'Always Watching Out for Us': Secretary Fontes Praises Sheriff Penzone for His Commitment to Elections Security

PHOENIX - Upon today’s announcement by Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone that he will resign from office in January, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes commended the nationally recognized law enforcement official for his commitment to the safety of election workers and voters in a time of unprecedented threats and harassment. 

“Even on the hardest days when there were very serious threats being hurled at me and my staff, I always felt safe knowing Paul and his team were always watching out for us,” said Secretary Fontes, who served alongside Sheriff Penzone as former Maricopa County Recorder. “When a wave of threats of violence, harassment, and intimidation occurred during the 2020 elections, there was no book on how to keep vulnerable election workers and voters safe. Paul wrote that book, and he has rightfully been recognized across our nation for creating a model on how to protect our critical elections infrastructure while preserving Americans’ First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. As he prepares to step down from his position, I join election officials across Arizona in saying that we will miss his steady hand in times of crisis. But mostly, I want to congratulate him on a job well done.”