Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee sent the Office of the Texas Secretary of State (SOS) a demand for documents under the Texas Public Information Act regarding the SOS’s purported “forensic audit” of the November 2020 election in certain counties, including Harris County. The SOS announced the audit on September 23, 2021, just hours after former President Donald Trump released a public letter demanding that Texas Governor Greg Abbott audit the results of the 2020 election in Texas.
Christian D. Menefee stated:
“Governor Abbott and the Secretary of State are telling the public that this ‘audit’ has been going on for months, but this is the first time the County’s heard anything about it. They’re on the news and issuing press releases about this ‘audit’, talking to everyone about it but us.
The administration has told us nothing about the purpose of or legal basis for this audit, what they’re requesting, or what the process will be. It’s my job to advise the County and the Elections Administrator on how to respond. I can’t do that without this basic information that neither the Governor nor the SOS has shared.”
Menefee sent the demand pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act. The list of documents Menefee seeks includes:
- All complaints, allegations of fraud or misconduct, or requests for investigation or review or audit, or questions received by the SOS office (from any individual or organization) regarding the November 2020 General Election in Harris County.
- All SOS office policies or procedures or other such documents related to “forensic audits” or other election audit procedures in general.
- All internal SOS office communications related to a complaint, allegation of fraud or misconduct, request for investigation or review or audit, or question received by the SOS office regarding the November 2020 General Election in Harris County.
- All communications between the SOS office and the Office of the Texas Governor or the Office of the Lieutenant Governor related to a complaint, allegation of fraud or misconduct, request for investigation or review, or question received by the SOS office regarding the November 2020 General Election in Harris County.
