(PatriotWise.com) — A self-described “masterful Democratic Party campaign strategist” was recently charged with election fraud after he tried to secure a gubernatorial primary spot for Lisa McCormick, according to The Western Journal. James Devine reportedly filed nearly 2,000 fake petitions, which included fraudulent signatures and a deceased person.
The New Jersey Democrat was caught by the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections in April 2021, according to Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Other issues were discovered with the voter certifications that rose suspicions. On every form, there was an identical space between the city name and the state, leading the office to believe that the forms were filled out and printed by a computer.
As a result, McCormick was removed from the ballot and Devine was charged with one count of third-degree offenses related to the certifications, one count of third-degree manipulation of public records, and one count of fourth-degree falsification of those records.
Platkin stated that the issue comes when America is facing challenges about the integrity of elections and emphasized that his office is not going to “tolerate” abuses by those who want to disrupt fair elections in New Jersey. Office of Public Integrity and Accountability Executive Director Thomas Eicher said that voters need to have faith that candidates are on the ballot by a legitimate process, adding that crimes like these eat away at the public’s trust in elections.
If found guilty on all counts, Devine could be facing more than ten years in prison and $40,000 in fines. Each third-degree crime carries a three-to-five-year sentence and a fine of up to $15,000, while a fourth-degree crime carries up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Devine made news when he began the “#HuntRepublicanCongressmen” in 2017 after Republican Rep. Steve Scalise and others were shot during a congressional baseball game.
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