Embattled Democratic Dutchess County New York Elections
Commissioner Fran Knapp pled
guilty on Friday to two misdemeanors related to the ballot fraud charges
she was facing. Knapp, if you recall, was indicted over the summer on
over 90 counts all related to her conduct as an election official.
As part of the plea agreement, Knapp will have to resign
her position as commissioner by the end of 2013. Upon her resignation, her
deputy commissioner will serve as acting commissioner until the county
Democratic Committee can recommend a replacement to the county legislature.
The initial charges against Knapp addressed a number of
crimes she allegedly committed during her time as elections commissioner. Knapp
was charged with tampering
with absentee ballots, forging a signature on a document that was filed
with the State Board of Elections, falsifying the results of a 2010 election
and illegally signing and filing poll watcher certificates for a Conservative
Party candidate to hurt a Republican’s chances.
The always defiant and partisan Knapp blasted the
prosecutor in a statement made through her attorney outside the courthouse on
Friday. As part of the plea agreement, the grand jury report will be release
publicly. While a plea deal is important
to remove the corrupt Knapp from office because the Democrat Governor would not
do so, it will be interesting to see just how extensive Knapp's criminal
activities were.
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