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Former Democrat Pennsylvania Congressman Michael “Ozzie” Myers pleaded guilty to multiple election fraud charges, including illegally stuffing ballot boxes for Democrat candidates, the Justice Department recently announced.
A Monday press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania revealed that Myers pleaded guilty to: “conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, and conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election for orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff the ballot boxes” in Pennsylvania elections from 2014 through 2018.
Myers admitted to bribing and conspiring with two former election officials to manipulate the results, the memo states.
Domenick J. Demuro, former Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia, was charged separately and pleaded guilty in May 2020 after Myers bribed Demuro to engage in fraudulent schemes.
The memo explains that Demuro would add votes to the voting machine for candidates Myers’ supported after accepting bribes of $300 to $5,000 per election. The release adds that Demuro would add these votes to the totals on election day and then falsely certify the results.
Marie Beren, former Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in South Philadelphia, also pleaded guilty to election charges in which Myers directed Beren to add votes to candidates he supported.
Describing how Beren would fraudulently cast ballots, the memo explained:
“Inside the polling place and while the polls were open, Beren would advise actual in-person voters to support Myers’ candidates and also cast fraudulent votes in support of Myers’ preferred candidates on behalf of voters she knew would not or did not physically appear at the polls.”
“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process,” U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said. “Votes are not things to be purchased and democracy is not for sale. If you are a political consultant, election official, or work with the polling places in any way, I urge you to do your job honestly and faithfully. That is what the public deserves and what the federal government will enforce.”
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Myers’ guilty plea came hours before he was set to stand trial. The outlet says he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and could potentially spend the rest of his life incarcerated.
The Associated Press reports that the former congressman was banished from Congress in 1980 following the Abscam sting investigation.
