PHOTO: Deste Lee
Posted on 08/05/2007 6:16:52 AM PDT by WKB
ASHLAND Mississippi-- Four people, including a candidate for Benton County sheriff, were arrested Friday and charged with voter fraud - just five days before Tuesday's primary election.
The arrest Friday of Democratic candidate Clint Moffett and the others by investigators for the attorney general's office brings the number to seven arrested in a probe of vote selling.
Attorney General Jim Hood said the investigation began a month ago, but would not provide details.
"Let this be a warning to those in other counties who would corrupt our voting process," Hood said. "We will come after you."
David Massey, 40, of Hickory Flat, his brother, Tip Massey, 42, of New Albany, and Maurice Warren were also arrested and were being held at the Tippah County jail.
Investigators arrested Lillie Jean Norton, 59, James Bullock, 41, and Ada Tucker, 50, earlier this week. All are from Ashland and face a charge of conspiracy to commit voter fraud. Bullock also has been charged with bribery.
Bonds for Norton and Tucker were set at $20,000. Bullock's bond was $40,000.
An initial court appearance for Norton and Tucker was scheduled for Monday. Bullock's court appearance in August 27.
At least one candidate, John Helmert, said he's worried now that the election will be fair, according to an article in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
Helmert, a Republican from Abbeville, is seeking to unseat Democrat Jack Gadd of Hickory Flat in the District 13 House race. Neither he nor Gadd has primary opposition in Tuesday's election.
Mississippi ping
By LEESHA FAULKNER
Daily Journal
ASHLAND - A candidate for Benton County sheriff was arrested Friday and charged with conspiracy to commit voter fraud.
Investigators with the state attorney general’s office arrested Clint Moffett, whose name is on the ballot Tuesday in the Democratic primary. Moffett and three others taken to the Tippah County jail were charged with conspiracy to commit voter fraud.
The arrests by investigators for state Attorney General Jim Hood bring to seven the total arrested since Wednesday in a probe of vote selling.
Hood has declined to talk about the details of the charges and the investigation, which he said began a month ago.
“Let this be a warning to those in other counties who would corrupt our voting process,” said Hood. “We will come after you.”
David Massey, 40, of Hickory Flat and his brother, Tip Massey, 42, of New Albany were booked into Tippah County Jail about mid-afternoon Friday. Officers also arrested Maurice Warren, according to Hood’s office. No information was available on Warren.
Earlier in the week, investigators arrested Lillie Jean Norton, 59, of Ashland, on one count conspiracy to commit voter fraud; James Bullock, 41, Ashland, one count bribery and one count conspiracy to commit voter fraud; and Ada Tucker, 50, Ashland, one count conspiracy to commit voter fraud.
Bonds for Norton and Tucker were set at $20,000 each. Bullock’s bond was $40,000 - $20,000 for each charge.
At least one candidate, John Helmert, said he’s worried now that the election will be fair. Helmert of Abbeville is seeking to unseat Democrat Jack Gadd of Hickory Flat in District 13 of the House of Representatives. Helmert is a Republican. Neither he nor Gadd has primary opposition in Tuesday’s election.
Contact Daily Journal county-courts reporter Leesha Faulkner at 678-1590 or leesha.faulkner@djournal.com.
http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=248209&pub=1&div=News
bump
I’m sure that this will make the national MSM headlines. After all it just shows the culture of corruption of the Rep....OOPS never mind, wrong party. ;)
Volunteer at your local headquarters regardless of party.....get the dead off the rolls.....
This article kinda makes you wonder what Bill Clinton was doing with those pardoned terrorists and that little town in NY and then there is (this failure of New Yorkers to stop the corruption)
They’ve arested the Pillsbury Dough Boy!!!
I wonder what exactly did they do and how they were found our.
There is a little more info at the video link here.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1874791/posts
As far as the candidate for sheriff, he'll get a bird's* eye view of day to day jail operations.
* A jail bird.
A mighty short one, but otherwise, you’re right. (As usual)
Coming soon to a city near you
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070805/NEWS/708050379/1001/news
Second story this week from little po dunk Benton county.
Only 4?
If y’all have been following the political ads about Randall H. Patterson, you know the radical leftist in the national dem party are trying to knock off moderate and conservative dems here. This is happening in other states too. (RE: Joe Lieberman - CT.)
Hood maybe next, since he has committed the ultimate ‘crime’ by exposing some common dem activity to the light of day.
Rule of thumb: If 4 were indicted, 4,000 are involved; much like the roach on kitchen counter.
I LOVE collecting there to throw in the faces of my smug Dem friends.
That doesn’t read right, what it means is that Helmert is worried about the fairness of the election.
Well, I am so surprised. Not.
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