Stephen Richer (R) was the Maricopa County Recorder in Arizona from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2025. (Credit: Democracy First)
Arizona lawmakers revealed during a committee hearing that Maricopa County’s former recorder, Stephen Richer, is being investigated for obstruction.
The investigation into Richer was disclosed during last week’s House Federalism, Military Affairs, & Elections Committee meeting. The committee discussed an investigation by the office of State Rep. John Gillette (R-LD30), chair of the committee, into Arizona’s voter registrations. The findings of that investigation were packaged as part of a criminal referral to the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
We have the evidence you can watch the entire hearing at https://t.co/su37BHDZ3U. ballots, registrations flips, illegals, non AZ residents, 3rd party MVD vendors… all of it. https://t.co/0sbAV9dN1t pic.twitter.com/lBx3IVQP9b
— Rep. John Gillette AZ House LD30 (@AzRepGillette) March 14, 2026
As part of his layout of the criminal referral packet, Gillette touched on an action by Richer in which the former recorder, while president of the Arizona Association of County Recorders (AACR) in 2023, advised other county recorders to not comply with a records request from Arizona lawmakers concerning the 2022 election.
“Stephen Richer telling recorders not to comply with the legislative public records request. That is not a glitch. That’s on purpose,” said Gillette.
State Rep. Rachel Keshel (R-LD17), vice chair of the committee, asked Gillette whether Richer reaching out to all of the county recorders qualified as obstruction. Keshel characterized Richer’s recent public engagements as a “CYA campaign.”
“Is there something there that he broke the law by telling other recorders to basically obstruct on that point? Is anything being looked into on that front?” asked Keshel.
Gillette disclosed that he discussed Richer’s actions with former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and “her assistant,” and that Richer was being investigated for that communication with other recorders. (Read more: AZFreeNews, 3/22/2026) (Archive)