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[Blackhead]

Illegal Voting Gets Texas Woman 8 Years in Prison, and Certain Deportation

Despite repeated statements by Republican political leaders that American elections are rife with illegal voting, credible reports of fraud have been hard to find and convictions rarer still.

That may help explain the unusually heavy penalty imposed on Rosa Maria Ortega, 37, a permanent resident and a mother of four who lives outside Dallas. On Thursday, a Fort Worth judge sentenced her to eight years in prison — and almost certainly deportation later — after she voted illegally in elections in 2012 and 2014...

Prosecutors for Mr. Paxton and Tarrant County said that she had lied and that the same forms and conversations proved it. A jury convicted her Wednesday of two felony charges.

Mr. Birdsall said Mr. Paxton’s office had been prepared to dismiss all charges against Ms. Ortega if she agreed to testify on voting procedures before the Texas Legislature. But the Tarrant County criminal district attorney, Sharen Wilson, vetoed that deal, he said, insisting on a trial that would showcase her office’s efforts to crack down on election fraud...

Ms. Ortega’s conviction looks to be an early volley in a reinvigorated partisan war over voting rights — a war led in Texas by Mr. Paxton, who has crusaded against voter fraud. (Coincidentally, he faces legal issues of his own: state securities fraud charges and a federal lawsuit stemming from efforts to recruit investors for a technology company; he has denied wrongdoing.)

Far-right websites have seized on Ms. Ortega’s conviction as proof that Mr. Trump is right about rampant fraud and efforts by Democrats to steal the November election.

There is, however, at least one flaw in that story: Ms. Ortega was a registered Republican.

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”

 

[rjinaz]

The proof that Trump needed. Shut it down. Shut it all down. The only way we can be sure that there is no election fraud is if there are no elections!

She is registered Republican that has to make their heads hurt.

 

[sphagnum]

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”

Oops

 

[zou]

of course she voted republican.

 

[steveovig]

So, I guess it's ok to destroy the lives of others now for petty reasons.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Ironically enough, especially considering she supports republicans, I tend to believe the story that she didn't understand voting eligibility requirements and was not attempting premeditated fraud.

 

[Steel]

Oops

That's actually really funny.

 

[MIMIC]

Read this story last night. Eight year is absolutely unfathomable! Complete and utter overkill.

 

[Breads]

You have one Trump. Got 3-5 million more to go.

:edit: Oh nm. He only wanted to count democrats. Still 0 you shit.

 

[parrotbeak]

It never ceases to amaze me what Soros will pay people to do to make the Republican party look bad.

 

[ChryZ]

Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?

 

[rjinaz]

So, I guess it's ok to destroy the lives of others now for petty reasons.

Mr. Birdsall said Mr. Paxton's office had been prepared to dismiss all charges against Ms. Ortega if she agreed to testify on voting procedures before the Texas Legislature. But the Tarrant County criminal district attorney, Sharen Wilson, vetoed that deal, he said, insisting on a trial that would showcase her office's efforts to crack down on election fraud...

Yeah it's fucking sad. Blame Republicans and people like Trump though that keep insisting that election fraud is rampant. It is forcing their hands to prosecute harshly.

 

[The Adder]

You have one Trump. Got 3-5 million more to go.

3-5 million and 1, since she, you know, votes Republican.

 

[JJH]

Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?

Spoiler

It really is excessive, but Trump's America.

 

[Two Words]

So, I guess it's ok to destroy the lives of others now for petty reasons.

Illegally voting should be considered a serious offense.

 

[MonorailCat]

The prison sentences in the US are absolutely ridiculous. 8 years for that? wtf

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?

 

[Pagusas]

Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?

Its obvious they are trying to make a point out of her, it's not justice, its theater to send a message.

 

[parrotbeak]

8 years is rough but deportation is probably going to mess up her life even more. I lean towards believing she didn't know she was doing something wrong, and if that's true, then it's really the voter vetting in Texas that needs to be examined.

I also somehow doubt a non-citizen with her name would have gotten approved to vote as a registered democrat.

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Is it just me or is every (rare) voter fraud case always a republican?

 

[Face it Tiger..]

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”

Life comes at you fast.

 

[Octavia]

But the Tarrant County criminal district attorney, Sharen Wilson, vetoed that deal, he said, insisting on a trial that would showcase her office’s efforts to crack down on election fraud...

Just make every crime punishable by instant death on the spot if our justice system wants to make 'examples' out of people by ruining lives. Then nobody will commit crimes, right?

 

[BronzeWolf]

Voted Republican?

Miss Rosa Maria Ortega, la cagaste

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

Weird that all the fraud I've actually seen have been in states Republicans won.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...r-iowa-arrested-voter-fraud-article-1.2850101

 

[PdotMichael]

Why would anyone do that in a safe red state, which was never in danger of turning blue?

