A former Democratic congressman and crooked political operative was sentenced to 30 months in jail for voter fraud.
Michael “Ozzie” Myers, 79, admitted to organizing ballot stuffing schemes to cheat in elections in the Democrat hub of Philadelphia, the Daily Caller reported.
Sentenced to 30 months
This will be Myers’ second jail stay. He was jailed decades ago for bribery following the FBI’s ABSCAM sting operation, which led to his expulsion from Congress in 1980.
In June, he pled guilty to bribing two different election judges in South Philly to stuff ballot boxes on behalf of his Democrat “clients” in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 elections. The “clients” included candidates for judicial office.
In one scheme that lasted years, he paid judge Domenick J. Demuro up to $5,000 per election to “ring up” fake votes.
Myers also gave detailed instructions to another election judge, Marie Beren, as previously reported by the Conservative Institute:
Myers would advise Beren to cast fewer fake votes if the turnout of “legit,” or actual voters, was high. He also would have Beren alternate her fake votes between different candidates he supported to avoid making the fraud too obvious: if Myers felt his top choice was comfortably ahead, he would have Beren “throw support” behind another one of his preferred candidates.
In addition to his jail stay, Myers must undergo three years of supervised release and pay a $100,000 fine.
Election integrity matters after all?
Democrats have insisted for the past two years that voter fraud is essentially a fake problem that only “conspiracy theorists” on the right are worried about.
But according to United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, Myers’ crime proves that “even one vote” cast illegally harms the democratic process.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process,” she said.
“This defendant used his position, knowledge of the process, and connections to fix elections for his preferred candidates, which demonstrates a truly flagrant disregard for the laws which govern our elections. He will now spend 30 months in prison as penalty for his crime.”
The FBI special agent who runs Philly’s field office, Jacqueline Maguire, said Myers is “heading back behind bars, with time to consider the great consequence of free and fair elections.”