MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - A top Republican official railed against Democrats following alleged voting improprities in St. Louis city. Saying the election was one of Missouri's most fraudulent ever she vowed that someone will be held accountable.
"I believe this is one of the most scandal ridden elections of all time in the state of Missouri," said Ann Wagner Missouri GOP director.
She said Democrats conspired to commit voter fraud and steal an election. She called on any and all authories to assist in an investigation of fraud in St. Louis.
Senator John Ashcroft and gubernatorial candidate Jim Talent lost the election bids, but both said they will not dispute the results or take legal action.
Wagner said the state GOP also will not seek legal action on their behalf, but was not pleased by the improprieties.
On election day a full hearing was held in a St. Louis circuit court. About a dozen people petitioned the court claiming they did not have the right to vote because their names were removed from voting roles since they had not voted since 1994.
Judge Evelyn Baker sided with the petitioners extending voting hours in St. Louis city by three hours until 10 p.m.
Later that evening a three judge Eastern Appellate Court overruled the decision and the polls were shut down at approximately 7:45 p.m., 45 minutes after all other Missouri polls closed.
Wagner called the judge's ruling wrong.
"It is reprehensible, the city of St. Louis does not get to operate under a different set of rules than the rest of the state," she said.
She alleged a vast Democratic conspiracy.
"It is an organized effort by the Democratic party, not just in Missouri, but nationally, these kinds of things happened in Wisconsin, Arkansas and Arizona just to name a few," Wagner said.
Secretary of state Becki Cook whose office is in charge of elections, said she was unaware the polls in St. Louis were open late until media contacted her about the situation.
"I do not know what at this point what actually transpired at the precinct level, there are over 700 hundred precincts in St. Louis, when they got news about these orders, I don't know yet, what they did about it when they got the orders, I don't know yet," Cook said.
Wagner said Missouri Senator Kit Bond will release a statement calling for an investigation that will include the U.S. Attorney's office in an effort to determine how the fraud occurred.
Gubernatorial candidate Jim Talent noted there were irregularities, but accepted acknowledged Holden was the winner.
"It needs to be investigated, clearly those improprities were pretty blatent even for a system which has had some pretty serious improprities, it needs to be investigated," he said.
Since Holden won by less than one percent Talent can request a recount. Talent said he would follow protocol and ask for a recount, but said he would not make an issue out of the results.
Defeated Senator John Ashcroft said in a statement he will not dispute the polls in St. Louis.
"I will not initiate any legal challenge, I will not participate in any legal challenge," Ashcroft said.