Several counties in Pennsylvania have discovered a concerning number of fraudulent voter registrations linked to an Arizona-based group just before the presidential election.
Just The News reported that an alarming discovery has shaken Pennsylvania as investigations in five counties have revealed numerous fraudulent voter registration applications.
These counties, specifically Berks, Lancaster, Monroe, York, and Cambria, are at the center of inquiries concerning applications submitted by Field+Media Corps, a subsidiary of the Arizona-based organization FieldCorps.
It was Lancaster County that first detected irregularities, with about 60% of 2,500 recent applications being flagged as fraudulent.
These applications were gathered in public places like shopping malls. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams noted the uncovering of what she described as a "large-scale scheme."
This pattern of fraudulent activities is not isolated to Lancaster. In York County, officials reported receiving large batches of voter registration forms with diverse statuses of approval and denial. York County Chief Clerk Greg Monskie confirmed that the submissions under scrutiny were made by Field+Media Corps.
Monroe County is addressing around 30 suspicious voter applications and mail-in ballot requests, as identified by Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso. Similar concerns have been raised in Cambria, where authorities have rejected 21 applications found to be fraudulent last month.
Simultaneously, the company implicated in these allegations, Field+Media Corps, also undertook voter registration efforts in Arizona.
Richie Taylor, a spokesperson for the Arizona attorney general's office, acknowledged the company's activities in the state. However, there were inaccuracies or incomplete information in their submissions, prompting further scrutiny.
Amidst these findings, political reactions have been swift and critical. A campaign statement from former President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee named Field+Media Corps as responsible for submitting fraudulent registration forms, describing this issue as part of a "radical leftist consulting group" controversy.
Francisco Heredia, the CEO of Field+Media Corps, who is also the vice mayor of Mesa, Arizona, expressed that the company had not been contacted by Pennsylvania officials regarding the fraudulent forms. He stated to Votebeat, “The company will cooperate with any Pennsylvania investigation.”
Furthermore, Everybody Votes, an affiliate organization, claimed that their partners work meticulously to comply with all electoral rules and regulations.
The investigation has revealed financial and political entanglements that could have influenced the actions of Field+Media Corps.
The organization received $200,000 from Mi Familia Vota, a group known for its voter outreach efforts, particularly among Latino communities, and has associations with Democratic campaigns.
The Honest Elections Project (HEP) also weighed in, advocating for electoral reforms to curb potential abuses by third-party voter registration groups. HEP Vice President Chad Ennis pointed out the inherent problems with such organizations, stressing the need for stringent oversight.
As the presidential election nears, the implications of these fraudulent registrations cast shadows over the integrity of the electoral process.
Law enforcement and electoral officials are working diligently to assess the full scope of the fraud and to ensure that the voter rolls remain untainted by illicit activities.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office has committed to a thorough investigation in collaboration with county officials. Their statement emphasized the defeat of apparent fraudulent attempts and ongoing efforts to uphold election integrity.
Ultimately, as the electoral authorities and law enforcement unravel the layers of this complex issue, the public's trust in the electoral system hangs in balance, awaiting a resolution that reinforces the security and legitimacy of voting.