Saturday, June 09, 2007

UPDATED: New indictment in Kentucky vote-buying case

Vote fraud is a topic I'll never tire in covering on Marathon Pundit. It is a festering sore on one of our most important freedoms--the right to free elections.

Bath County in eastern Kentucky may be a small county in a small state, but that makes the crime even more egregious, since it takes less money and fewer people to sway such contests.

From the Lexington Herald-Leader:

Bath County's highest-ranking law enforcement officer was indicted yesterday on charges of vote-buying and lying to a grand jury.

Sheriff Calvin Randall "Randy" Armitage, 45, of Owingsville, is the third elected official and the 13th Bath County resident to be indicted in what federal investigators describe as flagrant vote-buying during the two weeks leading up to the May 2006 primary.

But Armitage might not be the last person to be indicted in the federal investigation of corruption in the county.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Taylor said yesterday that the investigation into improprieties during the May primary continues.

And yes, the primary contest in question was a Democratic one.

UPDATE June 12: Kentucky blogger (and recent blogroll addition) Genevieve of Praire Bluestem pointed out in the comments section two threads from a local message board focusing on Christian County. Both focus on allegations, I repeat, allegations of vote fraud there. Here is one thread, and here is another.

Yes, it's a message board, but poster "Buckhead" on FreeRepublic set the Rathergate affair in motion on a thread there.

Related posts:

Kentucky man pleads guilty in vote-buying case

The worst government money can buy: Bath County, Kentucky

Guilty verdict in Kentucky vote buying trial

Lawsuit alleges vote fraud in last week's 49th Ward election in Chicago

Obama and the Laborers' Union Ed Smith

Convicted vote thief joined by top local Dems at his pre-prison going away party

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