Current:Home > MarketsLatino voting rights group calls for investigation after Texas authorities search homes-InfoLens
Latino voting rights group calls for investigation after Texas authorities search homes
View Date:2024-12-23 19:15:48
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Latino voting rights group called Monday for a federal investigation after its volunteers said Texas authorities raided their homes and seized phones and computers as part of an investigation by the state’s Republican attorney general into allegations of voter fraud.
No charges have been filed against any targets of the searches that took place last week in the San Antonio area. Attorney General Ken Paxton previously confirmed his office had conducted searches after a local prosecutor referred to his office “allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting” during the 2022 election.
Some volunteers whose homes were searched, including an 80-year-old woman who told her associates that agents were at her house for two hours and took medicine, along with her smartphone and watch, railed outside an attorney general’s office in San Antonio against the searches.
“We feel like our votes are being suppressed,” Roman Palomares, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said Monday. “We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”
The investigation is part of an Election Integrity Unit that Paxton formed in his office. Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The federal Justice Department declined to comment.
At least six members had their homes searched, Palomares said. They included Manuel Medina, a San Antonio political consultant, who claimed his home was searched for several hours while agents seized documents, computers and cellphones. Medina is the former head of the Bexar County Democratic Party and is working on the campaign of Democratic state House candidate Cecilia Castellano, whose home was also searched.
Nine officers also entered the home of volunteer Lidia Martinez, 80, who said she expressed confusion about why they were there.
“They sat me down and they started searching all my house, my store room, my garage, kitchen, everything,” Martinez said, and interrogated her about other members, including Medina.
The search warrant ordered officials to search any documents related to the election and to confiscate Martinez’s devices.
“I’m not doing anything illegal,” Martinez said she told agents. “All I do is help the seniors.”
Voter fraud is rare, typically occurs in isolated instances and is generally detected. An Associated Press investigation of the 2020 presidential election found fewer than 475 potential cases of voter fraud out of 25.5 million ballots cast in the six states where Trump and his allies disputed his loss to Democratic President Joe Biden.
___
Lathan is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Jason Kelce Offers Up NSFW Explanation for Why Men Have Beards
- Florida woman fatally poisoned neighbor's cats and pregnant dog with insecticide, police say
- Wander Franco released while Dominican probe continues into alleged relationship with 14-year-old
- Pedro Pascal, Melanie Lynskey, the Obamas among nominees at creative arts Emmy Awards
- Golden Bachelorette: Joan Vassos Gets Engaged During Season Finale
- J.Crew Outerwear, Sweaters & Boots Are an Extra 70% off & It's the Sale I've Been Dreaming About
- TGI Fridays says it's closing 36 underperforming restaurants across U.S. Here's where they are.
- NYC subway crews wrestle derailed train back on tracks, as crash disrupts service for second day
- Why Officials Believe a Missing Kayaker Faked His Own Death and Ran Off to Europe
- Church says priest who married teen has been defrocked
Ranking
- Groups seek a new hearing on a Mississippi mail-in ballot lawsuit
- NBA trade deadline buyers and sellers include Lakers, Pistons
- Strength vs. strength for CFP title: Michigan’s stingy pass D faces Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
- Civil rights lawsuit filed over 2022 Philadelphia fire that killed 9 children and 3 adults
- Advocates Expect Maryland to Drive Climate Action When Trump Returns to Washington
- Some Georgia Republicans who sank an education voucher bill in 2023 aren’t changing their minds
- Iowa school principal was shot trying to distract shooter so students could flee, his daughter says
- Jeff Landry’s inauguration moved to Sunday at 4:30 p.m. because of expected severe weather
Recommendation
-
Statue of the late US Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, is unveiled in his native Alabama
-
Golden Globes 2024 Seating Chart Revealed: See Where Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio and More Will Sit
-
The Bachelorette's Rachel Lindsay Breaks Silence on Bryan Abasolo Divorce
-
Reno arsonist seen fleeing fatal fire with gas can in hand gets life without parole
-
Richard Allen found guilty in the murders of two teens in Delphi, Indiana. What now?
-
Michigan lottery group won $150,000 after a night out in the bar
-
Trump returns to Iowa 10 days before the caucuses with a commanding lead over the Republican field
-
Azerbaijan names a former oil executive to lead 2024 climate talks