Colorado investigating ballot fraud scheme affecting at least 12 mail-in ballots
Colorado officials are investigating the return of at least 12 mail-in ballots that were completed and sent back before the voters received them. The Secretary of State’s office reported that on October 23, these ballots in Mesa County appeared to have been intercepted before reaching their intended voters.
The ballots were filled out by someone who then mailed them back. Fortunately, Colorado’s election fraud detection system worked as intended, as the signature verification process flagged inconsistencies when the ballots returned to the Mesa County Board of Elections.
Several voters were notified that their ballots needed curing due to signature discrepancies after they had already contacted the Clerk’s office. One voter also noted that Colorado’s BallotTrax system showed their ballot as received for processing.
Mesa County Clerk Bobbie Gross stated, “We are currently investigating attempted election fraud. Our priority is to handle this investigation with utmost care and diligence, and I believe that prematurely releasing details could compromise our ability to hold those responsible accountable.”
CNN has reached out to district attorney Dan Rubinstein, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Postal Service Office of Inspector General for comment but has not received a response.
Donald Trump again asks court to dismiss January 6 criminal case
Donald Trump’s legal team is seeking to have the January 6 election subversion case dismissed, arguing in a court filing 12 days before the presidential election that special counsel Jack Smith’s office is unconstitutional.
Trump’s lawyers claim, “Everything that Smith did since Attorney General Merrick Garland’s appointment, as President Trump continued his campaign against President Biden and Vice President Harris, was unlawful and unconstitutional.”
Their filing includes political criticisms of President Joe Biden, referencing his recent comment to “lock him up … politically” while discussing the election. They assert that Garland acted on Biden’s improper urging to target Trump, echoing claims made in 2022.
In a speech in New Hampshire, Biden stated, “I know this sounds bizarre… We gotta lock him up… Politically lock him up. Lock him out.” However, Trump’s court filing omits the “politically” context.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, has consistently maintained that her decisions are not influenced by politics. She has noted that Justice Department regulations allow Smith to operate independently of the attorney general. Both Garland and Biden have denied coordinating on the appointment of special counsels, and a federal grand jury approved Trump’s indictment in the DC District Court.
