Latest news with #Ganim
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Democratic operatives accused of ballot tampering make first court appearances in Connecticut
Five Democratic operatives in Connecticut 's largest city made their first court appearances Thursday since being charged with tampering with absentee ballots in 2023, allegations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral primary and general election and fueled skepticism about U.S. election security. Three Bridgeport City Council members and the second in command of the city's Democratic Party organization were among the defendants who briefly appeared before a Bridgeport Superior Court judge, who set their next court dates for March 21. No one entered any pleas. In the runup to the 2023 primary, surveillance videos showed people on several occasions stuffing what appeared to be multiple absentee ballots into city collection boxes, police said. The defendants have also been accused of illegally helping voters fill out ballots and telling them who to vote for, according to arrest warrants. News of the surveillance videos helped fuel skepticism about the security of U.S. elections and was used to bolster false narratives about the 2020 presidential election being stolen, Among those arrested on Feb. 21 by state police were Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chairperson of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee; City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira and Jazmarie Melendez; and Stratford resident Margaret Joyce, who told authorities she worked on Mayor Joe Ganim's campaign, according to arrest warrants. Castillo, Pereira and Melendez deny the allegations. Geter-Pataky and her lawyer declined to comment on the charges. Joyce declined to comment Thursday. Ganim has denied any knowledge of ballot tampering. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were supporters of Ganim, while Pereira and Melendez were for John Gomes, who challenged Ganim in the 2023 Democratic primary. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were previously charged with similar absentee ballot crimes connected to the 2019 election won by Ganim. State police allege Geter-Pataky is seen on the surveillance videos stuffing ballots into collection boxes. Ganim narrowly won the 2023 primary over Gomes and went on to win the general election. But both results were thrown out by a state judge because of evidence of alleged ballot tampering. Ganim won both do-over elections. Ganim was first elected mayor in 1991 and served 12 years before quitting when he was caught accepting bribes and kickbacks. Convicted of racketeering, extortion and other crimes, he spent seven years in prison but then won his old job back in 2015.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic operatives accused of ballot tampering make first court appearances in Connecticut
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Five Democratic operatives in Connecticut's largest city made their first court appearances Thursday since being charged with tampering with absentee ballots in 2023, allegations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral primary and general election and fueled skepticism about U.S. election security. Three Bridgeport City Council members and the second in command of the city's Democratic Party organization were among the defendants who briefly appeared before a Bridgeport Superior Court judge, who set their next court dates for March 21. No one entered any pleas. In the runup to the 2023 primary, surveillance videos showed people on several occasions stuffing what appeared to be multiple absentee ballots into city collection boxes, police said. The defendants have also been accused of illegally helping voters fill out ballots and telling them who to vote for, according to arrest warrants. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. News of the surveillance videos helped fuel skepticism about the security of U.S. elections and was used to bolster false narratives about the 2020 presidential election being stolen, Among those arrested on Feb. 21 by state police were Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chairperson of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee; City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira and Jazmarie Melendez; and Stratford resident Margaret Joyce, who told authorities she worked on Mayor Joe Ganim's campaign, according to arrest warrants. Castillo, Pereira and Melendez deny the allegations. Geter-Pataky and her lawyer declined to comment on the charges. Joyce declined to comment Thursday. Ganim has denied any knowledge of ballot tampering. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were supporters of Ganim, while Pereira and Melendez were for John Gomes, who challenged Ganim in the 2023 Democratic primary. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were previously charged with similar absentee ballot crimes connected to the 2019 election won by Ganim. State police allege Geter-Pataky is seen on the surveillance videos stuffing ballots into collection boxes. Ganim narrowly won the 2023 primary over Gomes and went on to win the general election. But both results were thrown out by a state judge because of evidence of alleged ballot tampering. Ganim won both do-over elections. Ganim was first elected mayor in 1991 and served 12 years before quitting when he was caught accepting bribes and kickbacks. Convicted of racketeering, extortion and other crimes, he spent seven years in prison but then won his old job back in 2015.
