Four Connecticut Democratic operatives have been charged with election-related offenses, including unlawful possession of absentee ballots. Among those charged are Bridgeport City Councilmember Alfredo Castillo and Democratic Town Committee Vice Chair Wanda Geter-Pataky. Geter-Pataky was accused of failing to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application, while Castillo was accused of misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot. Three of the individuals were supporters of Mayor Joseph Ganim’s 2019 re-election, while the fourth supported Ganim’s primary opponent, Marilyn Moore. Ganim has denied any knowledge of the alleged behavior of his supporters.
A judge previously overturned the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport over allegations of absentee ballot fraud, with Geter-Pataky and another individual seen on CCTV video inserting a large number of absentee ballots into drop boxes. A new election was ordered to be held after the judge’s ruling. Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont dismissed claims that the corruption was caused by the introduction of early voting and expanded absentee balloting, stating that it is the people who engage in corrupt behavior. In the current case, three of the defendants were also charged with witness tampering. Chief Connecticut State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin emphasized the importance of the integrity of the voting process and expressed hope that the prosecutions will deter future tampering with election results in Connecticut.
The defendants are set to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on June 24. The charges include unlawful possession of absentee ballots, misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot, failing to sign as an assister, and witness tampering. The case involves individuals who were supporters of Mayor Joseph Ganim in his 2019 re-election campaign. The allegations of absentee ballot fraud had led to the overturning of the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport, prompting a new election to be held. The defendants, including Geter-Pataky and Castillo, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
During the 2023 situation, a correspondent for Fox News Channel confronted Geter-Pataky as she was getting out of her vehicle. Geter-Pataky offered no comment to the correspondent. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont dismissed claims that the corruption was a result of changes in voting procedures, attributing it to people’s behavior. The Statewide Prosecution Bureau put in time and effort into the investigations leading to the charges against the Democratic operatives. The focus on the integrity of the voting process is emphasized by Chief Connecticut State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin, who hopes that the prosecutions will serve as a deterrent for tampering with election results in the future.
The Associated Press contributed to the report on the charges against the Democratic operatives in Connecticut. The individuals were charged with various election-related offenses, including unlawful possession of absentee ballots and witness tampering. The case involves supporters of Mayor Joseph Ganim in his 2019 re-election campaign. A new election was ordered to be held following allegations of absentee ballot fraud in the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary in Bridgeport. The importance of preserving the integrity of the voting process is highlighted by Chief Connecticut State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin, who emphasized the need to deter tampering with election results in the future.
