The national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reportedly fired one of its staffers in Montana after video suggested he handled a ballot box inappropriately, prompting speculation about possible “tampering.”
Surveillance cameras keep continual watch over all ballot boxes in Montana, including the one affixed to a column outside the Glacier County Satellite Office on the Blackfeet Reservation.
On Wednesday, news broke that Laszlo Gendler, a DSCC employee, had apparently been caught on video touching the ballot box twice during a visit to the Glacier County office and even tugged on it at one point. He also apparently snapped a photo of the box with his cell phone.
‘The activity was certainly highly suspicious and concerning.’
Glacier County elections administrator Crystal Cole immediately flagged the video and sent it to Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen (R), who sounded the alarm bell about potential “tampering.”
“Footage has emerged of a D.C. Democratic staffer tampering with a ballot drop box in Glacier County,” Jacobsen said in a statement, according to KRTV. “This isn’t speculation — it is on camera. … We are currently investigating this matter with the help of law enforcement and will continue to observe the actions of the Democratic Party of Montana under close watch.”
In a statement to Blaze News, Maggie Abboud, spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, described the video as “incredibly damning.”
Even DSCC spokesperson David Bergstein admitted that the man in the video had broken protocol regarding ballot boxes.
“Poll observers are instructed not to touch ballot boxes. This individual was attempting to ensure a new ballot box was secured to the wall, neither the ballot box nor ballots were affected,” Bergstein said in a statement, according to the New York Post.
When Cole confronted Gendler about the incident, he did tell her he had been sent “to see how secure the box was,” Cole wrote in a report to Jacobsen, according to Times Now. Cole seemed dubious about that explanation, noting that “the MT Dem Party failed to notify the Elections office” that it had dispatched anyone to test the security of the ballot box.
“The suspect and details were turned over to Glacier County law enforcement,” added Richie Melby, a spokesman for the secretary of state’s office, in a statement to the Post. “Our elections director was pleased that the individual was not able to remove the ballot box from the wall, although, as the election administrator signified in her email, the activity was certainly highly suspicious and concerning.”
However, Glacier County deputies investigated the matter and released Gendler without pressing charges.
“After a review of the evidence, including the footage, we have determined that the issue is unsubstantiated. The behavior captured in the video does not constitute a legitimate attempt to tamper with the ballot box or the electoral process,” said Glacier County Attorney Terryl Matt.
Nevertheless, Gendler has been fired, according to KRTV and the Post.
The video of Gendler comes as Republican challenger Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL, appears to be on track to oust U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D) from the seat he has held for more than 15 years.
“Jon Tester and Senate Democrats know they are losing to Tim Sheehy, so it appears they are trying to cheat in the election,” Abboud added in her statement to Blaze News.
Should Sheehy prevail, Republicans stand a good chance of retaking control of the Senate since former Gov. Jim Justice, a former Democrat, is expected to win the West Virginia Senate seat soon to be vacated by Sen. Joe Manchin (D), who is retiring, the Post noted.
Democrat Senate candidates in the Rust Belt also face tough challenges from their Republican counterparts.
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Montana, Ballot box, Laszlo gendler, Jon tester, Senate, Politics