Associated Press
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Democratic operatives accused of ballot tampering make first court appearances in Connecticut
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Five Democratic operatives in Connecticut's largest city made their first court appearances Thursday since being charged with tampering with absentee ballots in 2023, allegations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral primary and general election and fueled skepticism about U.S. election security. Three Bridgeport City Council members and the second in command of the city's Democratic Party organization were among the defendants who briefly appeared before a Bridgeport Superior Court judge, who set their next court dates for March 21. No one entered any pleas. In the runup to the 2023 primary, surveillance videos showed people on several occasions stuffing what appeared to be multiple absentee ballots into city collection boxes, police said. The defendants have also been accused of illegally helping voters fill out ballots and telling them who to vote for, according to arrest warrants. Among those arrested on Feb. 21 by state police were Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chairperson of the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee; City Council members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira and Jazmarie Melendez; and Stratford resident Margaret Joyce, who told authorities she worked on Mayor Joe Ganim's campaign, according to arrest warrants. Castillo, Pereira and Melendez deny the allegations. Geter-Pataky and her lawyer declined to comment on the charges. Joyce declined to comment Thursday. Ganim has denied any knowledge of ballot tampering. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were supporters of Ganim, while Pereira and Melendez were for John Gomes, who challenged Ganim in the 2023 Democratic primary. Geter-Pataky and Castillo were previously charged with similar absentee ballot crimes connected to the 2019 election won by Ganim. State police allege Geter-Pataky is seen on the surveillance videos stuffing ballots into collection boxes. Ganim narrowly won the 2023 primary over Gomes and went on to win the general election. But both results were thrown out by a state judge because of evidence of alleged ballot tampering. Ganim won both do-over elections. Ganim was first elected mayor in 1991 and served 12 years before quitting when he was caught accepting bribes and kickbacks. Convicted of racketeering, extortion and other crimes, he spent seven years in prison but then won his old job back in 2015.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Conn. GOP leaders call on DOJ to probe election fraud allegations after 5 charged in connection to Bridgeport mayor race
Connecticut GOP leaders called on the US Department of Justice Friday to launch a probe into allegations of election fraud in Bridgeport after eyebrow-raising comments by one of the accused spurred concerns about systemic scandal in the state. Connecticut General Assembly Republicans sent a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi after Bridgeport City Council Member Alfredo Castillo claimed he was only 'following orders' from Democratic leaders to get out the vote as he denied wrongdoing in connection to allegations of fraud in the city's 2023 mayoral race. 'I'm innocent,' Castillo told Only in Bridgeport after his Feb. 21 arrest. 'I'm following the orders of the Democratic Party. This is what they tell us to do, get out the vote. Then we get criminalized.' Days after those comments Connecticut Republicans like State Rep. Vincent Candelora wrote and sent a letter to the DOJ requesting an investigation. 'Councilman Castillo's own words suggest a broader operation at play, involving efforts to benefit high-profile Democratic candidates at the state and federal levels,' Candelora said of the investigation during a press conference Friday. 'We cannot ignore the possibility that these corrupt practices extend beyond Bridgeport.' Castillo was among five local political operatives criminally charged for allegedly mishandling absentee ballots in the 2023 Bridgeport Democratic primary between Mayor Joe Ganim and challenger John Gomes. Ganim was declared winner when absentee ballots rolled in after Gomes won the most votes at the polls, the Chief State Attorney's Office said this month when announcing criminal action. A judge ordered a new election after Gomes claimed voter fraud, though Ganim again emerged victorious. Castillo, 53; Maria Pereira, 57; and Jazmarie Melendez, 26, are the trio of city council members facing charges while the city's Democratic Town Committee vice-chair Wanda Geter-Ptaki, 68, is facing 92 charges including conspiracy to take possession of multiple absentee ballots, chief state attorney officials said. Margaret Joyce, 45, who was allegedly part of the absentee ballot scheme, was also charged. The allegations carried out include instructing absentee voters who they should cast their ballots for, altering ballots, filling out and submitting other voters' ballots themselves and registering a non-citizen to vote. Castillo in his interview with Only in Bridgeport also bemoaned that he's 'pissed and frustrated' to face the criminal charges, claiming, 'If we don't get out the vote, Ganim loses.' When responding to the allegation that he registered a non-citizen to vote, he said, 'How am I supposed to know? She gave me a social security number.' 'How much more loyal do you want us to be? We get out the vote and we get criminalized,' he said. 'Now we have to pay for lawyers. I have a wife and kids who are afraid of me going to jail. The party should have lawyers representing us.' GOP officials in the Constitution State want to know if similar fraud is happening in other parts of the state. 'Such an investigation is critical to restoring public trust in our election system, which has been severely undermined by the scandals in Bridgeport,' according to the letter. The five defendants have either denied wrongdoing or remained mum about the charges.
