Former Democrat Congressman sentenced to prison for election fraud

Philadelphia Inquirer

Former Democrat Congressman Michael “Ozzie” Myers has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for committing election fraud intended to help Democrat candidates following an investigation by the FBI and the Pennsylvania State Police. 

Myers, 79, who previously represented a Pennsylvania district, pled guilty to an entire slate of charges including conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election, and orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff ballot boxes for Democrat candidates in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 state elections. 

The Department of Justice said in a statement that Myers, who served four years in the U.S. House of Representatives, is to face 30 months in prison with three years of supervised release for his crimes. He is also ordered to pay $100,000 in fines, $10,000 of which is due immediately.

In June 2022, the defendant admitted in court to bribing the Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia in a fraudulent scheme over several years. Myers admitted to bribing the election official to illegally add votes for certain candidates of their mutual political party in primary elections. Some of these candidates were individuals running for judicial office whose campaigns had hired Myers, and others were candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices that Myers favored for a variety of reasons. Myers would solicit payments from his clients in the form of cash or checks as “consulting fees,” and then use portions of these funds to pay election officials to tamper with election results.

Myers also admitted to conspiring to commit election fraud with another former Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in South Philadelphia. Myers’ accomplice was the de facto Judge of Elections and effectively ran the polling places in her division by installing close associates to serve as members of the Board of Elections. Myers admitted that he gave his accomplice directions to add votes to candidates supported by him, including candidates for judicial office whose campaigns actually hired Myers, and other candidates for various federal, state, and local elective offices preferred by Myers for a variety of reasons.

Myers, who served from 1976 to 1980 in the House, was previously expelled and imprisoned for three years after being convicted of bribery, Fox News reported. 

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This defendant used his position, knowledge of the process, and connections to fix elections for his preferred candidates, which demonstrates a truly flagrant disregard for the laws which govern our elections. He will now spend 30 months in prison as penalty for his crimes.”