Texas: Olson Fights Back on Vote Fraud Accusations
Responding to a criminal complaint filed by the Lone Star Project that accuses 22nd district GOP nominee Pete Olson of committing voter fraud, the Olson campaign has released documentation that purports to definitively refute the allegation.
The Lone Star Project, a Democratic organization, filed a complaint with the Fairfax County, Va., prosecutors office alleging that Olson voted in Virginia and Connecticut in 2003.
Olson is one of the few bright spots for House Republicans this cycle, seen as well-positioned to oust Rep. Nick Lampson (D) in the solidly conservative 22nd district.
Late Tuesday, the Olson campaign released documents that appear to prove that Olson was traveling from Washington, D.C., to Texas on the day that the Lone Star Project is alleging that Olson voted in-person in Connecticut.
Olson formerly served as chief of staff to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and to then-Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas). The documents provided by the Olson campaign Tuesday are expense vouchers for a trip Olson took to Texas in his capacity as a member of Cornyns staff.
As I clearly stated before and as these documents clearly show I was in Washington, D.C. on August 12th and traveled to Texas thus I could not have voted in Connecticut, Olson said in a statement released by his campaign.
The Lone Star Project alleges that Olson voted in person in a municipal special election in Connecticut in August 2003, even though he was registered to vote in Virginia. Olson was previously registered to vote in Connecticut where his parents live when he was on active duty in the Navy.
Although there has been no verification that the person who voted in that contest using Olsons name was in fact the candidate and although voters in that election were not required to submit photo identification the Lone Star Project is insisting that Olson did in fact vote in that election.
Olson is asking voters to believe that someone stole his identity in order to illegally vote in one Connecticut special election in the small village of Newtown, read a Lone Star Project news release.
Olson registered to vote in Virginia after leaving the Navy and going to work on Capitol Hill.
