2022 Arabin presidential election fraud investigation
The 2022 Arabin presidential election fraud investigation is an investigation into the 30th Arabin President Lucien Orton, several members of his 2022 presidential campaign, Supreme Court Justice Jameson Reynolds, and several federal and state election workers. This investigation is one of the biggest federal investigations in Arabin history due to the number of people being investigated as well as the severity of the crimes being investigated. The investigation focused on six points:
- Election fraud and manipulation
- Role of Supreme Court Justice Jameson Reynolds
- Campaign Finance Violations
- Conspiracy and Collusion
- Obstruction of Justice
- Misuse of Presidential Power
The investigation is being led by Special Counsel Lisa Goodly. As of November 21, 2024, the investigation is ongoing. Goodly announced on November 15, 2024, she was beginning to close down the investigation and should have a full report by the end of November 2024.
Origin
Following allegations raised by three whistleblowers in December 2023, the Department of Justice, at the request of Attorney General Edward Hopkins, initiated an independent comprehensive investigation into the 2022 presidential election, specifically concerning President Lucien Orton, Associate Supreme Court Justice Jameson Reynolds, Orton's Chief of Staff William Kirkland, Campaign Manager Martin Dobbs, and several state and federal election workers. The investigation sought to determine whether these individuals and their associates conspired to manipulate the outcome of the election in President Orton's favor and if they participated in an organized cover-up afterward.
Grand Jury
Purpose and Scope
The grand jury was established to conduct a thorough review of the complex and far-reaching claims of election fraud, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice. The primary objectives included:
1. Reviewing Evidence of Election Fraud
- Analyzing voter data, election machine records, and testimonies from election officials to determine if fraudulent practices were employed to alter vote counts in favor of President Orton.
- Investigating the use of unauthorized ballots and potential tampering with voting software and hardware.
2. Investigating Financial Irregularities
- Tracing the flow of funds related to campaign finance violations, including the use of shell corporations and dummy charities through which illegal campaign contributions were funneled.
- Examining financial records linked to President Orton's campaign and identifying transactions that violated campaign finance laws.
3. Evaluating the Role of Justice Jameson Reynolds
- Gathering evidence to confirm or refute claims that Reynolds used his judicial influence to shield Orton’s campaign from legal scrutiny.
- Reviewing communications between Reynolds and campaign officials that suggested coordination in concealing election-related crimes.
4. Subpoenaing Key Witnesses
- The grand jury had the authority to issue subpoenas compelling testimony from high-level figures, including Orton’s campaign staff, Chief of Staff, and election workers suspected of involvement.
- The panel heard from whistleblowers who initially raised alarms about the election manipulation and financial misdeeds.
5. Examining Alleged Obstruction of Justice
- Reviewing instances where Orton, Reynolds, and associates might have obstructed investigative processes, including the destruction of documents and intimidation of witnesses.
- Considering whether false testimonies were given during the initial stages of the inquiry and the extent to which federal agencies were influenced to suppress evidence.
Significant Findings
Over a series of sessions from February to May 2024, the grand jury gathered extensive evidence, including:
- Testimonies from Whistleblowers: Multiple whistleblowers provided detailed accounts of how election fraud was orchestrated and how they were either coerced or incentivized to cooperate.
- Financial Records and Communications: Bank records and intercepted communications substantiated claims of a network of officials collaborating to execute and cover up the fraudulent activities.
- Subpoenaed Documents: Hundreds of documents, including emails and internal memos, indicated that Justice Reynolds was actively involved in advising Orton's team on legal strategies to bypass election regulations.
Criminal charges
As the investigation led by Special Counsel Lisa Goodly advanced, a significant development emerged in the form of criminal charges against several state and federal election workers implicated in the scheme to manipulate the 2022 presidential election. These individuals were key players in the alleged plot to secure President Lucien Orton’s victory through fraudulent means. Below is a summary of the charges brought forward:
1. Conspiracy to Commit Election Fraud
- Charges: Multiple state and federal election workers faced charges of conspiring to commit election fraud, a serious felony. The indictment detailed how these individuals collaborated to alter vote counts and manipulate the election infrastructure in favor of President Orton.
- Evidence: Investigators gathered digital communications, including emails and text messages, outlining coordinated efforts to adjust voter rolls, tamper with voting machines, and facilitate the addition of false ballots.
2. Tampering with Voting Machines and Election Infrastructure
- Charges: Some workers were charged with unlawfully accessing and modifying voting machines. This included altering software settings and programming to shift votes from Orton’s opponent to Orton himself.
- Details: Forensic examination of voting machines in key states revealed irregular code changes consistent with vote manipulation. Testimonies from whistleblowers corroborated these findings, explaining how election workers were instructed to make specific alterations under threat of dismissal or with promises of future rewards.
3. Fraudulent Certification of Election Results
- Charges: A subset of election officials faced charges related to the fraudulent certification of vote totals. These charges were linked to knowingly signing off on false results that inflated Orton’s electoral advantage.
- Implications: The fraudulent certifications led to a cascade of legal violations, including misleading state authorities and federal oversight bodies that verified election outcomes.
4. Obstruction of Justice
- Charges: Obstruction charges were brought against workers who attempted to destroy evidence or mislead investigators during the inquiry. This included deleting emails, wiping data from voting systems, and fabricating documents to disguise their involvement.
- Actions Documented: Investigators detailed how certain election officials participated in shredding files and erasing digital records in the days following the election, in an effort to conceal fraudulent activities.
5. Violation of Campaign Finance Laws
- Charges: Several election workers were implicated in the campaign finance violations that were central to funding the scheme. They were accused of facilitating the movement of illicit funds from dummy corporations to finance the election fraud operation.
- Findings: Bank transactions and financial records traced back to workers who facilitated the flow of dark money into campaign operations that directly supported voter manipulation.
Notable individuals charged
In two key states, senior election supervisors were charged as principal actors in coordinating the fraudulent activities, including directing subordinates to bypass security measures and falsify vote counts, contractors brought in to oversee voting machine operations were charged with modifying software to ensure the election results favored Orton, and clerks who signed off on falsified results or participated in fabricating voter data faced conspiracy and fraud charges.