A Philadelphia elections judge and Democratic Party official pleaded guilty Thursday to stuffing ballot boxes in favor of Democratic candidates in elections in 2014, 2015 and 2016, while collecting thousands of dollars in cash to make the changes.
Prosecutors hinted at an even broader conspiracy by an unnamed “political consultant” who charged his clients “consulting fees” then used some of the money to pay off multiple Election Board officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia won Thursday’s guilty plea from Domenick J. DeMuro, who served as a judge of elections, responsible for overseeing a polling place during voting. DeMuro was also a Democratic Party ward chairman.
He charged up to $5,000 an election to ring up votes for the political consultant’s clients.
Prosecutors said DeMuro stuffed the ballot box in elections for judicial candidates as well as federal, state and local offices.
“DeMuro fraudulently stuffed the ballot box by literally standing in a voting booth and voting over and over, as fast as he could, while he thought the coast was clear,” said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote is fraudulently rung up, the integrity of that election is compromised.”
Mr. McSwain said the investigation is ongoing.
