County seeks state help in vote fraud probe
Prosecutor trying to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest
NWI Times
Sep 11, 2003
nwitimes.com/news/local/county-seeks-state-help-in-vote-fraud-probe/article_427331dd-4039-5221-b5a6-7e2b91ac9b9f.html
CROWN POINT -- Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter is asking for help from the Indiana attorney general to investigate vote fraud.
"I spoke with Steve Carter, the attorney general, and I asked him to join us in this investigation, and he indicated he would get back to me by Friday. I feel very comfortable that he will be joining our investigation," the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor made the request Wednesday amid pressure to show his probe into violations of election law would be untainted by favoritism because of political contributions he has received in the past from possible targets of his investigation. Bernard Carter is looking into alleged voter fraud in the May Democratic primaries in East Chicago, Schererville and other municipalities.
Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita has expressed concern about the investigation. Rokita has asked the prosecutor to deputize some of his staff attorneys to take part in the investigation to assure the public the probe is being conducted fairly.
Bernard Carter said he has invited Rokita's office to help in other ways, but he refuses to deputize Rokita's staff to become part of the team of investigators.
"No one in the secretary of state's office does any criminal matters. They are not familiar with grand juries and the criminal process and rules. We are not in any position to deputize their attorneys," he said.
Cam Savage, a spokesman for Rokita, said Wednesday his office's offer of help still stands.
Steve Carter, a Republican, said Wednesday his office was examining ways it can be helpful. He said he has helped other prosecutors in the past investigate cases beyond the resources of that county. He said he could make a decision by Friday.
Sources close to the investigate indicate as many as 160 people, many of them politicians, could receive target letters from the special grand jury.
Bernard Carter estimates he has received about $14,000 in recent years from the East Chicago Democratic Central Committee. It is led by Mayor Robert Pastrick; county Councilman Joel Markovich; East Chicago Councilman Gus Kouros; Schererville Town Judge Deborah Riga; Robert Cantrell, former East Chicago Republican chairman; Schererville Democratic Precinct Committeeman Bob "Bosko" Grkinich; and others who may be called for evidence.
Pastrick was the beneficiary of 155 absentee ballots declared invalid last month by a special judge in a recount suit. The names of Markovich, Kouros and Cantrell figured prominently in the scandal.
Riga won the May 6 primary with a large number of absentee ballots, but her victory against Kenneth Anderson was reversed Friday by a recount judge who threw out as invalid 23 absentee votes for her. Grkinich refused to answer questions about his alleged involvement in the casting of some of those votes.
In both cases, judges ruled absentee votes were forged in the names of people who have moved or people who had received illegal assistance. Bernard Carter's office impaneled a grand jury last month to look into the allegations.
The prosecutor, who is serving his third term in office, said the contributions in question are the routine support all county politicians give each other and doesn't mean he has close relationships with them that would necessarily create a conflict of interest.
He said he would step aside on a case-by-case basis for a special prosecutor if evidence steers the grand jury to someone with whom he does have close ties.
Bernard Carter said he also plans to donate the $14,000 in contributions he has received to charity to further avoid an appearance of a conflict of interest.
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