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Board of Elections sends second fraud investigation request to AG

Posted at 11:11 PM, Oct 26, 2012
and last updated 2012-10-26 23:36:47-04

RICHMOND, Va (WTVR)- Eleven days until the presidential election and our State Board of Elections is busy.

It has now asked the attorney general's office to investigate possible election fraud for the second time in a week.

At an emergency meeting of the state board of elections Friday, a unanimous vote asked the attorney general to investigate a conservative activist's video recording that appears to show Patrick Moran, the son of Democratic Congressman Jim Moran, helping the activist learn how to commit voting fraud.

But the Board chairman said the attorney general would look not just at Moran but at the video's maker as well.  "I think the whole incident of the recording, and what led up to it, maybe what it tried to accomplish [is the goal],” said Charlie Judd.  “I think it's going to be a bigger circle than just the individual who was named."

A spokesman for Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says his office is well aware of the few days left before the election.  "We’ll tackle all of this in time for the election,” Brian Gottstein.  “But there is no deadline when things get done and the process takes as long as it takes."

The incident is the second case of potential voter fraud in the last week.  Last Thursday 23-year-old Colin Small, who had been hired by the Republican Party of Virginia, was charged with 13 counts of voter fraud for allegedly throwing voter registration forms in the trash.

SBE Chairman Judd said the firm that actually hired small would be investigated as well.

The attorney general's office now has both cases already underway.  "We're going to be working with local law enforcement,” said Gottstein.  “In both situations local law enforcement has already started the investigation.  So we'll be working with them, looking at what they've already done."

We contacted the Moran campaign for comment and our calls and emails were not returned.