Caught on video searching for an absentee ballot in an elderly woman’s vacant home, banned from public housing units after 20 complaints from seniors alleging bullying and harassment, arrested for third degree assault on another senior citizen at JFK precinct election day and now allegations that she illegally handled absentee ballots of elderly residents in the days leading to the September Democratic primary for mayor have compiled quite the fishy set of circumstances for City Councilwoman Maria Pereira who’s always quick to self righteously point the stink at others.
Pereira’s primary opponent Kevin Monks who defeated her on the machines to lose via absentee ballots has filed a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission accusing mayoral candidate John Gomes’ key absentee ballot harvester of numerous irregularities backed up by statements from senior citizens. The commission has voted to investigate.
See SEEC Complaint In re Pereira 11.15.23 (2)
From the complaint:
“I Charles Ross got my voting ballot. I got help from my aide filling it out and Maria Pereria came and picked it up to mail for me. Maria mails them out for most of the people here.”
State law authorizes a limited amount of figures to touch a voter’s absentee ballot including caretakers, medical designees and police officers.
From Monk’s complaint
Pereira critic Tony Barr, who controls the Bridgeport New Movement Party, says the Gomes campaign opened up a can of worms releasing video surveillance of Joe Ganim supporters placing absentee ballots into drop boxes, evidence that caused a state judge to overturn the results of the Democratic primary.
Video surveillance also shows Gomes supporters doing the same.
“Had John Gomes not released the tape the seniors would still be in the dark about what is legal and what is not,” says Barr. “That woke up the seniors to know that what Pereira was telling the seniors to do was actually illegal. They saw what was going on on television and news accounts so they spoke up.”
Barr resides in the 138th City Council district that Pereira represents in the Upper East Side covering the Hooker and JFK precincts. For years Pereira has emerged as a significant toiler of absentee ballots working several senior citizen and public housing units.
“She had the biggest basket of absentees for Gomes,” says Barr. “Seniors have told me ‘Mr. Barr she told me that was legal. I didn’t think this was illegal until I saw the news.'”
In video above the senior citizen Maria Pereira allegedly assaulted explains how Pereira operates
A new Democratic primary for mayor will take place January 23. If Gomes wins another general election will take place with Ganim having a lifeline on Barr’s New Movement Party line.
Gomes and his Campaign Manager Christine Bartlett-Josie have trumpeted often Ganim supporters mishandling of ballots while being dismissive of their own camp doing the same.
Local, state and national news outlets have largely done the same except for the Connecticut Post coverage, and a few other outlets, which placed Pereira’s latest alleged misdeeds on the front page of its print edition and highlighted on its web portal.
Lennie
I can’t wait to see what the Gomes’s People have to say since they had so much to say about Joe’s people. Misusing absentee ballot fraud.
Lennie, please help me understand. Where is it written that said if you win on the machines, you should be declared the winner? A person who goes to the polls and casts his or her vote. Has more weight. than a person who chooses to vote by absentee ballot. They both carry the same. WEIGHT. ONE VOTE! Maria was john Gomes. number one ballot getter in the 138th district (Lennie you have the numbers) Maria. Took advantage. Of our elderly VOTER. She had them to fill out a GREEN CARD which. she told them their ballot was done wrong after people told her they had VOTED for JOE GANMIN. and she fill them out and mail them.
Well let’s see if Gomes calls for a special election for the two City Council Member that beat her on the machines but lost because of the illegal ballots casted by Maria a support of JOHN GOMES!
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Meanwhile, not a peep from Governor Lamont, Senator Blumenthal, Jim Himes, Bridgeport pal, Joe Biden, et al., at the state and federal level who should be concerned with election fraud about Bridgeport’s “Ballotgate” and its players… (No FBI concern about broken federal laws in the context of the execution of Ballotgate?!)
The November Mayoral election loomed as an opportunity for the numerous attentive and active citizens who reside in Brideport and observed that City governance, from the incumbent to many folks in leadership roles was wanting in terms of attending to Charter duties, caring about people issues, and energy applied to governance.
The narrative proceeded from positioning last spring before a September primary with Ganim, as incumbent, and Gomes, with petitions from supporters adequate to challenge Ganim for Line A Democrat position on the November ballot.
Other opposition saw considerable funding for and notice of Senator Marilyn Moore and lots of absentee ballot applications, but insufficient voter names on petitions. A newcomer, Lamond Daniels, placed his hat into the race and secured assistance interestingly from Ganim supporters to complete balloting process for a primary that did not have enough names for the September primary. People in the know identified the “spoiler” intent of this activity but in the November 7 Election, Daniels was supported by 1800 votes while the Ganim – Gomes battle fought on to finish even closer than in the primary with less than 200 votes separating them. But David Herz the Republican candidate, also a newcomer to City elections recorded 765 votes, running far behind other Republicans on the ballot for positions as City Clerk, Town Clerk, BOE, and Sheriff.
One million dollars was raised. Was it all spent? How did the investment provide a return to check writers? How many bucks from outside the City? Entertainment dollars or investments with an expected return? Any guesses? Anyone doing some solid research?
So the State Court system has reset the Bridgeport Municipal election process and the Legislature will likely take a look at features of the manner in which absentee balloting process operates in the City. (IMO absentee ballots are fine, when rules are followed, and allow for expanded one person, one vote concept, but that is clearly not what happened in our City.
And I continue to consult Sections 2 and 3 of the City Charter for an indication, or an argument, of who will govern on December 5, 2023? Time will tell.
What election fraud are we talking about here if his lady claimed she “cut Maria off” last year? It could be this election. It’s a setup just like the camera being set up by the elderly lady’s daughter. You would think there would be an emphasis by the daughter her 90-year-old mother keeping her door locked over capturing someone able to just walk into her apartment. JS people SMH
Lennie, Moses let it go.:)
Y’all know this is getting Ludacris. right. 😂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZG7IK99OvI
Can’t be this election.
#let it go. #Lego, White people,SMH 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/l1n1UAg-DR0