{"id":2405222,"date":"2025-02-21T14:53:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T19:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/"},"modified":"2025-02-21T14:55:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T19:55:06","slug":"dem-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/","title":{"rendered":"Dem Operative Turns Herself In On Election-Tampering Charges"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdem-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2405222&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Wanda Geter-Pataky, \u200cthe Vice Chair of the Bridgeport\u2063 Democrat Party, surrendered \u200dto Connecticut State Police \u2063following election tampering charges related to the\u2062 2023 Democratic primary for\u200b mayor. During a close race, video evidence suggested that individuals linked to Mayor Joe Ganim\u2019s campaign were illegally \u200bstuffing ballot drop boxes. Geter-Pataky, alleged to be \u200bone of\u2062 these operatives, faces accusations under Connecticut law which mandates \u2064that ballots must be returned or mailed by the voter\u2064 themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Judicial scrutiny intensified when Superior \u2064Court Judge William Clark indicated that the mishandling\u2063 of absentee ballots\u2064 raised substantial doubts\u200b about the primaryS results,leading to \u200ba ruling for a\u200c do-over. \u200bEven though Ganim won the subsequent elections,\u200c Secretary of State Stephanie \u200bThomas highlighted numerous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-opens-investigation-into-elon-musk-pac-for-potential-election-violations-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Michigan opens investigation into Elon Musk PAC for potential election violations ... Washington Examiner\">potential election violations<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">including \u2064voters receiving absentee ballots\u200b unsolicited<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Additionally, local Councilwoman \u200cMaria Pereira has\u2064 also \u200bturned\u200b herself in on separate charges involving bribery and\u2064 illegal handling of \u2062absentee ballots. Geter-Pataky,who previously faced\u200c charges for similar election-related\u2062 misconduct\u200d in \u20632019,is now\u2064 embroiled in another controversy as authorities\u200d investigate the integrity of the election process.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johncraven1\/status\/1892951586202145250\">  John Craven\/ X <\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/21\/democrat-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Democrat%20Operative%20Turns%20Herself%20In%20On%20Election-Tampering%20Charges&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/21\/democrat-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Democrat%20Operative%20Turns%20Herself%20In%20On%20Election-Tampering%20Charges&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/21\/democrat-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/21\/democrat-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Democrat%20Operative%20Turns%20Herself%20In%20On%20Election-Tampering%20Charges&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/21\/democrat-operative-turns-herself-in-on-election-tampering-charges\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Bridgeport Democrat Party Vice Chair Wanda Geter-Pataky turned herself in to Connecticut State Police on Friday over election-tampering charges stemming from the 2023 Democrat primary for mayor.<\/p>\n<p>During the September 2023 Democratic mayoral primary race, Mayor Joe Ganim was losing to John Gomes by hundreds of votes but later won the race by 251 votes after absentee ballots came flooding in. Video footage later <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/26\/connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">appeared to show<\/a> two Ganim-affiliated operatives <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/09\/18\/democrat-produces-video-alleging-bridgeport-mayor-stole-election-by-stuffing-ballot-boxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stuffing the ballot drop boxes<\/a> in violation of state law. Geter-Pataky &mdash; who was affiliated with Ganim&rsquo;s campaign &mdash; was allegedly one of the ballot-box-stuffing individuals. Connecticut law <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/02\/judge-overturns-bridgeport-mayoral-election-due-to-evidence-of-mail-ballot-fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stipulates<\/a> that a &ldquo;voter must personally mail or personally return the ballot for it to be counted,&rdquo; with limited exceptions. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-135225233\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Superior Court <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/11\/02\/judge-overturns-bridgeport-mayoral-election-due-to-evidence-of-mail-ballot-fraud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Judge William Clark<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov\/DocumentInquiry\/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=26199518\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruled<\/a> that &ldquo;the volume of ballots so mishandled is such that it calls the result of the primary election in[to] serious doubt.&rdquo; Clark said he lacked the authority to change the date of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ctpost.com\/news\/article\/ganim-gomes-election-bridgeport-february-18689673.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">general election<\/a> &mdash; which Ganim went on to win &mdash; but ordered a do-over.<\/p>\n<p>Ganim won the do-over primary last January and then the general election in February of 2024. But that race was later called into question by Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas who, as I previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/26\/connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, &ldquo;wrote in a letter to the State Elections Enforcement Commission that election monitors who were overseeing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connecticut-elections-chief-reports-suspicious-activity-in-do-over-race-after-judge-overturned-primary\/\" title=\"Connecticut Elections Chief Reports \u2018Suspicious Activity\u2019 In Do...Over Race After Judge Over... ...