Arizona Senate President Calls on DOJ to Investigate Mayes, Fontes Over Election Records

Senate President Warren Petersen Requests Federal Probe

PHOENIX — Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen has sent a letter to the Department of Justice calling for a federal investigation into Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, alleging obstruction of justice and witness tampering.

The letter was sent Tuesday to U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchane in Phoenix. Petersen claims the actions of Mayes and Fontes may qualify as obstruction of justice and witness tampering related to a federal grand jury subpoena for 2020 election records.

"Senate President Warren Petersen requested a federal investigation into Arizona's attorney general and secretary of state, alleging they interfered with a grand jury probe into election records," according to the EA Courier.

The Grand Jury Subpoena

Petersen said he received legal advice to comply with a subpoena from the FBI regarding an investigation into the 2020 election. The subpoena was revealed by Petersen in a social media post following the announcement.

The situation centers on records related to a controversial audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa County that legislative Republicans ordered. Petersen had said he handed over the records to the FBI early last month and pointed to lawyers saying the Senate had to comply with the subpoena.

Mayes Fires Back

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, released a statement criticizing the subpoena as a sign of "the weaponization of federal law enforcement in service of crackpots and lies."

"Despite multiple court challenges, investigations and audits that all showed the 2020 election in Arizona was conducted fairly, transparently and securely, Warren Petersen inexplicably remains an election denier six years later," Mayes said.

Mayes added that Petersen is "desperately seeking favor from a president who cannot accept that he lost his re-election in 2020 fair and square." She said the request for a federal inquiry is "not about 2020" but about "laying the groundwork to deny the results of the 2026 election if they don't go their way."

Mayes took an oath to uphold the Constitution and defend Arizona elections, she said.

"I will not be deterred from doing so," Mayes stated.

Fontes Stands Firm

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said his office is "working to identify legal options to secure personal voter information in the 2020 data that was shared."

"While Arizona State Senator Petersen continues to prioritize Donald Trump's wishes over the safety and security of Arizona's voters, I can confidently affirm that these methods of intimidation will not stop our work," Fontes said.

Fontes explained that the main concern is ensuring privacy of personal information in voter registration data, as required by law. The state Senate and federal government continue to sidestep direct questions regarding which voter information may have been made available.

"Political threats are not going to deter me from working to protect Arizona's voters," Fontes stated.

Political Context

Petersen, who is now running for attorney general, helped oversee the Senate Republicans' election review in 2020. The Trump administration has sued Arizona and other states to obtain voter rolls, with the apparent goal of doing its own analysis of the rolls and removing voters.

Petersen's request for a federal inquiry centers on allegations of obstruction and witness tampering, which stem from letters Mayes and Fontes sent inquiring about whether Petersen handed voter information over to the Trump administration last month.

Nearly all of Arizona's state-level elected officials are Democrats. The feud has intensified as Petersen pushes for federal action while Mayes and Fontes maintain their positions.

The situation adds to broader political tensions as Arizona heads into the 2026 midterm election cycle. Petersen has positioned himself as a candidate to unseat Mayes in the attorney general race.

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Sources

• 12news: https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/arizona-senate-president-calls-on-doj-to-investigate-mayes-fontes-for-interfering-in-election-investigation
• AZFamily: https://www.azfamily.com/2026/04/08/arizona-senate-president-warren-petersen-wants-doj-investigate-mayes-fontes/
• EA Courier: https://www.eacourier.com/news/state/petersen-seeks-doj-probe-of-mayes-fontes-over-grand-jury-records