SouthernWorldwide.com – A scheme allegedly involving paid voter registrations, even among the homeless population of Los Angeles’ Skid Row, has been brought to light by the Department of Justice.
A California woman has been charged by the Department of Justice for allegedly paying individuals, including homeless people in Skid Row, to register to vote. This occurred while she was employed as a paid collector of signatures for ballot petitions, according to federal prosecutors.
“False registrations undermine Americans’ faith in elections – even more so when payoffs are involved,” stated Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a press release on Monday.
Dhillon further emphasized, “This Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all U.S. elections are fair and free from illegal meddling – so that all Americans can accept the results with confidence.”
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The individual in question, identified as “Anika” Brenda Lee Armstrong, a 64-year-old resident of Marina del Rey, was reportedly soliciting signatures for official ballot initiatives. Her activities included areas like Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, where she is accused of paying people between $2 and $3 for their participation, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Armstrong has been charged with one felony count of paying another person to register to vote and has agreed to plead guilty, as confirmed by the DOJ. She made her initial court appearance on Monday.
According to her plea agreement, Armstrong had worked as a “petition circulator” for approximately 20 years. Her compensation was based on the number of registered voter signatures she collected.
The DOJ indicated that many individuals within Skid Row’s homeless community were not registered to vote. Prosecutors allege that Armstrong brought voter registration forms with her and began offering payment to these individuals to complete them.
Prosecutors further stated that Armstrong sometimes provided homeless individuals with her former Los Angeles address to use on voter registration forms. This action would have registered them to vote in both California and federal elections.
California automatically mails vote-by-mail ballots to every registered voter. Prosecutors suggested that ballots in the names of these individuals could potentially have been sent to Armstrong’s former residence, a location where these individuals did not reside or receive mail.
Armstrong faces a felony charge for paying another person to register to vote, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Investigative reporter James O’Keefe celebrated the indictment, noting that O’Keefe Media Group was the first to capture footage of the alleged scheme on Skid Row.
According to the California Secretary of State, homeless individuals are eligible to register to vote. They must have a location where mail can be received and be properly assigned to a voting precinct.
