A city councilman and the leader of the Rensselaer County Working Families Party were among a parade of witnesses who testified Thursday before a special county grand jury investigating absentee-ballot fraud.
Councilman Kevin McGrath and WFP County Chairman Jim Welch testified about allegations that voters’ signatures were forged on absentee ballots and ballot applications for the 2009 WFP primary. “It’s inappropriate for me to comment,” McGrath said as he strode in. Welch declined to comment after testifying.
For both, it was the second appearance before a grand jury probing the allegations of ballot fraud. They testified before an initial grand jury in December 2010. That panel indicted two Democratic officials.
Working Families Party voters and a county elections board worker also appeared before the special grand jury at the county courthouse. Many of them had also testified before the first grand jury. Upon leaving, they too declined to comment about their testimony.
Two Spanish voters were accompanied by a translator for their grand jury appearances. It’s alleged that nine Democratic officials and party workers forged the ballot applications and ballots of voters, many of whom lived in city public housing.
Full Article: Ballot fraud case testimony continues – Times Union.