A Bridgeport, Connecticut, Democratic Party official, a city council member, and two campaign workers face criminal charges for allegedly perpetrating a ballot-stuffing scheme in the town’s 2019 Democratic mayoral primary. The charges stem from a plot to ensure incumbent Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim would win the primary race. He narrowly defeated State Senator Marilyn Moore by just 270 votes.

(Article republished from TheNationalPulse.com)

Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chairperson Wanda Geter-Pataky and City Council Member Alfredo Castillo—along with campaign workers Nilsa Heredia and Josephine Edmonds—are charged with unlawful possession of absentee ballots and additional election-related violations. Three of the four also face charges of witness tampering.

RIGGING THE ELECTION.

An investigation by the Chief State’s Attorney’s office into the 2019 election scandal found evidence of extensive illegalities: Geter-Pataky reportedly failed to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application she completed for a voter and allegedly misrepresented absentee voting eligibility requirements. The office also notes that she instructed a citizen not to vote in person and claimed she would retrieve the citizen’s absentee ballot. Additionally, Geter-Pataky purportedly told the citizen to keep quiet about the matter.

Heredia is accused of directing voters on absentee ballot candidate selections and misrepresenting eligibility requirements. She admitted to investigators that she did not submit an absentee ballot distribution list to the City of Bridgeport Clerk’s Office.

Castillo allegedly failed to maintain an absentee ballot distribution list and did not sign as an assister. Though initially denying involvement, Castillo later admitted to helping fill out portions of a ballot application.

Edmonds is accused of being present when four voters filled out absentee ballots and taking possession of them. Additionally, she allegedly failed to keep an absentee ballot distribution list and instructed a witness not to testify truthfully.

IT HAPPENED AGAIN.

Geter-Pataky is also suspected of being involved in a nearly identical scandal that resulted in the town’s 2023 mayoral election having to be held three times. Once again, Ganim was eventually re-elected despite numerous ballot irregularities. In September 2023, video evidence surfaced allegedly showing a city employee and Ganim supporter placing multiple absentee ballots into a ballot box during the Democratic mayoral primary.

Read more at: TheNationalPulse.com