As election advocates and concerned Americans predicted, the United States is afflicted by several sorts of voter fraud, including those perpetrated by corrupt election officials who are accused of subverting legitimate elections and diverting votes to candidates based on their own political agendas.

This week, there is an update on the arrest of a former New York county elections commissioner who pled guilty to submitting absentee ballot applications in the identities of other registered voters.

Jason Schofield, who was detained by the FBI in September, was voted to a second term as Republican Elections Commissioner by the Rensselaer County Legislature on December 13th. In a vote of 16-2, all Republicans and four of the six Democrats in the legislature supported the measure.

“I am so disappointed in the county legislature,” Democrat Peter Grimm, one of the two “no” votes on the bill, says. “Politics came before governance. The people of Troy have been robbed, they’ve been robbed of their rights, of their will of their choices, and it’s been proven.”

In September 2022, the New York Department of Justice issued a press release detailing the specifics of the violation.

Jason Schofield, age 42, of Troy, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with unlawfully using the names and dates of birth of voters to falsely request for absentee ballots in Rensselaer County elections scheduled in 2021.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Janeen DiGuiseppi made the announcement (FBI).

Schofield is a Rensselaer County Board of Elections Republican Elections Commissioner.

Schofield allegedly unlawfully obtained and utilized the names and dates of birth of voters in connection with absentee ballot applications he filed to a New York State Board of Elections website in 2021, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Schofield applied for absentee ballots in the names of individuals who had no intention of voting in 2021, did not request absentee ballots or Schofield’s assistance in voting or obtaining absentee ballots in 2021, and/or were unaware that Schofield was using their personal information. Schofield, according to the indictment, also took possession of absentee ballots issued to these voters, brought the ballots to the voters, and had the voters sign absentee ballot envelopes but not vote; this allowed Schofield or another person to cast votes in these voters’ names in Rensselaer County’s primary and general elections held in 2021.

Schofield pled guilty, was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart on Friday, and was released on his own recognizance until a planned trial before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

If convicted on each of the 12 counts, Schofield faces up to 5 years in jail, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of post-prison supervision. A judge determines a defendant’s punishment based on the statute the defendant is accused of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other criteria.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Michael Barnett, assistant U.S. attorney.

“Jason Schofield, who is from Troy, resigned last month from the Rensselaer County Board of Elections. He admitted that in 2021 he unlawfully used the names and birthdates of voters in connection with 12 absentee ballot applications that he submitted electronically to the New York State Voter Absentee Ballot Application Request Portal, according to federal prosecutors,” Fox News reported.

“Schofield, 43, admitted he falsely certified that he was the voter requesting each of the absentee ballots. When Schofield was originally arraigned in September, his attorney said Schofield maintained he was innocent of the charges in the 12-count indictment. Schofield is scheduled to be sentenced on May 12. He faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release of up to three years for each count,” the report added.

More on this story via The Republic Brief:

“Earlier this year, the FBI arrested Schofield over allegations of an absentee ballot fraud scheme and he was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart,” Martin Walsh reported for Conservative Brief. CONTINUE READING…