'Concerning parallels' between Trump-backed Arizona 'audit' and lead-up to January 6th riots: CNN reporter

The Trump-backed "audit" of Arizona's 2020 election results is expected to conclude in the coming weeks, and CNN reporter Donie O'Sullivan sees troubling signs that it could spark a fresh round of right-wing violence.

In the latest newsletter for CNN's "Reliable Sources," O'Sullivan thinks that Trump's decision to hype up the audit, which has been widely criticized by elections experts for lacking procedural rigor and integrity, mirrors his decision to hype up the January 6th "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington D.C., which he promised followers would be "wild."

"There are concerning parallels between the lead-up to January 6 and the the fast-approaching conclusion of the Republican-led audit of the election in Arizona," he writes. "Some Trump supporters (and yes, Qanon believers) are clinging onto the hope that this is going to be the big event that overturns the election."

O'Sullivan notes that Trump in a recent interview hinted that President Joe Biden could be driven from office due to the results of the audit, despite the fact that it's widely seen as a partisan and biased operation that has included searches of ballots for traces of bamboo to prove nefarious Chinese influence.

"Stay tuned for Arizona," Trump said. "It's going to be a very interesting time in our country... Because, I mean, how do you govern when you lost?"