On Oct 24, the conservative watchdog group, “Project Veritas.” James O’Keefe and his Project Veritas broke a story about an investigation in San Antonio that has implicated some Republicans in important races. Any form of voter fraud and election fraud is illegal, and it should be prosecuted. But was this investigation about justice or political intrigue?
Ballot harvesting is the gathering and submitting of completed absentee or mail-in voter ballots by third-party individuals, volunteers, or workers, rather than submission by the voters themselves directly to ballot collection sites. Project Veritas discovered a woman who was paid to gathering and processing the votes for candidates.
Voter fraud and election manipulation are nothing new to Texas or even American politics. From Boss Tweed in 1860’s New York City to George and Archie Parr in the 1940-60s in south Texas, voter and election fraud have existed.
Maura Garza, who was implicated in the scandal, won the GOP primary fair and square to challenge Democrat Congressman Joaquin Castro in TX district 20. However, some Republicans were not happy with Garza because of his “values.” Some social conservatives opposed him even after he won the primary, and they continue to criticize him.
Thus, the question must be asked if the O’Keefe investigation was about the vote and election fraud, or was it used as a political attack by Republicans on Maura Garza?
Why is an ostensibly conservative organization like Project Veritas going so hard after the only viable candidate challenging Joaquin Castro in a hardcore Democratic district? Why not criticize the far left operative (or plant) who committing the crime?
Was O’Keefe on a mission of justice to expose ballot harvesting, or was he a tool to undermine some Republican candidates who were not “conservative enough” by others’ standards?
Whatever the reason, the Castro Machine has been invigorated. Joaquin had lost substantial support in his district because of his anti-police comments, outing of local Trump donors, and his association with radical Democrat Congresswoman Ocasio Cortez and her policies. However, the Castro Machine and the local liberal press are accusing the local GOP of voter fraud and election tampering.
O’Keefe could have found many other scandals in other communities and which would not hurt Republicans. However, if it was a political hack job by Republicans who feel Garza is “not conservative enough,” it is shameful.
Garza followed the rules and procedures of the Republican Party to win his nomination, and all Republicans – those who claim to be Party faithful – should support him. An individual citizen can say and do whatever they want as an individual citizen. However, to claim to be a loyal Republican and undermine the legitimate Party candidate by claiming to address voter fraud and hurt other Republican candidates in the process is deceptive and duplicitous.
Perhaps the Bexar County Republican Party should investigate this “investigation” about who call called O’Keefe about the Garza campaign.