The recent discovery of fraudulent ballot registrations in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, has sparked an investigation into hundreds of questionable applications submitted by a leftist voter registration group. This marks Lehigh County as the fourth in Pennsylvania to address this concerning issue. While specific details about the organization responsible for these fraudulent registrations remain undisclosed, investigations in other counties have pinpointed a company named Field + Media Corps, an Arizona-based consulting firm, as the primary suspect behind the submission of thousands of dubious registration forms. Lancaster, Monroe, and York Counties are similarly embroiled in investigations stemming from reported fraudulent acts relating to voter registrations.
Lehigh County’s investigation is being led by District Attorney Gavin Holihan and Chief Clerk Tim Benyo, who have expressed confidence that they will ensure only legitimate voters are able to cast ballots in the upcoming presidential election. This reassurance comes after Lehigh County’s election office flagged numerous suspicious applications through their standard vetting process. Notably, it was reported that approximately 1,800 voter registration applications were submitted by get-out-the-vote organizations around the voter registration deadline, with around 1,500 of these coming from a single source. Alarmingly, 40% of these applications were deemed “garbage,” indicating blatant inaccuracies that were quickly identified by election officials.
The suspicions in Lehigh County follow a concerning pattern observed in Lancaster County where a multitude of problematic voter registration applications was similarly identified. Given the scale and nature of the irregularities, a criminal investigation is currently underway. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office has reached out to various counties to assess if they are experiencing similar fraudulent activities, highlighting the broader implications of the issue for election integrity across the state.
The initial spark for these investigations can be traced back to Monroe County, where election officials performed a routine review and uncovered about 30 irregular forms. This prompted a referral to the District Attorney’s office for further investigation. It appears that all investigations examining the source of these abnormal registrations point towards Field + Media Corps, suggesting that their operations have significant ramifications not only within Pennsylvania but also in other battleground states like Arizona and Nevada.
Field + Media Corps, which began its operations in 2017, has been actively engaged in voter mobilization efforts primarily targeting communities of color across various states. Their operations include strategic field and media outreach related to voter registration and campaign activities, predominantly for Democratic Party clients such as Biden-Harris and Arizona Democrats. The firm’s involvement in these fraudulent activities raises pressing questions regarding the ethical implications and the potential influence of such organizations in shaping election outcomes through dubious means.
As the investigations continue to unfold, officials from Lehigh County and other affected regions are working diligently to ensure the credibility of the electoral process. The valid conclusions drawn from these inquiries are critical not only for the immediate circumstances of the upcoming presidential election but also for maintaining public trust in the overall electoral system. With heightened scrutiny on the actions of voter registration groups, there lies a pressing need for transparency and accountability to guard against any threats to lawful voting practices.
