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03-10-2006, 02:04 PM
http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1141899847127640.xml&storylist=cleveland
CLEVELAND (AP) — The third highest ranking employee at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has been indicted on charges of mishandling ballots during the 2004 presidential election recount.
Jacqueline Maiden is the third board worker charged with six counts alleging that Ohio laws were not followed in the selection and review of ballots for the recount.
The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
The charges stem from a complaint filed by a lawyer who watched over the recount on behalf of two third-party presidential candidates.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason removed himself from the investigation because his office represents the elections board. Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter was appointed special prosecutor.
Maiden, now the board's elections coordinator, was the director of the elections division during the recount in December 2004.
Two other board workers, Rosie Grier and Kathleen Dreamer, were indicted in August and scheduled for trial May 8. Dreamer was the manager of the board's ballot department and Grier was an assistant manager.
Baxter said he has filed a motion to have all three cases consolidated.
All three employees continue to work at the board.
"We're in the process of converting to the electronic voting, and we need our best people," board chairman Bob Bennett said. "We've moved them from any responsibility of recount or responsibility of ballots."
The board released a statement defending the workers.
"These allegations are based on interpretation of procedures, not on any suggestion of fraud. ... We are confident that no employee of the Board of Elections would knowingly or negligently engage in any unlawful conduct regarding the 2004 Presidential Recount," the statement read.
CLEVELAND (AP) — The third highest ranking employee at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has been indicted on charges of mishandling ballots during the 2004 presidential election recount.
Jacqueline Maiden is the third board worker charged with six counts alleging that Ohio laws were not followed in the selection and review of ballots for the recount.
The most serious charges carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
The charges stem from a complaint filed by a lawyer who watched over the recount on behalf of two third-party presidential candidates.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason removed himself from the investigation because his office represents the elections board. Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter was appointed special prosecutor.
Maiden, now the board's elections coordinator, was the director of the elections division during the recount in December 2004.
Two other board workers, Rosie Grier and Kathleen Dreamer, were indicted in August and scheduled for trial May 8. Dreamer was the manager of the board's ballot department and Grier was an assistant manager.
Baxter said he has filed a motion to have all three cases consolidated.
All three employees continue to work at the board.
"We're in the process of converting to the electronic voting, and we need our best people," board chairman Bob Bennett said. "We've moved them from any responsibility of recount or responsibility of ballots."
The board released a statement defending the workers.
"These allegations are based on interpretation of procedures, not on any suggestion of fraud. ... We are confident that no employee of the Board of Elections would knowingly or negligently engage in any unlawful conduct regarding the 2004 Presidential Recount," the statement read.