Maybe maybe not, but they'd lose any legal challenge.

I think this was an attempt to poke the defenses. If they could get it frozen without the money or serious legal challenge, it buys them time. They apparently cannot.

Next out of their playbook would be to bribe the people that can make it happen. If that fails, it will likely turn into threatening people that can shut it down.

I think we are ignoring this too much. There are many people that can shut this audit down; they need full protections just like the audit itself directly does. We're talking state judges/supreme court, state senators, etc.

If all else fails I imagine they'll take damage control routes. Instead of covering up or stopping the audit they can purge their traces with the people on the ground that did it. Silence them or discredit them entirely. Make it look like an isolated incident.

they don't seem to have a problem incriminating themselves....

any chance you can explain to me how putting up bond would incriminate them? I don't think I quite see the implications of putting up bond. Thanks in advance :)