City Council members Maria Pereira and Alfredo Castillo, and vice chair of the Democratic Town Committee Wanda Geter-Pataky are expected to turn themselves in on Friday to state authorities related to charges of election and absentee ballot fraud stemming from the 2023 mayoral race, according to veteran court reporter Dan Tepfer of the Connecticut Examiner.
Castillo and Geter-Pataky supported Mayor Joe Ganim while Pereira backed his opponent John Gomes. The 2023 election cycle was historic with dozens of election complaints filed. The mayoral election extended into February 2024 after a state judge ruled absentee ballot stuffing into four designated drop boxes against state law. It took four elections until it was all decided in favor of Ganim.
Castillo and Geter-Pataky were seen on security footage placing absentee ballots into the drop boxes.
Pereira’s council primary opponent Kevin Monks who defeated her on the machines to lose via absentee ballots 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 voted to refer the complaint to state investigators.
See SEEC Complaint In re Pereira 11.15.23 (2)
State law authorizes a limited amount of figures to touch a voter’s absentee ballot including caretakers, medical designees and police officers.
From Tepfer:
Sources close to the investigation confirmed that Councilpersons Alfredo Castillo and Maria Pereira, and Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chair of the Democratic party, will turn themselves in at the state police barracks here Friday afternoon. They will be released on written promises to appear in court for a later arraignment in Superior Court.
…Among the allegations against Castillo and Geter-Pataky are that they encouraged a non-US citizen to register to vote, according to sources.
…Pereira is also accused of absentee ballot fraud in connection with that primary, the sources said.
In September 2023, leaked municipal security camera footage released by the Gomes campaign showed Geter-Pataky, who was campaigning for Ganim, improperly placing multiple absentee ballots into a drop-off box in violation of Connecticut elections law.
…Pereira was accused in a separate complaint filed with the SEEC, that was forwarded to prosecutors, by opponents for her council seat with harvesting people’s ballots ahead of the election which is illegal. She has denied those allegations.
“Sources close to the investigation confirmed that Councilpersons Alfredo Castillo and Maria Pereira, and Wanda Geter-Pataky, vice chair of the Democratic party, will turn themselves in at the state police barracks here Friday afternoon.”
Lennie, is this a fact? I don’t need wasting my time going there to video this appearance. This past Tuesday night after the Counicl meeting. I was having a conversation with Nieves and Valle. Pereira was on her chair. I sked Nieves and Valle to Review the section of the Charter were language such as, “The body as a whole” is applied. As an example, I said ” If Councilwoman Pereira request information… She quickly snapped, “Keep your name out of your mouth.” A shirt time later she got off her chair and when behind me she again repeated her barking like the Perra (Female Dog) she is.
But will there be a thorough, professionally-conducted investigation that seeks to uncover the WHOLE TRUTH about any conspiratorial basis (for the ballot-stuffing caught on video) that identifies all of the conspirators — including beneficiaries?! Something tells me that the current Administration in Hartford doesn’t want that to happen (based on the Governor’s dismissive acceptance of the tainted final results of the election and his statement in that light that “…It’s time to move on…” [from the ballot-stuffing scandal and just sit back and accept the election results (as if nothing had happened)]. Struck me as suspicious coming from someone who benefitted from Bridgeport’s election-largess in previous statewide elections…
Jeff K, OIB was a ” Beneficiary”. I heard Lennie purchased a retirement home in Dubai with the proceeds of OIB services to both the Gomes and Ganim campaigns. Lennie would be the only one I’d send money to, visit, and write to if he was to end up in the can. Lennie, imagine arriving in prison and when you enter your cell, your cell mate turns out to be Mariano Pereira.
Jeff Kohut, what are the odds Perra and Castigo will nit use our stipend dollars to pay their legal costs? What are the odds Mayor Joke Ganim or the City Council would suspend any stipend payments until the final resolution of their legal issues?
Hey JML, here are two examples of great question. I’m sure other I inquiring minds want to know.
The Connecticut State Police Barracks (Troop G(onzalez)) states that these individuals are not scheduled to turn themselves in at the Brudgeport Barracks–Only(inbridgeport) if a State Warrant was issued.
I just have to get some blackmail photos out of this. Lennie, get off your ass, do a JML, and ask questions.