 

[Jigorath]

Permanent residents can do pretty much anything a citizen can except vote. It's so odd.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

Permanent residents can do pretty much anything a citizen can except vote. It's so odd.

It's probably because most of them would actually vote Democrat. That's a no no.

 

[Hamster Plugin]

In a crazy twist, Trump finds election fraud... in the states that helped him win!

"Democrats became victim of fraud but still oppose ID laws! Sad!"

 

[Yoshimitsu126]

The proof that Trump needed. Shut it down. Shut it all down. The only way we can be sure that there is no election fraud is if there are no elections!

She is registered Republican that has to make their heads hurt.

Her ethnicity is more important to them than her party.

 

[commedieu]

8 years is Bullshit. A fine and probation at the most. Voter fraud is like .00008% of voting.

Who the fuck is this sending a message to?

 

[Breads]

3-5 million and 1, since she, you know, votes Republican.

Yeah I made an edit reflecting that pretty quickly. I must have forgotten but it turns out that he didn't have any interest in fraud on his side. The 3-5 million was for democrats alone, which invalided this one incident of dem voter fraud.

 

[Saint Gregory]

Weird that all the fraud I've actually seen have been in states Republicans won.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...r-iowa-arrested-voter-fraud-article-1.2850101

The fact that Trump's made the claims about widespread fraud is ridiculous enough. When you stack on top of that the fact that he and his supporters also insist that only Democrats could have benefited is when you get into true tinfoilhattery. You should feel ashamed to even know someone who honestly believes that's possible.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

8 years is Bullshit. A fine and probation at the most. Voter fraud is like .00008% of voting.

Who the fuck is this sending a message to?

Oh, and yeah, I also agree with this post.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Oops

That's just sad.

 

[wutwutwut]

8 years is Bullshit. A fine and probation at the most. Voter fraud is like .00008% of voting.

Who the fuck is this sending a message to?

Brown people.

 

[Boke1879]

8 years is Bullshit. A fine and probation at the most. Voter fraud is like .00008% of voting.

Who the fuck is this sending a message to?

All she has to be used as is an example. "See? this one lady did a thing. Even though she voted republican she still voted illegally!"

Is something Trump would say and people would eat that up.

 

[Two Words]

8 years is Bullshit. A fine and probation at the most. Voter fraud is like .00008% of voting.

Who the fuck is this sending a message to?

It can be debated if 8 years is too much, but illegal voting should be taken more seriously than what you've suggested. It is a serious offense that works to undermine the elective power of the people.

 

[McLovin]

Isn't 8 years a bit excessive?

No, look at the consequences of screwing with the electoral process. The US is stuck with a president that's incompetent, inexperienced, a potential sexual predator/womanizer, homophobic, racist, bigot, Putin/Bannon puppet, possibly illiterate, and he's not a very nice person. Not only that but they pushed him as a business man, something he's actually not good at considering how many times he's needed bailing out. I say find the voter fraud and give them the maximum sentence.

 

[NastyBook]

Oops

*whoopsiedaisy.gif*

 

[eggandI]

she voted republican and has now had her life destroyed by those very same officials

what an amazing self own lmao

 

[SenorArdilla]

lmao

Republicans complaining about other Republicans committing voting fraud. Bet people only went after her because her name didn't sound white.

 

[McLovin]

she voted republican and has now had her life destroyed by those very same officials

what an amazing self own lmao

Well to be fair most women that voted for trump probably didn't know they were pushing their own rights back several years. I'm guessing most people that voted trump will find out they actually screwed themselves.

 

[guek]

Something something Brock Turner something something worse than rape something something *vomits uncontrollably*

 

[Goose_Se7en]

They're making an example outta this lady and that's fucked up. How long has she been a permanent resident? Green card holders don't fucking wait? Start the process to become a citizen asap.

For those long time green card holders who have never made the effort to become citizens, your complacency will come and bite you in the ass.

 

[AtomskEater]

I knew the twist as soon as I saw the topic title.
Congrats, played yourself, etc etc

 

[kruis]

8 years is rough but deportation is probably going to mess up her life even more.

I'd say eight years in prison would destroy a normal person's life. Deportation is nothing compared to that.

 

[Derwind]

Nah, this is all sorts of BS. I don't care whom she voted for, I may not agree with her politically but damn is the punishment waaaaaaaaay out of the range for the crime committed.

There are far worse crimes to democracy & the voting system that goes unpunished. Voter fraud is not even a god damn issue.

 

[User Name Here]

There is, however, at least one flaw in that story: Ms. Ortega was a registered Republican.

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”

. . .

 

[dlauv]

Eight years. That's insane.

Parole after the first year? Any parole?

 

[Shao Kahn on the Lawn]

It looks like she's going to learn the hard way that voting Republican doesn't necessarily endear them to you or people like you.