Kris Kobach Touts Conviction In Double-Voting Election Fraud Case

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach talks with party members at the Republican election watch party in Topeka, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Kobach is not on the ballot this election. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
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Kansas’ Secretary of State Kris Kobach has bagged his man.

Kobach — a leading proponent of voting restrictions — is touting the plea deal of a man accused of election fraud. His office announced Friday that Randall L. Kilian had been found guilty of a misdemeanor and fined $2,500, according to a press release.

Per the release:

In the 2012 general election, Mr. Kilian cast his ballot without being lawfully registered to vote in the State of Kansas. This act was part of a scheme of double voting in two states during the same election.

As part of the plea deal, the state dismissed two other misdemeanor counts.

“Prosecuting these crimes sends the message to Kansas citizens that their vote absolutely matters and will be protected,” Kobach said in the release, arguing that Kilian’s actions had canceled out a vote of a Kansas citizen.

“It also sends the message to others contemplating double voting that in Kansas you will be caught, and the penalty will be severe,” he said.

Since Republican lawmakers in the state gave Kobach the authority to prosecute voter fraud cases, some have criticized his prosecution efforts — which are usually the duty of county prosecutors — as inappropriate and unnecessary.

Kobach defended his authority to the Kansas City Star earlier this month, arguing that county prosecutors don’t have time to pursue the cases. His office has filed six voter fraud cases total. In addition to the conviction announced Friday, one resulted in a guilty plea in December. Another case was dismissed earlier this month.

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Notable Replies

  1. Avatar for meri meri says:

    How much was spent to bag this misdemeanor?

  2. And guess what – voter ID would not have prevented the double voting.

  3. Hush, you. It’s not about cost, it’s about the Iron Fist of Freedom.

  4. This guy is relentless

  5. From the article:

    “By voting unlawfully in the 2012 election, Mr. Kilian effectively cancelled out the vote of a legitimate Kansas voter,” Kobach said.

    If Kobach’s actions prevented two legitimate voters from casting their ballots, Kobach should be found guilty of worse than what this guy did.

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