4 people arrested for alleged roles in 2019 Democratic primary

LAUREN TAYLOR:

This is a case of electoral fraud.

AFTER A FIVE-YEAR INVESTIGATION –

FOUR PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH AN ABSENTEE VOTING SCANDAL – INVOLVING BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT’S 2019 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RACES.

A DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICIAL – ALONG WITH A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND TWO CAMPAIGN WORKERS WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH MISHANDLING ABSENTEE BALLOTS DURING THE 2019 ELECTIONS.

HERE ARE THE ARRESTS:

WANDA GETER-PATAKY – VICE CHAIR OF THE BRIDGEPORT DEMOCRATIC TOWN COMMITTEE.

ALFREDO CASTILLO – BRIDGEPORT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

NILSA HEREDIA AND JOSEPHINE EDMONDS – BOTH ARE COUNTRY WORKERS.

ALL FOUR SUSPECTS ARE CHARGED WITH BALLOT TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF BALLOTS DURING THE 2019 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY MAYORAL ELECTION.

GETER-PATAKY, HEREDIA AND CASTILLO ARE ALSO CHARGED WITH TAMPERING WITH WITNESSES.

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS CASE:

IN 2019 – GETER-PATAKY, HEREDIA AND CASTILLO SUPPORTED BRIDGEPORT'S INCURRED MAYOR -JOE GANIM- WHO DEFEATED STATE SENATOR MARILYN MOORE BY ONLY 270 VOTES IN THE PRIMARY.

EDMONDS WORKED FOR MOORE'S CAMPAIGN.

AFTER THE ELECTION, ALLEGATIONS EMERGED THAT ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE MISHANDLED, PROMPTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SEND “A LETTER OF REFERENCE TO THE STATE ELECTION ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.”

SEEC HAS OPENED AN INVESTIGATION AND HAS NOT RETURNED EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT TO THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE UNTIL JUNE 2023 – STATES STATE’S CHIEF ATTORNEY PATRICK J GRIFFIN.

Prosecutors say some of the suspects falsely represented the eligibility requirements for absentee voters, were present when a candidate filled out an absentee ballot and even told some candidates which candidates they wanted to vote for .

GRIFFIN SAYS CASTILLO allegedly denied helping a potential voter complete the application and later admitted he completed portions of the application – according to a SEEC deposition on Oct. 21, 2021.

GRIFFIN ALSO STATES “EDMONDS IS ACCUSED OF BEING PRESENT WHEN FOUR POWERFUL VOTERS FILLED OUT THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND TAKEN POSSESSION OF THEM WHEN SHE LEFT THEIR HOME.”

GRIFFIN'S OFFICE SAID IN A STATEMENT:

“I hope these lawsuits send a message that deters future tampering with election results in Connecticut.”

MEANWHILE – SOME OF THE SUSPECTS PLAYED ROLES IN BRIDGEPORT’S CONTROVERSIAL 2023 DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR MAYOR.

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS BROUGHT YOU THE STORY IN NOVEMBER 2023 – OF THE BALLOT STUFFERING SCANDAL in which it is alleged that surveillance video shows GETER-PATAKY stuffing multiple ballots into ballot boxes.

IN THIS MAYORAL RACE – INcumbent JOE GANIM DEFEATED CHALLENGER JOHN GOMES BY 251 VOTES.

GOMES' CAMPAIGN FILED LAWSUIT AFTER SAYING THE VIDEO SHOWED EVIDENCE OF ELECTION TAMPERING.

GETER-PATAKY WAS ASKED TO THE BOD TO TESTIFY ABOUT HER ALLEGED ACTIONS IN THE VIDEO CUTTING – AND SHE PLEADED THE FIFTH.

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE WILLIAM CLARK ORDERED A NEW VOTE FOR THE CITY MAYOR ELECTION.

IN THE RE-VOTE, MAYOR JOE GANIM GOT FOUR ADDITIONAL YEARS IN THE POSITION.

MAYOR GANIM DENIED ANY ACT RELATED TO THE VOTING SCANDAL. GANIM WAS PREVIOUSLY CONVICTED ON FEDERAL CORRUPTION-RELATED CHARGES IN 2003 AND SPENT 7 YEARS IN PRISON.

THE FOUR SUSPECTS ARE EXPECTED IN COURT ON JUNE 24.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I'M LT.

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