Posted on 06/16/2006 4:19:09 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Attorney General Greg Abbott announced Thursday in Corpus Christi that his office has indicted a Robstown woman on felony charges in connection with voter fraud.
Maria Dora Flores, 65, of Robstown was arrested on two counts of felony voting fraud and taken to the Nueces County Jail by investigators with the attorney general's office. Abbott said this was his office's first felony charge in connection with voting fraud and follows nearly a dozen misdemeanor indictments in the state since last summer.
"The difference in her case is she actually cast a ballot for someone else," said Angela Hale, spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. "A lot of the mail-in violations are misdemeanors under the law."
The indictment alleges Flores escorted voters into polling sites and illegally marked ballots without their consent in this year's Democratic primary election.
Abbott would not comment on the details of how his office was alerted to the possible voter fraud because the case is still under investigation.
"Those who perpetrate voter fraud are victimizing and intimidating the elderly," Abbott said in a written statement. "This violates the law and is simply another form of elder abuse."
If convicted, Flores could face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $10,000.
Flores remained in the Nueces County Jail on a bond of $3,500 late Thursday.
Officials with the attorney general's office said referrals of voting fraud have increased by 1,000 percent in the state since 2003.
The Texas Secretary of State's office investigated allegations in Duval County after some residents complained of mail ballot fraud during that same election. The county reported a 55 percent voter turnout in local races, making it five times higher than the state average.
Last year, a 53-year-old Beeville woman was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of illegal voting after the Bee County voter registrar alleged she filled out a ballot in her dead mother's name for the 2004 November election.
Contact Mary Ann Cavazos
at 886-3623
Duval county's 55 percent voter turnout was also in the Democrat primary election.
I think I might be starting to see a pattern of corruption here? /sarc
Well, I wonder how far this is going to go, and how serious this is in Corpus Christi. Anybody know?
In a sane country voter fraud would bring significant hard prison time.
It would cost her family typically $350 to bail her out.
This is not a popular woman.
If they jailed everyone who committed voting fraud in Robstown, there'd hardly be anyone not in jail. I don't understand how such a small town has so much influence in Nueces County?
Politiqueras Ping!
DU Activist Corps, Activate!!! Oh wait, it's Democrats doing it, never mind...move along, nothing to see here.
Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz (D) was born in Robstown.
There is mega-voter fraud going on in many places, some quite openly. Friends reported that in San Miguel de Allende, Mex., ex-pat libs were bragging about voting absentee twice and laughing.
What did she do wrong? This is a common occurence in Washington State and nobody gets in trouble here. I guess we must have different types of judges who see this differently.
Robstown is responsible for most of our corrupt politicians in this county. They usually provide the difference in most countywide elections.
350 bucks versus a possible 10 year stretch??
Color this chick long gone, Dog Gone : )
"The indictment alleges Flores escorted voters into polling sites and illegally marked ballots without their consent in this year's Democratic primary election."
And like I said, it happens in King County in Washington State all the time and nobody gets in trouble. In fact I'll bet the demorat party sends out thank you letters.
But they have good bar-b-que at Joe Cottons.
But they have good bar-b-que at Joe Cottons.
Color this chick long gone, Dog Gone : )
Apparently the voters didn't like the democrats she voted for and complained about it to the state officials.
I'd write Robstown off as a total loss, if not for Cotton's. ;)
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