Steinhardt slaps Murphy over VBM irregularities

Republican State Chairman Doug Steinhardt slammed Gov. Phil Murphy over the state’s mostly-vote-by-mail primaries after election officials found two ballots that appear to have been signed former Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway.

“Republicans have said from the beginning that Murphy’s all mail primary scheme was ill advised and ripe for corruption,” Steinhardt said. “We’ve seen outright fraud in Paterson, huge numbers of rejected ballots, errors and challenges causing mass confusion all over the State, and now, further incontrovertible proof that fraud is occurring.”

Passaic County Assignment Judge will issue an injunction blocking Paterson Councilman-elect Alex Mendez from taking his seat tomorrow morning amidst a voter fraud investigation that has seen Mendez and others charged with fraud in casting mail-in votes, unauthorized possession of ballots, tampering with public records, and falsifying or tampering with records.

On Monday, the New Jersey Globe reported that members of the Atlantic County Board of Elections noticed identical ballots for two different voters both had Callaway’s signature. If true, that would mean Callaway was in possession of someone else’s ballot

“Don’t ask us — Democrat Brigid Harrison called for federal monitoring of the July primary, just as we did. Democrat Senators Ron Rice and Nia Gill and Assemblyman Benji Wimberly are just a few of the many more expressing concern with all mail elections,” Steinhardt said. “This isn’t a Republican or Democrat issue, it’s a legal issue.”

Despite the irregularities, the risk of voter fraud remains low. Mendez and his alleged conspirators were charged before taking office, and Atlantic County officials have flagged the suspect ballots ahead of the state’s July primaries.

“Election integrity runs to the heart of our constitutional republic. Governor Murphy must stop deflecting, stop dismissing and start accepting that his election rigging scheme is a bust,” Steinhardt said. “If he won’t disavow it and join the growing number of bi-partisan leaders sounding the alarm, he’s as complicit in the fraud as if he voted twice himself, and didn’t just make it possible for millions of others to do so.”