINTANA AND KARI LAKE ARE CALLING ON CLEAN ELECTIONS SAYING LET THEM PARTICIPATE.

THEY HAVE RULES THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW AND ADOPTED RULES AND HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM HERE.

TED: YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COMMITTEE, GET STATE APPROVAL.

WHAT IS CLEAN ELECTIONS SAYING?

>> THEY ARGUED WHAT THEY'VE DONE HERE, THEY WENT INTO LEGALESE BUT SAID THE RULE CHANGE HERE DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE VARIOUS RULE CHANGES THAT HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.

JAKE HOFFMAN RESPONDED BY MORE COLORFUL TERMS SAYING DISAGREE TO DISAGREE, AND SO THEY'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH RIGHT NOW, BUT IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THE GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE IS ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE.

>> THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE MIGHT TURN UP AT THE STUDIO AND MAYBE A LITTLE DRAMA.

TED: IT'S PRETTY LOCKED DOWN AT THE STUDIO.

I BELIEVE HOFFMAN SAID CLEAN ELECTIONS WAS INVITING LITIGATION ON THIS.

IS THAT BLUSTER AND BRAVADO?

>> HOFFMAN HAS THREATENED LITIGATION BEFORE.

NOT TO SAY HE WON'T DO IT BUT THREATENING LAWSUITS IS NOT SOMETHING HE'S AVERSE TO DOING.

TED: YEAH, DOES THIS END, DOES THIS BASICALLY END NOW?

IS THIS OVER OR ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE OF THIS?

>> I THINK ON THE LEGAL FRONT WE'LL SEE SOME ACTION, MAYBE LONG AFTER THE DEBATE, MAYBE NOT UNTIL AFTER NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR BILLS THAT MIGHT CHANGE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT GOVERNS CLEAN ELECTIONS, ALTHOUGH CLEAN ELECTION SAYS VOTER APPROVED, SO YOU'VE GOT TO GET INTO THE PROCEDURAL WEEDS IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE RULE MAKING PROCESS.

TED: YEAH, BUT THIS ISN'T A STATE RACE, SO CLEAN ELECTIONS, WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY OF CLEAN ELECTIONS?

>> THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THE LAW BASICALLY SAYING THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THIS VENUE FOR CANDIDATES.

DOESN'T SPECIFY STATE CANDIDATES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY ARGUING THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, THEY'RE ARGUING THAT THE RULE CHANGE WAS ALLOWED UNDER THE EXISTING RULES WHICH OBVIOUSLY SENATOR HOFFMAN DISAGREES WITH, IF REPUBLICANS RETAIN CONTROL OF THE SENATE, HE MAY HAVE A COMMITTEE BEHIND HIM TO PURSUE SOME OF THOSE ALLEGATIONS NEXT YEAR, AND I KNOW CLEAN ELECTIONS HAS ASKED, I BELIEVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO LOOK INTO IT WHETHER THE LAW WAS VIOLATED.

TED: INTERESTING.

IF WHAT WE SAW LAST NIGHT IS ANY INDICATION, HOPE WE DIDN'T STEAL TOO MUCH THUNDER.

WE'LL FIND OUT NEXT WEEK.

MARY JO, THE COMPUTER GLITCH WITH THE VOTERS REGISTERED IN THE 90s BEFORE, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

>> WHEN LAST WE SPOKE, WE HAD ABOUT 98,000 ARIZONANS WHO REPORTEDLY ARE CURRENTLY NOT QUALIFIED TO VOTE A STATEWIDE BALLOT BECAUSE THEY NEVER PRODUCED DOCUMENTS PROVING THEIR CITIZENSHIP.

THEY WERE GRANDFATHERED IN, AS WE UNDERSTAND IT.

WELL, THAT POOL HAS NOW GROWN BY ANOTHER 120,000.

SO WE'RE GETTING UP THERE IN THE 200,000 VOTER RANGE.

REALLY NOT MUCH IS GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A RULING FROM THE STATE SUPREME COURT.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY BUSY LATELY.

