The failed Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams went on CNN this week to say that the Arizona recount of 2020 ballots was “a continuation of the insurrection.”

“First on the news, given all your work on voting rights, when you see this so-called audit in Arizona with cell phone jammers and UV lights, and conspiracy theories about bamboo ballots brought in from Asia, what is happening there?” asked host Anderson Cooper.

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“It’s a continuation of the big lie, but more importantly and more concerningly, it’s a continuation of the insurrection, of this attempt to disenfranchise voters and to dismiss the legitimacy of our elections,” Abrams replied. “And we know that this is only part of a larger intention. Just today, there was leaked audio from Heritage action for measuring where they admitted that this is model legislation being promulgated across the country through a vast republican intention of limiting access to the right to vote because they think it’s the best way to win.”

“And according to the leaked audio, they’ve been meeting with secretaries of state, governors, legislators, all with the intent of putting forward legislation that will restrict access to the right to vote and make it easier for Republicans to win,” she added. “And we should all be concerned because our elections are not about partisanship. it should not be a question of republicans or democrats gaming the system but everyone being able to participate and make their own choices.”

“What’s Orwellian about this, Kevin McCarthy is saying that no one is contesting the legitimacy of the last election, which is exactly what they’re doing,” Cooper said.

“Not only is there a hypocrisy, but it’s gaslighting,” Abrams responded. “They are saying aloud that there’s nothing wrong, and at the exact same time, they’re pushing forward legislation to fix something they say is broken. Either they’re lying then, or they’re lying now. And the reality is the lie that continues to weave its way through our democracy is one that turns this issue of partisanship, this naked partisan grab.”