U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Texas
Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2006

Shana Jones, Special Assistant to US Attorney
Daryl Fields, Public Affairs Officer
610 N.W. Loop 410
San Antonio, Texas 78216
(210) 384-7440
 

STATEMENT BY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY JOHNNY SUTTON REGARDING NOVEMBER 2006 ELECTIONS

United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced today that Assistant United States Attorney Ray Jahn, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Western District of Texas and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters.

“Exercising one’s right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We must make sure that those who are entitled to vote can do so, while those who seek to corrupt the process are brought to justice,” stated United States Attorney Johnny Sutton.

The following Assistant United States Attorneys will lead the efforts of each regional office within the Western District of Texas:

Ray Jahn San Antonio Division 210-384-7122
Margaret Leachman El Paso Division 915-534-6884
Anthony Brown Austin Division 512-916-5858
Mark Frazier Waco Division 254-750-1580
Jay Miller Pecos Division 432-837-7332
Bob Brady Del Rio Division 830-703-2025
John Klassen Midland Division 432-686-4110

On October 8, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft established a Department-wide Ballot Access and Voting Integrity initiative. The goals of this Initiative are to increase the Department’s ability to deter election fraud and discrimination at the polls and to prosecute these offenses whenever and wherever they occur to make voting easier and cheating harder. Both goals are equally important. It is imperative that in pursuing voter integrity, ballot access is not in any way diminished or harmed. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers the goals of the Initiative. The Program also is intended to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department where the public can report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 7, 2006, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, United States Attorney Johnny Sutton stated the above mentioned Assistant U.S. Attorneys will be on duty in the Western District of Texas while the polls are open.

The FBI will also have Special Agents available in each field office to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202307-2767.