Overview
- Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell filed a court motion on June 8 asking a judge to rein in Recorder Justin Heap and the America First Legal Foundation for what her team calls an "unprecedented power grab."
- The filing alleges America First Legal has acted as de facto in‑house counsel, told county election staff to ignore the county attorney’s office, and asserted control over early voting and other election functions.
- County supervisors previously warned that Heap allegedly seized election equipment and provisional ballot envelopes during voting in March, raising specific chain‑of‑custody and ballot‑integrity concerns.
- America First Legal was founded by White House adviser Stephen Miller, and its involvement has raised broader worries about partisan access to voter data and outside influence on local election operations.
- Watchers say the case matters for the 2026 midterms because a court ruling could clarify how far a county recorder may delegate authority and whether partisan groups can exercise direct control over election processes.