Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his election fraud unit is investigating an “organized election fraud scheme” exposed by investigative journalism nonprofit Project Veritas in undercover footage that appears to show a woman challenging and changing voters’ ballots.
In an 18-minute exposé published Oct. 27, an undercover journalist tails a woman in San Antonio. In the footage, the woman, described by the nonprofit as a “ballot chaser,” can be seen attempting to switch an individual’s vote toward the Democratic Party in Texas.
He added, “My office is fiercely committed to ensuring that the voting process is secure and fair in all Texas elections—a process that this video unfortunately casts a shadow of doubt on.
“Election integrity has been a top priority of mine since I first took office in 2015. Anyone who attempts to defraud the people of Texas, deprive them of their vote, or undermine the integrity of elections will be brought to justice and penalized to the fullest extent of the law.”
The woman in the video said she was a “consultant” for Republican congressional candidate Mauro Garza, the challenger to U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, but that she was attempting to persuade voters to cast ballots for Garza and then vote for Democrats on the rest of the ballot.
“If I go to prison, I do not look cute in stripes ... I will hate you forever,” the woman said. “You know on here you chose a Rep, not a Dem right?”
“Let me just show you how to do that,” she continued.
“This is what you call flipping people!” she later explained. “You’re not supposed to do that! I’ll take 20 ballots here, 30 ballots there.”
She also said that she was bringing “at least 7,000 ballots to the polls” in the San Antonio area.
“We register, educate, and explain voting rights,” it states.
Project Veritas said its undercover reporter paid her $500 to follow and observe her at work.
It’s illegal under Texas law to influence or improperly assist a voter while voting. Voter coercion is also prohibited under federal law. State law only allows family members to “harvest” or drop off ballots, said Project Veritas attorney Jered Ede.
Garza said in a statement on Facebook that a “former Mauro Garza campaign volunteer was recorded alleging voter fraud in our local elections.
“I do not endorse or support any wrongdoing or voter fraud,” the statement says. “If any member of my campaign team, paid or volunteer, engages in or gives the perception of any negligent behavior or threatens the integrity of voter registration or engages in voter fraud, they will be immediately fired and turned over to the county elections office and law enforcement.”
