By Bryan Preston in PJ Media
An election integrity watchdog group is suing the
state of Maryland, alleging that it has discovered massive and ongoing
fraudulent voting by non-U.S. citizens in one county. But because of the way
that the non-citizens are able to cast votes in elections, the fraud is likely
happening in every single county and subdivision across the state. The group
believes that the illegal voting has been happening for years.
The group, Virginia
Voters Alliance, says that it compared how voters in Frederick County filled out
jury duty statements compared with their voting records. The group’s
investigation found that thousands of people in Frederick County who stated
that they are not U.S. citizens on jury duty forms went on to cast votes in
elections. Either they failed to tell the truth when they were summoned for
jury duty, or they cast illegal votes. Both are crimes. The same group previously
found that about 40,000 people are registered to vote in both Virginia
and Maryland.
It is a federal crime to cast votes if you are not legally
eligible to vote. Non-citizens, whether in the country legally or not, are
prohibited from voting in most local and all state and federal elections. Yet
the VVA investigation found that hundreds of non-citizens have been voting in
Frederick County, Maryland. One in seven Maryland residents are non-U.S.
citizens.
“The lawsuit is the equivalent of the lookout spotting the iceberg
ahead of the Titanic,” state Del. Pat McDonough told the Tatler. He added that
the group’s investigation found a voter fraud “smoking gun.”
Maryland state law makes it easier for non-citizens, both those
present legally and those in the country against the law, to vote. Maryland
issues drivers licenses to legal and illegal aliens. Driver’s licenses in turn
make it easier under the Motor Voter law to register to vote. Maryland also
offers copious taxpayer-funded social programs to non-citizens in the state.
The group filed suit in
Baltimore’s U.S. District Court on Friday. They are suing the Frederick County
Board of Elections and the Maryland State Board of Elections.
Del. Pat McDonough (R-Baltimore and Harford Counties) detailed the
alleged fraud in a Maryland press conference today. He is calling for a special
state prosecutor because the fraud may be taking place statewide, with
significant impact on Maryland elections. Maryland currently holds 10 electoral
votes in presidential elections. McDonough is also proposing legislation
including voter ID to close the loopholes that he says non-citizens are using
to cast votes.
In a statement, Del. McDonough says:
There are frequent allegations in America and Maryland about the
existence of voter fraud. In the case I am presenting today, there is
documentation and a track record. The numbers and facts from the records in
Frederick County are the tip of the iceberg. When these numbers are multiplied
by including the other subdivisions in Maryland, the potential number is
alarming and could change the outcome of a close statewide election.
Even more dangerous is the probability of many local elections
that are decided by a few votes could be affected. All 188 members of the
Maryland General Assembly are standing for re-election as well as many local
office holders.
The important election that we have coming up demands that
citizens’ votes are not diluted or cancelled by non-citizens who are not
legally permitted to vote. The sanctity of the ballot box, because of the
flawed system we are pointing out, has already been violated in previous
elections.
The purpose of the lawsuit is to mandate those responsible for the
administration of the election process will remove the non-citizens from the
final voting count.
The purpose of the investigation by the special prosecutor is to
penetrate more deeply statewide and determine why this fraud or any other
related violation was allowed to occur.
The purpose of the legislation is to plug the massive loophole in
current law which permitted these fraudulent practices to take place.
Maryland is a Democratic stronghold especially around its larger
cities, but the governor’s race there is tightening as Republican Larry Hogan
gains ground. Illegal votes could tip the balance if the legal vote is close
enough on election day. “What if Hogan loses by 500 votes or 1000 votes?” McDonough
asked.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to run for the
Democratic nomination for president in 2016. Del. McDonough noted that the
fraud uncovered by VVA occurred on O’Malley’s watch.
Bryan Preston has been a leading conservative blogger and opinionator
since founding his first blog in 2001. Bryan is a military veteran, worked for
NASA, was a founding blogger and producer at Hot Air, was producer of the Laura
Ingraham Show and, most recently before joining PJM, was Communications
Director of the Republican Party of Texas.
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