SAYING WE'RE GOING TO LET PEOPLE IN THE POOL, THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO VOTE A FULL BALLOT, STATE AND LOCAL RACES AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL RACES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD ONLY BE CONFINED TO JUST THE FEDERAL BALLOT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

IT APPEARS IT HAPPENED IN THE AFTERMATH OF CITIZEN INITIATIVE OR BALLOT MEASURE THAT WAS PASSED IN 2004 THAT REQUIRED DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP AND IT'S A CODING ERROR THAT HAPPENED AT THE MVD, WHICH IS WHAT ISSUES YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE BUT ALLOWS YOU TO VOTE AND REGISTER TO VOTE AT THE SAME TIME.

TED: SOME OF THE VOKS HAD BEEN VOTING WITHOUT THE PROPER AUTHORIZATION FOR DECADES HERE.

>> WHICH IS WHAT FOLKS INCLUDING SECRETARY OF STATE ADRIAN FONTES IS MAKING THAT THERE'S NOT A REASON TO THINK THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP BUT VOTING THE FULL BALLOT ALL THESE YEARS, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.

NOT LIKE THEY WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION AND DIDN'T.

MANY DON'T KNOW THEY'RE ON THE LIST OR PART OF THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE.

YOUR POINT IS EXACTLY ONE THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN MAKING.

TED: WHEN LAST WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS IN AN UNUSUAL POSITION OF SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROPER AUTHORIZATION, LET THEM VOTE.

ARE THEY SAYING THE SAME THING NOW THAT THEY HAVE 120,000 MORE?

>> THEY HAVEN'T SAID QUITE THAT BUT CRITICAL OF SECRETARY OF STATE FONTES AFTER THE LARGER LIST CAME OUT, THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE THE REASON WE DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT THE INITIAL ONES WAS THE GLITCH ON THE DMV SIDE AND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE SAID WE CAN ONLY DETERMINE THIS BASED ON THE DATA WE'RE GIVEN AND HAD TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER AND UNLOCKED THE NEW LIST THAT SHOWED MORE FOLKS, BUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, YEAH, THEY HAVEN'T CALLED FOR THE PEOPLE NOT TO VOTE BUT THEY ARE GETTING LOUDER ABOUT USING THIS AS A CAJOLE TO CRITICIZE FONTES AND THE DEMOCRATS.

>> THE MAJORITY OR THE PLURALITY OF VOTERS ARE REGISTERED REPUBLICANS ACCORDING TO RECORDS.

SO YOU DON'T WANT TO DISENFRANCHISE THEM, AND GOP CHAIRMAN GINA SVOBODA SAID YOU DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THESE THINGS RIGHT BEFORE AN ELECTION, IT VIOLATES THE PURCELL DOCTRINE, SHE'S GOT A LOT OF GOOD ARGUMENTS THERE, BUT THERE'S FRUSTRATION THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THE CODE OR THE QUERY LANGUAGE THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE AND ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE USING TO RUN AGAINST THE VOTER REGISTRATION DATABASE.

THEY WANT THAT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES.

TED: YEAH, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING -- THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT IT NOW.

THEY COULD HAVE BEEN UPSET ABOUT THIS, IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, 10, 15, 20 YEARS AGO, CORRECT?

>> WELL, YES.

TED: OBVIOUSLY, IT'S YES.

THIS HAS BEEN AROUND AWHILE.

>> APPARENTLY SITTING THERE WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED BY SOMEONE IN STEPHEN RICHER'S OFFICE.

>> THAT'S WHY INITIALLY YOU DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF PARTISAN OUTRAGE TRYING TO BLAME FONTES.

GOING BACK, IT HAPPENED UNDER REPUBLICAN SECRETARIES OF STATE, REPUBLICAN COUNTY RECORDERS AS WELL.

EVERYONE MISSED IT.

IT WASN'T BASED ON PARTY.

>> IF YOU WANT TO DO THE FINGER-POINTING, THERE ARE SO MANY IFs.

