2023-12-01 03:18:00
SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) — Voter fraud claims were recently made against Springfield City Councilor Justin Hurst during his campaign for city mayor. We have now learned the FBI met with the Springfield elections commissioner on the matter on Thursday.
Springfield City Solicitor Judge John Payne confirmed the meeting, but could not share what the conversation was about.
“The only thing that I can tell you is that we’re pleased that there is still involvement with law enforcement into what we hope is an investigation into potential voter fraud,” Payne explained.
Springfield election workers and Springfield Elections Commissioner Gladys Oyola-Lopez submitted sworn affidavits that detailed what they saw during the final weekend of early in-person voting in the city. Statements included observations involving Justin Hurst for Mayor campaign workers, including a man bringing in Spanish-speaking people to vote, telling them in Spanish “Vote for Hurst and you get ten dollars.”
Lopez described what she saw after reviewing surveillance footage, which was recorded outside of city hall, and said:
“…Many individuals who were dropped off in the black Suburban and black Expedition entered city hall, voted, and left in the same aforementioned vehicles.”
“…Two women and one man can be seen showing the man in the red/white/blue shirt something. The man then proceeds to take out what appears to be a large bundle of cash and peel off a bill and hands it to each person.”
Western Mass News reached out to Hurst on Thursday. He told us he continues to stand by his previous statements and that the claims are false and his campaign did nothing wrong.
We also reached out to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the FBI, and the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. We have not yet heard back. Lopez directed all question’s to the city’s law office.
Western Mass News will continue to follow this story and will have more information as it becomes available.
2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
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