PRESS RELEASE |
Contact: Garland Favorito [email protected] (404) 664-4044 |
Groups Say Election Director Misled Officials, Must Resign
ATLANTA, GA – Several watchdog and advocacy groups called on Secretary of State (SOS) Brad Raffensperger to obtain the resignation of Georgia State Election Director Chris Harvey today. The groups include VoterGA, Common Cause Georgia, Georgia Ethics Watchdogs, and the Constitution Party of Georgia.
A VoterGA letter delivered to Sec. Raffensperger contends Harvey repeatedly lied to government officials in public testimony and correspondence including:
- September 22nd, 2017 testimony at a hearing before the House Science and Technology Committee;
- An August 1st, 2018 bulletin sent to county election officials;
- A February 25th, 2019 memo published on the Secretary of State web site.
A summary also provided to the SOS office identifies over 20 false or deceptive statements that Mr. Harvey allegedly made. Each could be a felony under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 16-10-20).
The allegations contend Harvey was untruthful to officials because he:
- Concealed security vulnerabilities in the current voting system;
- Failed to disclose voting system problems, both current and past;
- Grossly exaggerated paper costs for a new pre-printed ballot system;
- Misinterpreted Georgia election law to usurp county authority.
Supporting documentation and details are provided by VoterGA in:
- Their new, 2019 letter to the SOS about the published memo;
- A 2018 notice to county election officials regarding Harvey’s bulletin;
- A video and 2017 advisory with 17 exhibits sent to Georgia legislators.
Included are long held allegations that Harvey conducted politically motivated State Election Board investigations to conceal voting system problems when he was Deputy Inspector General reporting to Shawn LaGrua. Some of his cases eventually led to LaGrua being the subject of an impeachment resolution (HR 1714) in the Georgia General Assembly during 2010.