Philadelphia, PA — A former judge has pleaded guilty and been convicted for taking bribes, casting fraudulent ballots, and also certifying false election results for three years during primary elections. This took place during 2014, 2015, and 2016 primary elections.
His name is Domenick J. Demuro, a 73-year-old, from Philadelphia. His guilty plea came during a sealed proceeding back on March 16 in front of U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond. This involving “conspiring to deprive persons of civil rights, and using interstate facilities in aid of bribery” according to the Department of Justice.
Demuro’s guilty plea included confessions to taking bribes, that were both money or other items of value, and in exchange he would all ballots to boost the vote totals for Democrat candidates in his own jurisdiction. He would also certify the vote counts of all ballots and that included the ones he stuffed.
Further admittance show that Demuro pointed out a political consultant who would tell him what to do, then pay him in cash to add more votes to the specific candidates. These candidates included, but were not limited to, people running for a multitude of federal, local, and state office elections – many of which may have been working with the consultant directly.
This, also in admission by Demuro, would essentially dilute the votes made by real people.
Demuro’s end result was stuffing ballot boxes and committing a form of voter fraud, then profiting from it with money or valuable items in exchange for his actions.
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain weighed in on how Demuro performed his ballot stuffing, saying, “Demuro fraudulently stuffed the ballot box by literally standing in a voting booth and voting over and over, as fast as he could, while he thought the coast was clear. This is utterly reprehensible conduct. The charges announced today do not erase what he did, but they do ensure that he is held to account for those actions.”
A report on Philly Voice shows the amount of money Demuro received ranged from “$300 to $5,000 per election.”
It’s important to state that voting machines can generate results receipts, which will show the total numbers of votes and a judge has to confirm the results for accuracy. Demuro would stuff the ballots and then certify the false votes.
He faces sentencing on June 30.