\">general election found multiple instances<\/a> of potential election violations.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>At least eight voters &ldquo;indicated during spot check calls that they received absentee ballots despite not requesting them,&rdquo; Thomas&rsquo; letter stated.<\/p>\n<p>Bridgeport City Councilwoman Maria Pereira also turned herself in Friday after being charged with ballot crimes, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/johncraven1\/status\/1893005705730277465\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to News 12 Connecticut&rsquo;s John Craven. Pereira allegedly bribed and threatened several voters and illegally handled their absentee ballots, <a href=\"https:\/\/connecticut.news12.com\/bridgeport-city-council-member-referred-to-prosecutors-in-ballot-fraud-probe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to News 12 Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>Pereira said she is &ldquo;going to win.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve defeated the Bridgeport Police Department four times with zero convictions. I&rsquo;m going to win this too.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Geter-Pataky was previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/06\/12\/connecticut-prosecutors-arrest-4-democrats-for-allegedly-misusing-absentee-ballots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">charged with<\/a> unlawful possession of absentee ballots and witness tampering in the 2019 Democratic mayoral primary race. Geter-Pataky was accused &ldquo;of failing to sign as an assister on an absentee ballot application that she had filled out on behalf of a prospective voter and misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot when she reportedly told a citizen not to vote in person and that she would pick up the citizen&rsquo;s absentee ballot,&rdquo; according to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/connecticut-prosecutors-arrest-4-democrats-for-allegedly-misusing-absentee-ballots\/\" title=\"Connecticut Authorities Charge 4 Democrats with ... Misuse\">arrest warrant affidavit cited<\/a> by Chief State&rsquo;s Attorney Patrick Griffin&rsquo;s office. The citizen &ldquo;later told [state] investigators that the defendant told her not to speak to anyone about the matter,&rdquo; according to Griffin&rsquo;s office.<\/p>\n<p>Ganim won the mayoral Democrat primary in question, defeating state Sen. Marilyn Moore by 270 votes, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/connecticut.news12.com\/bridgeport-election-workers-face-court-today-in-2019-absentee-ballot-fraud-case\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">News 12 Connecticut<\/a>. But Geter-Pataky, City Councilman Alfredo Castillo, and Nilsa Heredia, a volunteer, allegedly tampered with absentee ballots, according to the report.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Brianna Lyman<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/briannalyman2\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@briannalyman2<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/briannalyman\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/absentee-ballot\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">absentee ballot<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ballot-box\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Ballot Box<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ballot-drop-boxes-2\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">ballot drop boxes<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/connecticut\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Connecticut<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/election-fraud\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">election fraud<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/election-integrity\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">election integrity<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/election-security\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">election security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/elections\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/joe-ganim\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Joe Ganim<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/patrick-griffin\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Patrick Griffin<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/wanda-geter-pataky\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Wanda Geter-Pataky<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bridgeport Democrat Party Vice Chair Wanda Geter-Pataky surrendered to Connecticut State Police on Friday due to election-tampering charges related to the 2023 Democratic mayoral primary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":2405223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-21-at-12.51.54-PM-e1740160423129-1024x577.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4035,3728,7361,5894,16858],"class_list":["post-2405222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-charges","tag-election","tag-operative","tag-politics","tag-tampering"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-21-at-12.51.54-PM-e1740160423129-1024x577.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2405222"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2405230,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405222\/revisions\/2405230"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2405223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2405222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2405222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2405222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}