Flashback Friday: Vince Leach Declares Trump Winner of the 2020 Election
Resurfaced video shows Vince Leach at a "Stop the Steal" Rally in DC in Nov. 2020, parroting election fraud conspiracies
Tucson, Ariz. – A resurfaced video of Republican state senate candidate Vince Leach at a November 14, 2020 “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. shows him parroting “stolen election” conspiracy theories. In the days after Arizona was called for Joe Biden, Leach took to social media to spread since-disproven claims of a “stolen election” and ultimately traveled to Washington, D.C to promote these claims. The video shows then-state senator Vince Leach taking the stage before a crowd of Trump loyalists near the White House to re-up claims of supposed fraud, claim that Trump had won Arizona, and incite Trump loyalists to “go home and fight for Donald J. Trump:”
(1:02:40) “We want one simple thing. What’s that? Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!”
(1:03:38) “My message to you this afternoon is very very simple. We have, in Arizona, 11 electoral votes… Arizona is ready to cast 11 electoral votes for the next President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”
(1:04:03) “It’s time that each one of us, no matter where we’re from– what corner of the country– go home and fight for Donald J. Trump.”
That evening, violence erupted near the White House. The “Stop the Steal” effort culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, which left five people dead. The Republican fake electors scheme later led to 18 indictments in Arizona for election interference, including of disbarred Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani. Last week, one Arizona Republican pleaded guilty to the charges.
Abusing his position to keep power for himself and his allies was not a new behavior for Leach. During his eight years in the legislature, Leach abused his influence to solidify his seat and restrict citizen oversight.
In 2016, Leach voted twice to allow legislators like himself to repeal or change ballot measures that had already been approved by citizens.
The same year, Leach voted to make it more difficult for citizens to recall elected officials for poor performance.
In 2019, Leach voted to hide gifts that he and other lawmakers received from lobbyists from public reporting.
The same year, Leach voted to make it a crime to register citizens to vote.
In 2021, it was widely reported that Leach used state resources unethically to draw himself into a safe district he could hold indefinitely, violating the fair process Arizonans sought.
An investigation was called in response to reports that he used legislative staff resources to influence this redistricting process for his benefit.