Dare We Call It Vote Fraud?

I remember working the Gaffner for Congress campaign years ago, right after Congressman Mel Price died. We worked hard to win that seat that had been held by the deceased incumbent for over four decades, and it looked like we had a shot. As we watched the vote come in on election night we were ahead of Jerry Costello in every part of the district, including the county where he was County Board Chairman, his hometown where he had been mayor, and even his home precinct.

And then East St. Louis came in. The Democrat stronghold sank our victory. I wondered then, and wonder now, how much fraud was involved in that outcome.

Well, someone finally looked at the issue of vote fraud in that town.

A second investigation into claims of voter fraud in East St. Louis during the election Nov. 2 has been launched, this time by St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert Haida.

Haida's investigation is limited to 13 absentee votes that were cast from a boardinghouse in East St. Louis. The federal government has declined to talk about its case, but a search warrant issued during an FBI raid at East St. Louis City Hall on Nov. 23 indicates that the reach is much greater.

"Our investigation is separate but not in conflict with the federal government," Haida said Wednesday.

Oliver Hamilton, a Democratic precinct committeeman, owns the boardinghouse, at 1232 Cleveland Avenue, targeted by the investigation.

I suspect that they will find the voters did not personally cast those ballots. I heard a lot of stories of such things way back when, but it seems like things may not have changed that much.

Eleven computer hard drives seized in the East St. Louis City Hall raid were returned on Monday. FBI agents said other items seized were being retained as the investigation continues. The federal government search warrants say the items were taken to help in the investigation of election fraud, mail fraud and "obstruction of an official proceeding by the destruction of records."

Hmmm… this could get interesting. But I wonder where Jesse Jackson is on this, since election fraud is his big issue. Could it be that the election fraud by black Democrats is not a concern for him?