OMG!

Trump-backed Arizona candidate for governor claims to know 'mastermind' behind 'stolen' election https://t.co/0cmKK39JGZ

— Raw Story (@RawStory) September 29, 2021

And it's: her political opponent!

"She's basically the mastermind of the 2020 election," Lake insisted. "The secretary of state oversees the election and we know and we saw it proved last Friday when we saw the forensic audit report detailed for us, all of the fraud, all of the -- what appears to be criminal activity. I mean, who goes in the day before and deletes millions of election files the day before the audit is to begin. That is criminal."

As goes Arizona, so goes the nation?  Does she understand this was a 50-state election? (Well, and Puerto Rico and Guam, if I understand correctly.)

As for the allegation of fraud:  a) fraud is not necessarily a criminal activity.  There is civil fraud, and there is criminal fraud.  Two different beasts, and proving one doesn't necessarily prove the other.  Of course, there's also: 

b) evidence of fraud.  The "deletion" of "millions of election files" didn't happen.  Even the Cyber Ninjas admitted they got that wrong.  What Lake is referring to is what we call a "lie."  Oddly, lies are the basis of most charges of fraud (criminal or civil); which is not to say this is such a case.  Just to note the irony.  Also to note this is why 60+ cases were tossed out of court summarily when Trump & Co. went to court on lies, not evidence.  Without evidence, you can't prove fraud; or a criminal violation of law, for that matter.

Lake is referring to a report that wasn't issued.  She is citing a claim that even the authors of the actual report had to admit was an error on their part, because they had no idea how elections work.  Much like non-lawyers or law enforcement professionals, who think whatever action they don't like is "criminal," reveal they don't know how the law works.

These are the clowns we're supposed to be afraid of?  Well, if they got control of the courts, I would be afraid.  But they haven't.  Even the "philosophers" of the Supreme Court (they want to reassert their Olympian postures by telling select crowds how right they are, and how august), though they might overturn Roe (and woe be unto us when they do, but maybe we'll take matters into our hands, eh? Always look on the bright side...), will never inject the chaos and extra-legal actions of "de-certifying" an election or declaring it fraudulent and so deciding it for the runner up (what, only the Presidential votes were fraudulent?  What about the rest of the ballot?  Can we unzip all those votes for Republicans down ballot, too?).

I ain't skeered.  Mostly I'm just tired of being told the sky is falling; or that Hitler is renascent, and he's coming from Florida, unless he goes broke or gets arrested first. I’m tired of people thinking the only viable position is the polar opposite of their enemies. That’s how those who fight demons become demons themselves.