Alfredo Castillo, a member of the Bridgeport City Council, along with three others, was arrested and charged for allegedly unlawfully possessing another person’s absentee ballot. They have been released pending a court date on June 24. The charges include mishandling absentee ballots in the 2019 Democratic Party mayoral primary. The arrests were made following an investigation into the integrity of the voting process, with Chief State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin emphasizing the importance of deterring election tampering in Connecticut. The accused individuals are expected to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court. The case involves accusations of failing to maintain an absentee ballot distribution list, misrepresenting eligibility requirements for voting by absentee ballot, and other related charges. The investigation is ongoing, with concerns raised about the delayed consequences for alleged fraud in previous elections. The defendants, including a city councilman and a Democratic Party operative, may avoid jail time and criminal convictions if they have no prior criminal history. The seriousness of the charges and the impact on the electoral process have drawn attention and criticism from various parties involved.
These charges pertain only to the 2019 election based on the information I have received.
Mr. Atkinson, representing FVF, a 501(c)4 nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on election integrity, filed 206 arrest warrants for suspected voter fraud. Oral arguments took place on May 1 in front of the Connecticut Supreme Court.
“The arrests made contribute to our case,” Mr. Atkinson stated. “It is unlikely that these individuals would have been arrested without the pressure from our case. We have shed light on the actions of at least one of these individuals throughout multiple election cycles. We are committed to driving action and ensuring that prosecutors safeguard the residents of Bridgeport.”
The decision from the Connecticut Supreme Court is pending.