IF THE CODING ERROR HAPPENED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 2004 ELECTION, WHICH THAT LAW TOOK EFFECT IN DECEMBER OF 04.

SOMETHING HAPPENED IN 05, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ADMINISTRATION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JANET NAPOLITANO, BUT THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE WOULD HAVE BEEN RUN BY REPUBLICAN JAN BREWER.

SO, YOU KNOW, PICK YOUR ENEMY.

>> AND PART OF THE BIG ISSUE HERE IS ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST CYCLE OR TWO, WE'VE SEEN RACES DETERMINED BY 200 VOTES OR 10,000 VOTES.

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 200,000 VOTERS AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SAYING WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE, WHO THE VOTERS ARE.

THAT STARTS TO LEND ITSELF TO THE POSSIBILITY OF YET MORE ELECTION-RELATED CONSPIRACY THEORIES, AND IF YOU DON'T GO QUITE THAT FAR, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REALLY TIGHT RACES WITH PEOPLE WHO, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO SOME, MAYBE SHOULDN'T BE VOTING.

>> IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING EXERCISE TO GO BACK THROUGH ALL THE ELECTION CYCLES, SINCE 2005, AND FIND OUT IF PEOPLE WERE VOTING ON STATE ISSUES WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

THOSE ELECTIONS ARE OVER.

BUT THE FERTILE GROUND IS FOR RAISING DOUBTS AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

TED: SPEAKING OF WHICH, MARK, THE "WASHINGTON POST" REPORTING ON THIS, THERE WAS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION, PRIVATE IN QUOTES, BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR, ATTORNEY GENERAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE JUST WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, REGARDING WHAT THE RESPONSE WOULD BE AND HOW TO HANDLE THE SITUATION.

VERY INTERESTING STORY.

>> SOME OF THEM THOUGHT IT WAS A PRIVATE CALL.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ONE PERSON DIDN'T.

>> ONE PERSON THOUGHT IT SHOULDN'T BE PRIVATE.

INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE THREE STATEWIDE ELECTED DEMOCRATS WITH DIFFERING OPINIONS.

GOVERNOR HOBBS WAS OF THE OPINION INITIALLY THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD ONLY BE GETTING THE FEDERAL BALLOT, AS IF YOU ARE NOT SOMEBODY WHO DID NOT PROVIDE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP WHILE ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES AND SECRETARY OF STATE ADRIAN FONTES SAID, NO, THEY SHOULD HAVE THE FULL BALLOT, AND EVENTUALLY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO TAKE IT TO THE COURTS AND LET THE SUPREME COURT SORT IT OUT.

TED: BUT IT WAS INTERESTING, THE GOVERNOR AGREED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO GO AHEAD AND NOT DISENFRANCHISE THESE FOLKS BUT GOODNESS GRACIOUS, HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS GET PUBLIC?

>> YOU KNOW, YVONNE IS VERY WELL SOURCED, IF YOU ARE A WELL-SOURCED REPORTER, YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE RECEIVING END OF THAT INFORMATION.

DON'T WANT TO GIVE AWAY TOO MANY TRADE SECRETS.

THAT'S HOW IT WORKS AND THE SPECULATION IS ABOUT, WHO OF THE THREE STANDS TO BENEFIT?

AND WE'VE GONE AROUND IN CIRCLES ON THIS A LOT, AND ALL THREE OFFICES HAVE DENIED HAVING KNOWLEDGE WHO RELEASED IT.

I BELIEVE TO THE ARIZONA AGENDA, THEY DENIED HAVING RECORDINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS.

TED: I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF SOMEONE'S GOT IT, BETTER NOT DESTROY IT BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC RECORD, CORRECT?

>> YEAH.

IT IS THE MORE INTERESTING ASPECT OF THIS WHOLE GLITCH.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE THREE DEMOCRATIC TOP STATE OFFICEHOLDERS.

WHO WOULD RELEASE THIS?

WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO HARM?

