Beatty asks for investigation into Ogonowski!

The Beatty campaign in Massachusetts sent me this a couple of hours ago:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 23, 2008   

JEFF BEATTY CAMPAIGN TO SECRETARY GALVIN: "PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE SYSTEM AND INVESTIGATE ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD BY JIM OGONOWSKI'S CAMPAIGN"

As Process Winds Down, Beatty Campaign Asks Commonwealth’s Top Election Official to Investigate Reports of Forgeries and Dead People on Ogonowski Nomination Papers   

Boston – The Jeff Beatty campaign has sent and hand delivered a letter to William F. Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, asking him to investigate alleged voter fraud by the Senate campaign of Jim Ogonowski.  The letter points to an affidavit signed by a registered Republican voter in Chelmsford, MA stating that his signature was fraudulently placed on nomination papers for Mr. Ogonowski’s campaign.  This voter was also told that, in addition to his faked signature, deceased individuals also appeared on some of Mr. Ogonowski’s nomination papers.

“We are shocked and outraged at these allegations, and if true, they are extremely serious and represent an unforgivable attack on our democratic process,” said Joe Manzoli, director of the Jeff Beatty for Senate campaign. “When serious allegations such as these are brought to our attention it is our obligation to report them immediately to the appropriate authorities, and we have done so.”   

Nomination papers for Senate candidates were due at local town clerks’ offices on May 6th.  Campaigns have until Tuesday, June 3rd to pick paper up papers statewide and deliver them to the Secretary of State’s Office in Boston.

“Right now, this same Ogonowski team who is the focus of these allegations, is searching high and low for signatures that will put them over the top,” Manzoli continued.  “The Secretary of State must insure the integrity of the process and law enforcement must investigate these allegations rapidly and completely.  Fake signatures or dead voters cannot be used to help Mr. Ogonowski reach the magic number 10,000.”

The letter and affidavit referenced above were emailed to Secretary Galvin on Thursday evening and then hand delivered to his office today, Friday. These documents can be viewed at Jeff Beatty?s website using this link: http://www.jeffbeatty.com/PressReleases/Jeff-Beatty-Campaign-to-S-29.html.

Surely not, right? I'm kinda worried for Jim -- when Sideshow Bob tried this on The Simpsons, it did not end well.