Vote fraud probe to begin
Special grand jury selection begins today
NWI Times
Aug 22, 2003
nwitimes.com/news/local/vote-fraud-probe-to-begin/article_11cdad60-9f49-5fbb-b36f-09634a3b878f.html
CROWN POINT -- The Lake County prosecutor's office today formally begins looking into alleged conspiracies to steal elections in at least two communities during the May 6 primary.
Deputy Lake County Prosecutor Robert Neumaier is scheduled to select a panel of six citizen investigators and one alternate today to investigate evidence that unscrupulous campaign workers misused the absentee ballot system to glean votes from empty lots, vacant apartments and those who had moved or died, among other violations.
County Prosecutor Bernard Carter said last week he expects the probe to concentrate on three major issues -- those who cast illegal votes, those who solicited illegal votes and those who attempted to cover up the fraud.
The special grand jury is scheduled to meet weekly during the next six months to interview witnesses and target election law violators. Its discussions will take place behind the closed door of the grand jury room in the hope witnesses will be more forthcoming with information if the proceedings are out of the view of public or defense lawyers who might object to the prosecution's questions.
Some of the evidence the grand jury is likely to hear already has been made public during two recount lawsuits involving the East Chicago mayoral race that Mayor Robert Pastrick won last week and the Schererville town judge race between incumbent Judge Deborah Riga and challenger Kenneth Anderson. A decision in that case is scheduled to be handed down as early as Sept. 5.
Special Lake Superior Court Judge Steven King chronicled hundreds of abuses in the East Chicago election in his written opinion, naming voters who perjured themselves by falsely indicating on absentee ballot applications they would be absent from the county on Election Day.
It also names a gallery of precinct committeemen, city employees and other members of the Pastrick election team who trafficked in mail-in absentee ballots that are supposed to be handled only by the voters, postal workers and county election workers.
Allegations in the Schererville recount revolve around Schererville Democratic Precinct Committeeman Bob "Bosko" Grkinich, who handled a number of questionable absentee ballots. He took the Fifth Amendment rather than answer questions that might incriminate him.
Carter said his office will not need the technical services of the Indiana Secretary of State, but was still waiting to hear from the Indiana State Police on whether they will provide an investigator to work with the special grand jury.
Carter said the U.S. Attorney's office has chosen to defer any action, but may help later if prosecutors need help in gathering information in Texas where many East Chicago residents, who voted by absentee ballot, claimed they were traveling on Election Day.
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