By Free Republic | Created at 2024-09-26 17:12:36 | Updated at 2024-10-01 04:13:32
4 days ago
Rensselaer County officials found not guilty in voter fraud case
Albany Times Union ^ | Sep 25, 2024 | Lucy Hodgman
Posted on 09/26/2024 10:03:57 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Three (Republican) county officials were accused of conspiring to file dozens of fraudulent ballots during the 2021 elections
ALBANY — Three Rensselaer County officials accused of conspiring to commit ballot fraud were found not guilty on all counts by a federal jury on Wednesday following a two-week trial that delved into the inner workings of the county’s political machinations.
The jury delivered its verdict after less than two days of deliberations in a case that federal prosecutors and the FBI had taken more than a year to build. That investigation included interviews with dozens of county employees, information gleaned from seized mobile devices and a review of thousands of pages of voting and government records.
The three defendants, all of whom have key roles in the administration of County Executive Steve McLaughlin, were Richard W. Crist, a longtime political operative and the county’s director of operations; James R. Gordon, director of the county’s Bureau of Central Services; and Leslie A. Wallace, a longtime political consultant and McLaughlin’s assistant for constituent relations.
They were each acquitted of a single count of conspiracy to violate the constitutional rights of voters by using their official positions to induce county employees to sign voter registration and absentee ballot applications to sway the 2021 primary and general elections. Gordon was also acquitted of witness tampering for telling someone whose ballot he handled to lie to the FBI. Wallace was acquitted of an additional county of lying to FBI agents when they interviewed her at her residence in February 2022 at the height of the investigation.
The top count against them could have resulted in a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Supporters in the courtroom applauded after the verdict was read. All three of the defendants were visibly moved as they...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesunion.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: jamesrgordon; leslieawallace; richardwcrist; stevemclaughlin
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
The jury delivered its verdict after less than two days of deliberations in a case that federal prosecutors and the FBI had taken more than a year to build.
Was this a show trial to make it look like the FBI was trying to prosecuting vote fraud? I'm skeptical to just how hard the FBI was investigating.
2 posted on 09/26/2024 10:07:49 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
To: Tell It Right
Was this a show trial to make it look like the FBI was trying to prosecuting vote fraud?
It was against Republicans, so it was definitely lawfare but it failed miserably.
3 posted on 09/26/2024 10:09:01 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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