Blue State Graft Watch Update: Trial Underway In Troy, NY Absentee Ballot Fraud Case

New York State Troopers bringing former Troy, NY city councilman Michael LoPorto into Courtroom last year.

In an ongoing case that has received little attention outside the conservative blogosphere and upstate New York's Capital District, opening arguments got underway in the trial of a former Troy, NY City councilman and Renssalaer County Board of Elections Commissioner.

Michael LoPorto and Ed McDonough- both democrats- are accused of forging absentee ballots during the 2009 Working Families Party primary. McDonough faces 36 counts of possession of a forged instrument and 38 counts of second degree forgery.

The forgery charges were recently dropped against LoPorto, but he faces 26 counts of possession of a forged instrument.

Prsecutors allege that LoPorto, Mc Donough and six other Democrats forged signatures on absentee ballots during the 2009 primary elections, including writing in the excuses why the voters were unable to show up at the polling place on election day. This was all being done done without the consent or knowledge of the voter. LoPorto and others accused in the scheme defended their actions as 'normal political tactic' for the upstate New York city.

Numerous voters told Fox News that they were stunned that their signatures were faked on absentee ballot applications and ballots, which were cast as real votes in their names in the 2009 primary election.

Brian Suozzo's absentee ballot application claimed that he was "at home recovering from medical procedure," which he told us was not true.

"Someone took my signature and voted with it and I feel extremely violated," Suozzo said when Fox News first broke the story nationally in 2009. "The whole thing seems dirty to me."

Jessica Boomhower's absentee ballot application falsely claimed that she was in Boston.

"I can't believe they thought they would get away with this," she told Fox News. "I didn't get to cast my vote on my own. ... They're corrupt. I am sure this goes on a lot in politics, but it's very rare that they do get caught."

Two of the ballot applications claimed that the voters were unavailable, because they were supposedly on a "bus trip to casino."

Four of the six other Democrats accused in this case- including a former Troy City Councilman and a former Troy City Clerk- pleaded guilty to various counts of forgery, falsifying business records and possession of a forged instrument last month.

Two more accused participants- former City Council president Clem Campana and Former City Councilman Gary Glisuki- are will be tried together in a trial separate from McDounough and LoPorto's.

[Hat tip- Lonely Conservative; Albany Conservative]