Texts Between Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan and Christina Bobb Reveal Early Plans for Logan to Work on Wisconsin Election Review

Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan was originally slated to participate in Wisconsin’s election review, according to records released by the Arizona Senate and previously held by Cyber Ninjas. The records, which contain text messages exchanged by Logan and Trump-allied lawyer Christina Bobb in 2021, include behind-the-scenes discussions between Logan and Bobb about the discredited “audit” of Maricopa County’s 2020 election and provide more insight into Bobb’s role in that review.

Several of the text messages had been previously released through American Oversight’s litigation for records from the “audit,” but the most recent production, released June 7, contains information that had previously been redacted. In April, we entered a settlement agreement with the Arizona Senate and Cyber Ninjas, bringing our lawsuit to a close, having successfully extracted thousands of pages of documents about the review. A lawsuit brought by the Arizona Republic, which had also sued for public records and whose case was later consolidated with American Oversight’s, remains active.

Logan’s Early Connections to Wisconsin 

The records reveal information about Logan’s early potential involvement in the Wisconsin Assembly’s partisan election review. On Aug. 1, 2021, Bobb, a right-wing media personality and “audit” funder who later joined former President Donald Trump’s legal team, told Logan: “[Michael] Gableman was appointed to oversee an audit in WI. He asked to speak with you. He may call you, FYI.” 

American Oversight previously obtained records indicating that Bobb first put Arizona Senate leaders in touch with Gableman, the lawyer appointed in 2021 to head the Wisconsin Assembly’s partisan investigation of the election. Logan and Bobb remained in contact about the Wisconsin election inquiry in later months, according to other documents we obtained.

On Aug. 9, Bobb told Logan that “Janel Brandtjen from WI may call you.” State Rep. Brandtjen, a vocal election denier, later reached out to schedule a call with Logan on Aug. 22, according to records we previously obtained. Bobb also said that she had told Brandtjen that “we need to square away the funding before launching anything,” and then asked Logan, “But once the funding is done, you’d be available to audit WI?” She added, “Mike and I are working on the planning process, FYI. We’re assuming you’ll join us once your schedule allows you to. I tell you so that you know you won’t have to start from scratch once you’re ready.” 

On Sept. 30, Logan said he forwarded Bobb his response to an article in an outlet called WORLD, in case Bobb “might find a few bits of it useful in countering arguments in WI.” Logan was not ultimately hired to work on the Wisconsin Assembly’s taxpayer-funded investigation, but these records provide more insight into Logan’s influence on “audit” efforts in Wisconsin and other states. American Oversight has obtained numerous records showing Logan’s communications with election deniers in other states as activists across the country worked to initiate baseless election reviews aimed at casting doubt on election security.

Bobb’s Communication with Trump and Involvement in Audit Efforts 

On June 28, 2021, Bobb told Logan that she’d “had a detailed discussion with 45 today,” apparently referring to Trump. “We’re losing people, Doug,” she said. “We need a good statement to encourage our base. I’ll spare you the details, but we’re losing people.” (These texts from Bobb were reported on by the Arizona Republic earlier this week.)

Bobb often relayed messages from Trump and also appeared to communicate with “audit” leaders on behalf of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. She helped fundraise hundreds of thousands of dollars and supply volunteers for the ballot review through her nonprofit, Voices and Votes, which also helped fund the operation. 

The records also point to instances of Bobb’s involvement in coordinating planned “audits” in other states through her nonprofit. 

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the whole FOIA strategy to kick off the other state’s audits,” Logan wrote to Bobb on Oct. 18, potentially referring to the tactic of election-denying activists to flood local election offices with records requests for cast-vote records and other elections-related documents. He added, “I do think it makes sense to host / associate this with Voices and Votes. … I’m happy to help with Voices and Votes going forward if that’s something useful / helpful for you.” 

“That sounds great!” Bobb replied. “VV isn’t really doing a whole lot right now, but I’m happy to start something up if we need to.” She added: “FYI a lot of groups have already started the foia stuff … and they’re almost done. WI should be done in 30 days or less, I think.”

Bobb’s Advice Regarding October 2021 Congressional Hearing

In October 2021, Logan declined to testify at a hearing held by the House Oversight Committee about the Arizona “audit,” instead appearing as a guest on a right-wing podcast that day. The records reveal that Logan was originally inclined to testify before Congress, but that Bobb dissuaded him.

“I wouldn’t do it,” Bobb wrote on Oct. 4. “There’s no way it goes well for you.” 

“What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Logan asked. “They mute me and I hang up?”

Bobb said that they could “accuse you of lying under oath and charge you with a crime and arrest you.” 

Logan added that he felt “sick of hiding” and that they were “the ones who belong in jail.” 

Producing Public Records

The messages also point to Logan’s potentially blatant disregard for transparency and public records law. Bobb asked Logan on Sept. 9, “How much of our texts are you disclosing?”

“Probably better to have a call. :-)” Logan responded. Later, he texted, “I’m going to refuse to comply.” Bobb responded that she supported his decision.

A month and a half later, Bobb asked Logan a similar question. “Are you going to turn over the information?” Logan replied, “Not planning on it. I will wait until a court actually compels me to.”

American Oversight’s lawsuit against the Arizona Senate, which was first filed in May 2021, led to multiple court rulings finding that records held by Cyber Ninjas were public records subject to disclosure.

Bobb and Logan Discuss Whether Audit Is ‘Salvageable’

In another exchange, Bobb and Logan discussed a draft of a letter that appears to be a fundraising appeal addressed to allies of the Maricopa “audit.” Part of the letter is cut off, but in the draft, Logan had written, “I believed that if I stepped up and accomplished the audit; then all funds needed to make it happen would show up. Unfortunately, [it’s] looking like I was a bit naive.” 

“I recommend you don’t send it,” Bobb advised Logan. “It could actually invite lawsuits since it’s an admission of breach of contract. … I recommend not making any statements in writing until this is all done.

Logan wrote, “If this leaks, won’t the American people give funds and solve the problem?”

“Nope,” Bobb answered. “They will think you messed up. They will fund it when it’s done and they see the results.” 

Logan said that he “did mess up” and “trusted people with bad information, but that’s my fault.” The two exchanged more messages in which they discussed whether the election review and its funding situation were “salvageable.” 

In another exchange, Bobb told Logan that one of the “audit” funders, conservative lawyer Lin Wood, demanded a refund of his $50,000 donation. “WTF is happening with you and Lin Wood?!” Bobb wrote on Dec. 13, 2021. “He just sent me a demand for his donation back. I don’t have $50k laying around.” 

Logan responded the next day. “It’s less expensive for [Wood] to pay for [a financial] audit than for him to sue you or me. … This is the third time he has accused me of wrongdoing.” American Oversight has previously obtained numerous records detailing funding details and related disputes around the “audit.” 

More information about American Oversight’s investigation into the Arizona election “audit” can be found here. Court filings related to the lawsuit can be found here.