MS attorney general investigating Gulfport mayoral candidate over meal vouchers

Yahoo

a day ago

The Mississippi Attorney General's Office said Wednesday it is investigating Democrat Sonya Williams Barnes' campaign for Gulfport mayor after allegations that residents received meal vouchers in exchange for voting.
In a letter addressed to Barnes, Attorney General Lynn Fitch said her office 'has reason to believe' the candidate may have violated several state campaign finance laws.
Mike Hurst, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said he asked state authorities to investigate alleged 'vote buying.'
'This is something that strikes at the heart of our democracy,' he said in a news conference across the street from the Gulfport Police Department. 'Votes should not be for sale.'
Barnes did not immediately return messages on Wednesday. In a statement posted to social media, she said she is committed to 'voter engagement, civic responsibility, and ensuring that everyone participates lawfully.'
'I am not affiliated with, nor do I support, any illegal voter activity of any kind,' she said.
The accusation of vote buying came less than a week before the election and intensified an already contentious race between Barnes and Republican Hugh Keating.
Hurst said he learned of the allegations Monday night and believes vouchers are still being handed out to absentee voters. The vouchers, according to photos provided by the Republican Party, give voters 'one entry' to Ms. Audrey's Southern Kitchen and Catering in Gulfport for a 'special prepared meal now through June 3.'
The Rev. Eddie Hartwell Sr., a pastor at St. James Baptist Church, said the voucher idea was his. The group behind it is called All Souls to the Polls and members say they want to increase voter turnout. Hartwell said he is not a member of either mayoral campaign and denied the efforts were illegal.
'All we're doing is saying, 'Go and vote,'' he said. 'As far as me telling somebody who to vote for? No, sir.'
Hurst said he also asked state authorities to investigate an event on Saturday called 'Project 35's Vote & Vibe.' Barnes' campaign shared a flyer for the event on social media. The flyer encouraged voters to meet at City Hall, where it said they would receive wristbands after voting then attend brunch together.
'That is illegal. That is immoral. And that is un-American,' Hurst said.
Mississippi law says it is illegal to try to influence absentee voters through money, rewards or any item of value. Anyone convicted of doing so can face fines between $500 and $5,000 and between one and five years in prison. Hurst also said he believes the efforts violate a law that forbids offering money or 'anything of substantial value' for a vote.
Hartwell said the restaurant vouchers are worth about $10.
Democrats on Wednesday dismissed the allegations and called them political.
'I stand for integrity and real leadership — unlike my opponent, whose campaign is relying on distractions rather than offering a true vision for Gulfport's future,' Barnes said. 'The recent press conference was nothing more than a scare tactic by his party to rally last minute support, and a desperate attempt to distract from their lack of vision for our city.'
Rep. Cheikh Taylor, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said the party was not involved in the voucher effort and called the allegations against Barnes a 'failed attempt to actually diminish the stature of the Democrat in the race.' He called Barnes 'an impeccable candidate.'
'Her merits and her service to the community are unmatched,' he said.
Keating did not immediately return a phone call but said in a text message Wednesday evening that 'it is extremely important for the voters to know the facts presented at the press conference.'
Keating and Barnes have both said they agreed to run clean campaigns. But the mayoral race has already grown tense. Mississippi Sen. Joel Carter of Biloxi alleged last month that 'cronies' of Stacey Abrams, a Democrat who in 2018 nearly defeated Georgia's Republican governor, were 'highly involved' in the election. Barnes said she alone is responsible for running her campaign and called the statement divisive.
Turnout appears high already. By Wednesday, city officials said they had received 805 absentee ballots. There were just 177 absentee voters in the last mayoral election four years ago, according to the city.
Records show Mayor Billy Hewes, a Republican who is not running for office again, won the 2021 general election with 2,680 votes. Barnes won the Democratic primary this spring with 3,316 votes. Keating had no Republican opponent in the primary.
How fast the Attorney General's investigation will proceed was not immediately clear. The office usually does not comment on ongoing investigations. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell said Wednesday that he also could not talk about ongoing investigations but confirmed the Public Integrity division of the Attorney General's Office 'is actively investigating this matter.'
The Secretary of State's Office oversees elections and said it has no investigative authority. But spokesperson Elizabeth Jonson said Wednesday the office had 'received information from the City of Gulfport about alleged violations of Mississippi law through the use of vouchers given to those who vote.'
Claims of election fraud have surfaced before in Mississippi: Jonson also said several people were convicted in connection to 'providing items of value to voters' in the 2017 municipal election in Canton. Punishments in those cases were minimal, according to news reports, and other charges were dropped.
This is a developing story and may be updated. Anita Lee contributed reporting.