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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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Posted on 01/21/2003 7:02:44 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
COX CHARGES FOUR WITH ELECTION VIOLATIONS
Attorney General Mike Cox announced today that felony charges have been filed against four people accused of handling and tampering with absentee voter ballots in the City of Ecorse. The following charges stem from the January 9, 2001, election for Ecorse City Council and are as follows:
• Angela Smith, age 44, a member of the Ecorse City Council, is charged with one count of improper return of an Absent Voter Ballot and one count of conspiracy to improperly return Absent Voter Ballots.
• Bobbie Baker, age 70, a member of the Ecorse City Council, is charged with five counts of improper return of an Absent Voter Ballot and three counts of conspiracy to improperly return Absent Voter Ballots
• Zedora Miller, age 58, a member of the Ecorse City Council, is charged with one count of improper return of an Absentee Voter Ballot, one count of conspiracy to improperly return Absent Voter Ballot, and one count of tampering with an Absent Voter Ballot or, alternatively, attempting to influence an Absent Voter.
• Frank Fields, age 76, of Ecorse, is charged with one count of tampering with an Absent Voter Ballot, one count of improper return of an Absent Voter Ballot, and one count of conspiracy to improperly return Absent Voter Ballot.
Zedora Miller is also charged with one count of tampering with an Absent Voter Ballot and one count of improper return of an Absent Voter Ballot in the November 6, 2001, general election.
“Our laws are intended to ensure that the average citizen has an equal voice in our elections – not just those in power,” Cox said. “In Ecorse, those laws were broken by elected officials. As Attorney General, I will not let this public corruption stand, and I will aggressively move forward to defend the rights of all voters.”
According to the complaint, Bobbie Baker, Zedora Miller, Frank Fields and Angela Smith worked together to distribute and collect applications for absent voter ballots. Upon receipt of an application, the city clerk sends an absent voter ballot to each requesting voter by U.S. Mail. Baker, Miller, Fields and Smith then worked together and enlisted others to assist in the collection of absent voter ballots. Several absent voter ballots for the January 9, 2001, election in the City of Ecorse were altered using whiteout and were rejected by the Wayne County Board of Election Canvassers as fraudulent.
Michigan law prohibits possession of the absent voter ballot of another. This prohibition was designed to guard against ballot tampering.
The charges are the result of a lengthy investigation by the Michigan State Police with assistance from the Department of Attorney General. Each felony charge has a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and/or $1,000 fine.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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Naw, it'll be Cheeks and Granholm. And yes, Republicans don't exist in Ecorse. Note, please, the disclaimer at the end of the story - I doubt that'd be there if the charges were against Republicans.
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