Associated Press
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
5 tampered with absentee ballots in Connecticut's largest city, authorities say
Five people including prominent Democratic political operatives in Connecticut's largest city were arrested Friday on allegations of absentee ballot tampering during a 2023 local election, including accusations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral election and helped fuel skepticism about voting security in the U.S. The charges generally allege that the defendants in the Bridgeport case illegally possessed absentee ballots of others, were illegally present when voters filled in their ballots and misrepresented absentee ballot rules to voters. Complaints previously filed with state elections enforcement officials said some voters were pressured into picking certain candidates when they filled out their ballots. Among those arrested were Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chairperson Wanda Geter-Pataky, and Bridgeport Democratic City Council Members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira and Jazmarie Melendez, according to the chief state's attorney's office. A Stratford woman was also arrested but contact information for her could not be found and it's unclear if she has an attorney who can speak on her behalf. similar absentee ballot crimes connected to the 2019 election. During the 2023 election, surveillance videos surfaced appearing to show people stuffing multiple absentee ballots into outdoor collection boxes during the Democratic primary. Geter-Pataky was accused of being one of those people by John Gomes, a Democratic candidate for mayor who narrowly lost the September primary that year to incumbent Joe Ganim. At a court hearing in late 2023 over tampering concerns, two Ganim supporters including Geter-Pataky exercised their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions. Ganim said he was unaware of any wrongdoing. News of the videos, which were released by Gomes, helped fuel skepticism about the security of U.S. elections and spread through right-wing social media platforms and on far-right media. The Bridgeport controversy was used to bolster 2020 stolen election claims, with people promoting it as evidence for false narratives about widespread fraud connected to ballot drop boxes. Gomes challenged the 2023 primary results in court, and the videos and other evidence led a state judge to order a new primary and general election, both also won by Ganim. Geter-Pataky, Castillo, Pereira and Melendez did not immediately return messages Friday. Geter-Pataky's lawyer, John R. Gulash, said Friday he had not seen the arrest warrant and declined to comment. Castillo plans to plead not guilty, said his attorney, Frank Riccio II. A lawyer for Pereira, Robert Frost, declined to comment. Melendez's attorney, Alexander Taubes, said in a statement that Melendez 'categorically denies the baseless allegation' and is being targeted 'political retribution.' Geter-Pataky declined to comment outside the Bridgeport state police barracks where she and others turned themselves in after learning there were warrants for their arrest. Pereira, who supported Gomes, said while leaving the police station that she was going to win the case. She declined to discuss the allegations. All five were released on non-bail promises to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on March 6. Geter-Pataky was charged with dozens of crimes Friday including 42 counts of possession of ballots and envelopes restricted, two counts of fraudulent voting and 22 counts of misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot. Castillo, Pereira, Melendez and Joyce were arrested on similar charges with fewer counts than Geter-Pataky. 'These prosecutions hopefully send the message that deters tampering with election results in the future in Connecticut,' Chief State's Attorney Patrick Griffin said in a statement. In connection with the 2019 election, Geter-Pataky, Castillo and two campaign workers were charged last year with unlawful possession of absentee ballots and other election law violations. They are accused of manipulating the absentee ballot system during that year's primary, in which Ganim defeated state Sen. Marilyn Moore by just 270 votes. Prosecutors said some of the defendants misled voters about eligibility requirements for absentee ballots, told people which candidates to vote for, were improperly present when ballots were filled out and violated rules for handling both absentee ballot applications and the ballots themselves. Those cases are still pending in court. won his old job back in 2015. He was reelected again in 2019 and 2023.
