The Latest: Email: N Carolina candidate sought out operative
Posted Feb 21, 2019 10:34:54 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Latest on a hearing outlining a ballot fraud investigation in an undeclared North Carolina congressional race for which a winner hasn’t been finalized (all times local):
10:30 a.m.
A lawyer for the Republican narrowly leading the country’s last undecided congressional election admits documents weren’t turned over to the elections board until testimony showing the GOP candidate had multiple warnings a political operative might be illegally manipulating ballots.
GOP candidate Mark Harris’ campaign attorney told North Carolina’s elections board Thursday that communications involving the campaign manager and other key staffers weren’t reviewed when they received a subpoena from the board.
The elections board could declare Harris the 9th congressional district winner or order a new election.
A new email reveals Harris wanted the political operative at the core of ballot fraud allegations because he produced results. The March 2017 email from Harris to a political ally in rural Bladen County says Harris wanted to meet Leslie McCrae Dowless because of the incredible results he delivered for a GOP rival the year before.
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1:15 a.m.
The Republican narrowly leading the country’s last undecided congressional election wants North Carolina elections officials to overlook ballot manipulation in a rural county and declare him the winner. But Mark Harris will have to overcome testimony from a compelling witness — his son.
The GOP congressional candidate is expected to tell the state elections board on Thursday that it should certify his November victory and send him to Washington. Democrat Dan McCready’s lawyers contend the race was tainted and a new election should be ordered.
Harris has said he was surprised by the allegations that his campaign used a Bladen County political operative who collected ballots by the bundle and turned them in when he wanted. But the candidate’s son testified Wednesday he’d warned his father about Dowless’ operation since mid-2016.
The Associated Press
