Federal officials have announced that a former Democratic City Council president of Atlantic City and political organizer -- who has worked for both Republican and Democratic parties -- has been charged with defrauding elections in the state of New Jersey.
According to the office of U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Philip Sellinger, 64-year-old Craig Callaway has been charged his alleged role in "procuring, casting, and tabulating fraudulent mail-in ballots submitted in the Nov. 8, 2022, general election."
“Holding free and fair elections is a bedrock principle of our democracy,” Sellinger said in a statement. “As alleged in the complaint, the defendant attempted to deprive New Jersey residents of a fair election by fraudulently procuring and casting ballots. Today’s charge reflect our office’s commitment to hold to account those who try to undermine the electoral process.”
According to court documents, Callaway has been charged after he allegedly participated in a scheme about a month before the 2022 general election on Nov. 8. At that time, officials said, Callaway and others -- allegedly working under Callaway's direction -- approached people throughout Atlantic City and offered to pay them $30 to $50 to act as "purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail."
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After receiving mail-in ballot applications from Callaway and his subordinates, officials claim, the messengers entered the Atlantic City clerk's office with, typically, one to four completed applications. Under Callaway's instructions, officials said they then used got the applications approved and they then delivered the purported messengers mail-in ballots to Callaway and his associates.
Under New Jersey law, a messenger is required to deliver mail-in ballots directly to the voter that requested them.
After, these messengers delivered mail-in ballots to Callaway and his associates, officials claim many of the mail-in ballots were then cast in the names of people who, federal officials confirmed, did not vote in the 2022 general election -- either in-person or by mail-in ballot.
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Officials said that, the voters who were named on mail-in ballots used by Callaway and his associates never authorized him or anyone else to cast a ballot in their name.
Many of these ballots were ultimately counted as part of the election results, officials said.
According to officials, Callaway faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
He is scheduled to make his initial appearance on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Skahill in Camden federal court.
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