http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/emaf.nsf/...6256FCD0070E70E
QUOTE
Five charged with vote fraud in East St. Louis
Post-Dispatch
Wednesday, Mar. 23 2005
Five people, including the head of the East St. Louis Democratic central
committee, were named today in a federal indictment alleging voter fraud in
2004.
The indictment says the five took part in a conspiracy to pay voters for their
votes in the Nov. 2, 2004, general election.
Named in the indictment are Charles Powell Jr., head of the city's Democratic
committee, along with Jesse Lewis, Sheila Thomas and Kelvin Ellis, Democratic
precinct committeemen, and Yvette Johnson, a precinct worker.
Ronald J. Tenpas, U.S. Attorney for southern Illinois, also announced that four
people -- Leroy Scott Jr., Lillie Nichols, Terrance Stith and Sandra Stith --
had pleaded guilty to paying voters in the November 2004 general election at
the direction of Powell.
Sentencing for those four was set for June 3. Each faces a possible sentence
of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
"Fair elections depend on voters selecting candidates for the quality of their
ideas and the qualifications they present," Tenpas said in a statement. "When
voters are paid for their votes, our democracy is corrupted in fundamental
ways, and corrupted to the detriment of all."
For more on this story, check back with STLtoday.com or read Thursday's
Post-Dispatch.
Post-Dispatch
Wednesday, Mar. 23 2005
Five people, including the head of the East St. Louis Democratic central
committee, were named today in a federal indictment alleging voter fraud in
2004.
The indictment says the five took part in a conspiracy to pay voters for their
votes in the Nov. 2, 2004, general election.
Named in the indictment are Charles Powell Jr., head of the city's Democratic
committee, along with Jesse Lewis, Sheila Thomas and Kelvin Ellis, Democratic
precinct committeemen, and Yvette Johnson, a precinct worker.
Ronald J. Tenpas, U.S. Attorney for southern Illinois, also announced that four
people -- Leroy Scott Jr., Lillie Nichols, Terrance Stith and Sandra Stith --
had pleaded guilty to paying voters in the November 2004 general election at
the direction of Powell.
Sentencing for those four was set for June 3. Each faces a possible sentence
of five years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
"Fair elections depend on voters selecting candidates for the quality of their
ideas and the qualifications they present," Tenpas said in a statement. "When
voters are paid for their votes, our democracy is corrupted in fundamental
ways, and corrupted to the detriment of all."
For more on this story, check back with STLtoday.com or read Thursday's
Post-Dispatch.
