Denton County - Carrollton Mayoral Candidate Arrested for Mail Ballot Fraud
Zul Mirza Mohamed, a candidate in the City of Carrollton mayoral race, was arrested for 84 counts of mail ballot application fraud and 25 counts of unlawful possession of an official mail ballot.
Press Release
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his Election Fraud Unit assisted the Denton County Sheriff’s Office in arresting Zul Mirza Mohamed, a candidate in the City of Carrollton mayoral race, on 84 counts of mail ballot application fraud and 25 counts of unlawful possession of an official mail ballot. If convicted, Mohamed faces up to 20 years in prison for these offenses.
“I strongly commend the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, the Lewisville Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety as well as the Denton Elections and District Attorney’s offices for their outstanding work on this case and their commitment to ensuring a free and fair Presidential election in the face of unprecedented voter fraud,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Mail ballots are inherently insecure and vulnerable to fraud, and I am committed to safeguarding the integrity of our elections. My office is prepared to assist any Texas county in combating this form of fraud.”
Mohamed allegedly obtained a virtual mailbox using a false identity, forged at least 84 voter registration applications for unwitting Denton residents and had them sent to a fraudulent location. At the time of arrest, Mohamed was in the process of stuffing envelopes with additional mail ballot applications for neighboring Dallas County.
3 Gregg County Commissioners Charged with Organized Election Fraud
The group targeted young, able-bodied voters to cast ballots by mail by fraudulently claiming the voters were “disabled,” in most cases without the voters’ knowledge or consent.
Press Release
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that authorities arrested Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown, Marlena Jackson, Charlie Burns, and DeWayne Ward on charges in connection with an organized vote harvesting scheme during the 2018 Democratic primary election. To increase the pool of ballots needed to swing the race in Brown’s favor, the group targeted young, able-bodied voters to cast ballots by mail by fraudulently claiming the voters were “disabled,” in most cases without the voters’ knowledge or consent. Under Texas election law, mail ballots based on disability are specifically reserved for those who are physically ill and cannot vote in-person as a result.
In total, the state filed 134 felony charges against the four defendants, including engaging in organized election fraud, illegal voting, fraudulent use of an application for a mail-in ballot, unlawful possession of a mail-in ballot, tampering with a governmental record, and election fraud. Penalties for these offenses range from six months in state jail to 99 years in prison.
“It is an unfortunate reality that elections can be stolen outright by mail ballot fraud. Election fraud, particularly an organized mail ballot fraud scheme orchestrated by political operatives, is an affront to democracy and results in voter disenfranchisement and corruption at the highest level,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Mail ballots are vulnerable to diversion, coercion, and influence by organized vote harvesting schemes. This case demonstrates my commitment to ensuring Texas has the most secure elections in the country, and I thank the Gregg County Sheriff and District Attorney for their continued partnership. Those who try to manipulate the outcome of elections in Texas must be held accountable.”
A grand jury returned indictments on 23 felony counts against Commissioner Brown, 97 felony counts against Marlena Jackson, eight felony counts against Charlie Burns, and six felony counts against DeWayne Ward. The Office of the Attorney General was assisted by the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office during the investigation. The Texas Attorney General will prosecute this case alongside the Gregg County District Attorney.
Texas AG Files Appeal to Stop Harris County for Unsolicited Mail-In Ballot Applications
Under Texas election law, mail-in ballots are reserved for a few limited categories of qualified voters who are age 65 and older and voters who are disabled.
Press Release
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal with the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston, urging the court to prevent Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins from sending over two million unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to registered voters in Harris County, many of whom do not qualify to vote by mail. Hollins’s plan to unlawfully send mail-in ballot applications circumvents the careful limits the Constitution places on county officials’ authority and blatantly violates Texas election law. Harris County is required to respond by 9 a.m. Monday, September 14, and the Office of the Attorney General requested relief be granted no later than 5 p.m. on the same day.
Under Texas election law, mail-in ballots are reserved for a few limited categories of qualified voters who are age 65 and older and voters who are disabled. The proposed mass mailing would sow confusion because applications would go to all registered voters, regardless of whether they legally qualify to vote a mail ballot and regardless of whether they even want to vote by mail. Texas law requires the clerk to send applications to voters who specifically request them.
Read a copy of the appeal here.
Texas Sues Harris County for Sending Out Mail-In Ballot
Earlier this year, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that fear of contracting COVID-19 does not qualify as a “disability” and mail-in ballots must be preserved for qualifying groups.
Press Release
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Monday, August 31, against Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins for sending unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to over two million Harris County registered voters in blatant violation of Texas election laws. Under Texas election law, mail-in ballots are reserved for a few limited categories of qualified voters who are age 65 and older and voters who are disabled. Earlier this year, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that fear of contracting COVID-19 does not qualify as a “disability” and mail-in ballots must be preserved for qualifying groups. The Harris County Clerk’s proposed mass mailing would sow confusion because applications would go to all registered voters, regardless of whether they legally qualify to vote a mail ballot and regardless of whether they even want to vote by mail. Texas law requires the clerk to send applications to voters who specifically request them.
“Election officials have a duty to reject mail-in ballot applications from voters who are not eligible to vote by mail. Unfortunately, instead of protecting the integrity of our democratic process, the Harris County Clerk decided to knowingly violate election laws by preparing to send over two million ballot applications to many Texans who do not qualify and have not requested to vote by mail,” said Attorney General Paxton. “This blatant violation of law undermines our election security and integrity and cannot stand. I will continue to fight for safe, fair, and legal elections across the state.”
Read a copy of the lawsuit here.
Texans may not claim disability based on fears of contracting COVID-19
Attorney General Ken Paxton issued another guidance letter to Texas county judges and election officials, warning that Texans may not claim disability based on fears of contracting COVID-19 to obtain a mail-in ballot.
Press Release
AUSTIN – Following recent decisions by the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Fifth Circuit, Attorney General Ken Paxton today issued another guidance letter to Texas county judges and election officials, warning that Texans may not claim disability based on fears of contracting COVID-19 to obtain a mail-in ballot. Due to inaccurate statements by public officials and private groups, Attorney General Paxton issued his first guidance letter on May 1.
“As the Texas Supreme Court held, mail ballots based on disability are specifically reserved for those who are legitimately ill and cannot vote in-person without assistance or jeopardizing their health. The Texas Election Code is lawful, constitutional, and correctly protects our elections from fraud and voters from disenfranchisement,” said Attorney General Paxton. “It is vital that we work together to preserve the integrity of our democratic election process and consistently follow the law established by our legislature.”
Today’s letter follows a Texas Supreme Court decision that held that a voter may not claim “disability” for the purpose of casting a ballot by mail merely because the voter lacks immunity to COVID-19. Additionally, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found that Texas is likely to win arguments that the Election Code’s ballot-by-mail provisions are consistent with the Equal Protection Clause and the Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Following these rulings, the Texas Democratic Party and other groups filed a motion to dismiss their state court lawsuit this week.
Read a copy of the letter here.