Arizona officially certified President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election in the state, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced Monday.- "This election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness, in accordance with Arizona's laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary," Hobbs said.
- The certification came as President
Donald Trump 's legal team continues to push baseless claims of voter fraud at an event in the state.
Arizona made President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the state official on Monday, marking the latest blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the results.
"This election was conducted with transparency, accuracy and fairness, in accordance with Arizona's laws and elections procedures, despite numerous unfounded claims to the contrary," Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced.
Biden defeated Trump by 10,457 votes, according to the results certified by Hobbs, winning all 11 of the state's Electoral College votes. He is the first Democrat to do so since 1996.
"We do elections well, here in Arizona," Gov. Doug Ducey emphasized during the certification ceremony. "The system is strong."
Since the election, Trump and his allies have pushed baseless accusations of voter fraud in the 2020 race. The president's legal team has already lost two lawsuits in Arizona, but are still carrying on, without any evidence, that the election was "corrupt" and "rigged."
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 30, 2020
The certification came at the same time that Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and legal adviser Jenna Ellis met with Republican state legislators at a hotel in Phoenix to present unsubstantiated claims of voting irregularities in the state. Trump supporters gathered outside the event in crowds to protest the election results.
Trump and his team attempted to hold the event as a formal legislative hearing, yet the House speaker and Senate president denied the request, according to the Associated Press.
"The officials certifying have made no effort to find out the truth, which to me, gives the state legislature the perfect reason to take over the conduct of this election because it's being conducted irresponsibly and unfairly," Giuliani said on Monday.
The move is part of a broader tactic by the Trump campaign to have GOP-led state legislatures in Biden-won states appoint new officials to the Electoral College, cast their votes for Trump and change the election outcome. They held a similar event in Pennsylvania last week, which Trump called in to spread lies about the election.
"The certification of Arizona's FALSE results is unethical and knowingly participating in the corruption that has disenfranchised AZ voters," Ellis tweeted after the certification announcement. "BUT, this in no way impacts the state legislature's ability to take back the proper selection of delegates."
Legal experts have made clear that Trump's attempted plan faces immense obstacles and has little chance of success, Business Insider's Tom Porter previously reported.