Previous Milwaukee Election Commission deputy director Kimberly Zapata was found guilty of all charges relating to a military absentee ballot fraud plan. Following proceedings that started earlier in the day, a Milwaukee County judge handed down the conviction on Wednesday.
In response to complaints that Zapata allegedly requested defense absentee ballots without authorization and directed them to the house of State Representative Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls )?
In November 2022, Rep. Janel Brandtjen, then chair of the Assembly on Campaigns and Elections, issued an alert on election fraud after receiving three legitimate military ballots at her home, addressed to “Holly, ” a non-existent resident. Brandtjen believed that this incident hints at a Wisconsin vote-tapping tale.
In an effort to inform her of how simple it is to use military votes, Brandtjen alerted law enforcement on Monday.
— Dan O’Donnell ( @DanODonnellShow ) November 3, 2022
Following this, Zapata was dismissed for poll scams. Claire Woodall-Vogg, the Commission ’s Director, suggested Zapata aimed to show the risk in the process for military vote, which can be issued and mailed without requiring a photo ID or voter registration identification.
WATCH:
Democrats defended Kimberly Zapata, saying her steps were intended to demonstrate how simple it is to request fictitious vote.
Claire Woodall-Vogg, chairman of the Milwaukee Elections Commission, says she thinks Zapata was trying to make it clear that no photograph identification or even voter registration can be obtained for military vote online. co/D6Nnq5tHWd site.
— Dan O’Donnell ( @DanODonnellShow ) November 3, 2022
Attorney Dan Adams presented Zapata as a journalist who wanted to show the system’s flaws through her steps. In her own defence, Zapata did not speak up. “She was a leak. According to Fox6, she was displaying the facts, an incomplete but accurate display of what was happening, Adams said.
During the test, the prosecutors argued that Zapata’s behavior, under the pretext of exposing defects in the election process, really compounded the problem. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Westphal criticized Zapata’s method, stating, “She brought to light the condition by lying on these programs. by distributing these fabricated vote. That’s no blowing the whistle on the issue, it ’s aggravating the problem. ”
Around five to seven of the 300 defense absentee ballots received by the Milwaukee Election Commission in 2022 were discovered to be false, which is when the investigation into Zapata’s activities began.
Claire Woodall, the commission’s executive chairman, testified about the strict procedures followed to avoid improper registration of defense citizens. She vowed to follow those rules and make sure no one unknowingly endorsed her as a member of the military, according to Woodall.
Mayor of Milwaukee, Cavalier Johnson, responded to the conviction by highlighting the importance of responsibilities and the dignity of election officials. “ I frequently speak about responsibilities for crime. Kimberly Zapata was found guilty by a jury now for violating the law’s requirements for fake absentee ballots. ”
Mayor Johnson stated, “At the moment of Zapata’s expulsion from the Milwaukee’s Election Commission, I said it does not matter that this might have been an effort to expose a risk that state laws created. It makes no difference if the ballots for the City of Milwaukee were n’t included in this. It does n’t matter if there was no illegal voting or election tampering with the results. Ultimately, the deeds were a violation of trust.
He concluded, “At a day when election authorities are subjected to false accusations and abuse, it is essential they act with the highest dignity. That is a common Milwaukee will sustain. ”
