Tuesday, July 26, 2011

New York Vote Fraud Indictments Focus On Absentee Ballot Fraud

This should come as no surprise since the Democratic Party engages in wholesale vote fraud in urban areas throughout the United States every election. The law has caught up with top Democrats in Troy, New York, who were committing vote fraud by forging signatures on absentee ballots. Did you read that, Todd Rokita? It's absentee ballot fraud, stupid, not in-person vote fraud that you wasted your entire tenure as Secretary of State combating. Where the absentee ballot fraud occurred in Troy should come as no surprise since it has always been a preferred place for Democrats to commit vote fraud:

Anthony DeFiglio, a former Troy Housing Authority clerk, told State Police two years ago that [Troy City Clerk William] McInerney had asked him in August 2009 to help collect absentee ballot applications from people in the Griswold Heights housing project. DeFiglio told investigators that voters in low-income areas were often unwittingly targeted for the fraudulent use of their ballots because they were less likely to do anything about it.
State Police, in court documents, have said they have evidence that [Rensselaer County Board of Elections Commissioner Edward] McDonough delivered a bundle of forged WFP absentee ballots to McInerney on the eve of the 2009 primary election.
McInerney resigned his post as city clerk today and is rumored to be copping a plea deal according to the Times Union. LoPorto and McDonough have already been indicted on 116 felony counts. Seven public officials and Democratic operatives have been identified as targets of the ongoing investigation.

8 comments:

Maple Syrup Maven said...

Only Democrats? I'll bet you'll find some Republican vote fraud if you look for it!

Self-interest isn't restricted to one political party.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Republicans lack the cover of having the poor and minorities as cover to commit the fraud.

Jon said...

According to the pundits Indiana's voter id law isn't necessary, wasn't the reasoning that voter fraud was a figment of the imagination?

Gary R. Welsh said...

Voter ID is common sense, Jon. We require identification for virtually every transaction we conduct in today's society. The notion that there is something undemocratic about someone confirming they are who they say they are is ludicrous. I've worked many election as an election judge. There are many people who come in to vote who I have never met before. How do I know they are who they claim to be if they can't produce a form a photo identification? I can tell you that judges don't sit and compare every single signature when a voter signs in to make an expert determination of whether the person's signature is the same one that is in the poll books, which is the only way a person could be challenged based on identity in the absence of voter ID.

Gary R. Welsh said...

I should add that the question I posed to Rokita is based on his ignoring the absentee ballot fraud problems and focusing entirely on voter ID.

Paul K. Ogden said...

Gary, I totally agree. Democrats are fools for fighting voter ID in this day and age where you have to show a photo ID several times a day.

Now if the D's wanted to talk about what type of photo ID or the alternative of signing an affidavit if someone forgot their ID at home that would be one thing. To suggest we go back to the old system of simplying signing one's name to vote is unrealistic.

Jon said...

Gary, I agree voter id is common sense it. What I meant to says was one of the main arguments here in Indiana against voter id was that there was never any proof of voter fraud. The argument then became if there isn't any fraud then why do we need this law.

Gary R. Welsh said...

And that was my point, Jon, that Rokita should have devoted at least some time addressing absentee voter fraud rather than pretending that voter ID magically eradicated voter fraud. Most cases of voter fraud in Indiana, as elsewhere, have occurred through votes cast by absentee ballots. One benefit of voter ID is to encourage people to update their voting address when they move. I often find people showing up to vote whose driver's license will reflect an address different from their registered voting address. When you mention it to them, they will often volunteer that they have moved recently and just not bothered to update their registered voting address.