Latest arrests in Rensselaer County voter fraud case ensnare top GOP figures
WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published May 1, 2023 at 12:31 PM EDT
Three Rensselaer County officials with close ties to the ruling Republican Party were indicted last week on federal charges as part of an investigation into ballot fraud. Now, the current and former mayors of the city of Rensselaer are weighing in.
According to the U.S. Attorney, Richard Crist, James Gordon, and Leslie Wallace were arrested and charged Thursday with conspiring to violate the rights of county voters during the 2021 election cycle.
The alleged ballot scheme in Troy appears to have taken advantage of looser absentee ballot requirements that were in place during the pandemic.
Crist is the Director of Operations for Rensselaer County, Gordon is the Director of the Bureau for Central Services of the county, and Wallace works for the county executive.
Rich Mooney, a Democrat, says the federal investigation began during his time as mayor of the city of Rensselaer.
“During the election, during the campaign of 2021, myself, my team, noticed some irregularities with absentee ballots," said Mooney. "During the recount of the election of 2021 we challenged up to 60 ballots that we thought were tainted and not legitimate ballots. Well, along with that, we had an individual come forward, who told us that he did not request an absentee ballot and one was released to a Republican operative in his name and had voted for him. That individual had the courage to sign an affidavit. And we took that to the state police. And that is what started the ballot fraud investigation in the city of Rensselaer and Rensselaer County.”
In January, former Rensselaer County Elections Commissioner Jason Schofield pleaded guilty to unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to fraudulently apply for absentee ballots. The Republican had resigned at the end of December.
Last June, Republican Troy City Councilor Kim Ashe-McPherson resigned after pleading guilty to fraudulently submitting absentee ballots in 2021.
Republican Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, acquitted earlier this year of campaign finance charges in a separate case brought the state attorney general, said in a statement that Crist, Gordon and Wallace will be able to continue working for the county. Quoting: "Our system states those charged are innocent until proven guilty and I firsthand know significance of that statement, having recently gone through a similar experience. Members of our team will have their day in court and until then, have opportunity to continue their work."
https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-05-01/la ... op-figures