Pennsylvania Mail Carrier Says He Was Ordered To Collect Late Ballots; Graham Demands Action From DOJ

 

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has urged the Department of Justice and the postmaster general to look into an alleged scheme to collect late mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania.

Graham received a sworn affidavit from Richard Hopkins, an Erie, Pennsylvania, mail carrier who claims he was instructed to collect late ballots, with the apparent intent from Postmaster Rob Weisenbach to backdate the votes. Hopkins made the claims in a signed affidavit under the penalty of perjury.

“Although, as I understand Pennsylvania law, ballots must be  postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2020 in Pennsylvania, Postmaster Rob Weisenbach directed my co-workers and I to pick up ballots after Election Day and provide them to him,” the affidavit reads in part, adding, “I heard Weisenbach tell a supervisor at my office that Weisenbach was back-dating the postmarks on the ballots to make it appear as though the ballots had been collected on November 3, 2020 despite them in fact being collected on November 4 and  possibly later.”

As noted by The Epoch Times, election rules in Pennsylvania allow for ballots to be counted up to three days after Election Day, but they must be postmarked as having been sent on Nov. 3.

A USPS spokesman told the outlet “it was aware of Hopkins’ claim and has referred the matter to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Office of Inspector General,” said The Epoch Times, noting that Mr. Weisenbach did not respond back to a request for comment.

Graham said in a statement that it is “imperative that all credible allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct be investigated.”

“It is imperative that all credible allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct be investigated to ensure the integrity of the 2020 elections,” the senator said. “The presidential election remains close in multiple states, and as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, all credible allegations of voting irregularities and misconduct will be taken seriously. I will not allow credible allegations of voting irregularities or misconduct to be swept under the rug.”

“I will be calling on the Department of Justice to investigate these claims,” he announced. “I’ll also be in contact with the Postmaster General, requesting he to look into these allegations, ones that may follow, and help secure the testimony of Mr. Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins is entitled to all whistleblower protections, and I will ensure they extend to other postal workers who may come forward with claims of irregulates [sic], misconduct, fraud, etc.”

“The expanded use of mail-in voting is making the post office the administrator of elections, not the local election officials. This change in mission requires there to be further scrutiny to ensure the system is beyond reproach,” continued Graham.

“Every American should want our election processes to work accurately, and given the recency of such a large volume of mail-in voting, that will require oversight,” he added. “Election outcomes are not determined by media outlets but certified, accurate vote counts. Officials in Pennsylvania should take allegations from Mr. Hopkins and others seriously before certifying a final outcome.”