A Democratic staffer was dismissed after video footage emerged pertaining to show him yanking a ballot drop box.
Laszlo Gendler, an employee of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), was dismissed by the party after he was arrested amid accusations of ballot box tampering.
In the video, Gendler can be seen pulling the ballot box at the Glacier County Satellite Office in Browning on the Blackfeet Reservation, before stepping away, sending a text message, and taking a picture of it. He then pulls the box before leaving the scene.
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, who was later shown footage of the incident, said, “Footage has emerged of a D.C. Democratic staffer tampering with a ballot drop box in Glacier County. This isn’t speculation – it is on camera…we are currently investigating this matter with the help of law enforcement and will continue to observe the actions of the Democratic Party of Montana under close watch.”
Gendler was questioned by the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, but released without charge.
Glacier County Attorney Terryl Matt said a review of the footage “determined that the issue is unsubstantiated”, adding that the “video does not constitute a legitimate attempt to tamper with the ballot box or the electoral process”.
He was since dismissed by the DSCC from his role in assisting Sen. Jon Tester’s re-election campaign.
Social media users were less than impressed by the decision to release Gendler.
Others expressed concern that this was not an isolated incident.
There were also calls for such ballot boxes to be scrapped.
