SEEC Takes Up Paca’s Complaint, Too

The State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) has opened an investigation into a complaint filed by Democratic mayoral primary candidate Marcus Paca.

SEEC Legal Investigator Scott Branfuhr notified Paca in an Oct. 19 letter that the commission voted to authorize the investigation into Paca’s allegations that the reelection campaign of Mayor Toni Harp committed fraud and aided and abetted larceny, including extortion and fraud” in conjunction with a former Paca campaign worker named Priscilla Knox.

Harp’s campaign had previously complained to the SEEC that Paca’s campaign directed Knox to have voters forge signatures of family members on petitions to enable Paca to qualify for the Democratic mayoral campaign ballot. (Paca made the ballot; Harp beat him in the primary 3 – 1.) The SEEC has already opened an investigation into that allegation. Click here for a previous story on the case, which includes independent confirmation that petition signatures were indeed forged.

Paca denied that allegation. Meanwhile his SEEC complaint alleges that Knox engaged in a quid pro quo” arrangement with the Harp campaign to concoct that story about forging signatures; the Harp campaign denied that accusation. Paca also accuses Knox of trying to extort more money from his campaign. Paca further accuses Harp administration officials and campaign supporters of intimidating and harassing Paca supporters.

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