IS THAT A CORRECT ASSESSMENT THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO LOOK BAD BECAUSE OF THIS?

AND THEN THERE MIGHT VERY WELL BE A PUBLIC RECORD'S ISSUE, AND THESE ARE -- TWO OF THEM ARE ATTORNEYS BY TRAINING, ONE IS OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL, SO YOU'VE GOT TO TREAD CAREFULLY DOING THESE THINGS.

AND ANYBODY WHO KNOWS WHO RECORDED IT, YOU KNOW HOW TO REACH ME.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> ALL RIGHT, BEFORE WE GO, TOM HORNE APPEARED IN FRONT OF A COMMITTEE APPARENTLY EARLIER, AND JUST SAID THINGS THAT WEREN'T TRUE REGARDING DEADLINES AND TIME LINES WITH FUNDING.

>> YEAH, IT WAS RELATED TO ESAs AND FEDERAL MONEY AND WHETHER SCHOOLS COULD STILL GET SOME OF THAT MONEY.

BASICALLY OVER DEADLINES THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE HE SAID THEY WERE ONE THING AND THEY WERE REALLY NOT.

TED: YEAH.

>> THE FEDERAL MONEY GIVEN TO THE STATE TO HELP PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THEY HAD TO APPLY FOR GRANTS AND LEARN -- HORNE'S OFFICE SAID WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND STAND UP TO THE FEDS.

WHOA, WAIT A MINUTE.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE AND SHOULD BE A METHOD TO REQUEST A WAIVER, AND ONE OF OUR REPORTERS, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES NICHOLAS SULLIVAN, TOOK A DEEP DIVE INTO THE PROCESS AND DOTTING Is AND CROSSING Ts AND HORNE'S OFFICE GOT IT WRONG.

ADE APPLIED FOR A WAIVER.

THE MONEY GOES OUT TO SCHOOLS BUT THE DRAMA, WHICH SCHOOL DISTRICTS FELT THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT WAS WITHHOLDING, DENYING THEM MONEY, NOT A GOOD LOOK WHEN YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT HORNE'S STANCE ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS QUESTIONABLE.

TED: GREAT JOB.

THAT WAS A GREAT DEEP DIVE ON THIS, BUT TRYING TO BLAME THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION BECAUSE OF THE CERTAIN DATES, WHEN THE DATES ARE IRRELEVANT AND THE DEADLINES AND THE TIME LINES ARE ALL WRONG.

>> I KNOW AFTER NICK BROKE THE STORY, HE AND I READ THE STORY AND REACHED OUT TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ASKING ABOUT THE DEADLINES.

CAN THEY STILL APPLY FOR EXTENSION?

YOU THINK THEY WOULD IF THEY COULD AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAID YES.

BEFORE THEY SAID YES TO ME, THEY WENT TO HORNE'S OFFICE AND TOLD THEM.

THEY PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THEY'RE APPLYING FOR EXTENSION.

WHY DIDN'T THEY KNOW THIS?

THAT IS WHERE THE MISINFORMATION, THE MISSTATEMENTS COME AROUND.

OTHER STATES WERE ASKING FOR THE EXTENSIONS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION, THEY'RE A STANDARD THING THAT STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONS KNOW ABOUT AND CAN APPLY FOR THEM WHEN THE DEADLINE IS APPROACHING.

TED: REAL QUICKLY, THIS IS A COMMITTEE MEETING REGARDING AN AUDIT OF HIS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WHAT WENT WRONG BECAUSE OF HIS MISINFORMATION, THE REPUBLICANS SAID NOPE, WE'RE OKAY.

>> LOT OF DEMOCRATS WANTED TO DO AUDIT.

IT WASN'T RELATED TO ESAs, IT WAS RELATED TO FEDERAL MONEY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

DEMOCRATS WANTED TO DO AUDIT, WE DON'T FEEL A NEED TO DO MORE OF THEM.

TED: INTERESTING STORY.

LOTS OF INTERESTING STORIES THIS WEEK.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.

THANK YOU, THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.