Facebook Twitter Email
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2002

Republican attorneys drafted pre-worded affidavits alleging voter fraud among Indian voters in South Dakota and did nothing to verify the claims, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports.

The three affidavits contained identical language that alleged Indian voters were paid $10 by the campaign of Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.). A Republican state official went around the Rosebud Sioux Reservation and found people to sign them.

Kim Vanneman admitted she did not investigate the claims. "Somebody else did that," she told the paper. "They (the affidavits) came through work of different attorneys."

Thanks to heavy turnout on reservations, Johnson was re-elected last month by 524 votes. He defeated Republican John Thune.

Get the Story:
Preworded affidavits used in Republican fraud claims (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 12/17)

Related Stories:
GOP voter fraud claims called false (12/16)
Indian voter fraud claims investigated (12/13)
S.D. Indian vote claims prompt action (12/12)
Editorial: Not racist to probe Indian votes (12/12)
AP reviews Indian vote affidavits (12/11)
Indian vote allegations dismissed (12/10)
Excerpts: Bad Indian votes in S.D. (12/10)
S.D. AG disputes Wall Street Journal (11/21)
Editorial: The Indian Vote in S.D. (11/20)
Letters: The Indians fought back (11/20)
Editorial: The South Dakota Indian Vote(11/20)
Editorials: The power of the Indian vote (11/18)
Narrow Johnson win in S.D. confirmed (11/13)
Indian voter turnout in S.D. was high (11/8)
Indian votes helped Johnson (11/7)
S.D. Indian vote was challenged (11/7)
S.D. Senate race 'too close to call' (11/6)
S.D. woman 'traced' signatures on forms (11/1)
No illegal ballots found in S.D. (10/31)
S.D. election night proposal questioned (10/30)
S.D. woman fights voter fraud charges (10/29)
S.D. voter fraud tied to one person (10/25)
Charges fly in S.D. Indian voter dispute (10/24)
Opinion: Don't let illiterate Indians vote (10/23)
All eyes on South Dakota for votes (10/22)
Charges of Indian voter fraud denied (10/18)
Editorial: Investigate voter fraud (10/18)
S.D. voter fraud probe continues (10/17)
'More and more' cases of voter fraud (10/16)
Thune: S.D. vote challenge not my idea (10/16)
Problems cited with Indian voter drive (10/15)
Native voters said key in S.D. races (09/02)
Sioux tribal members file voting rights suit (08/06)