U.S. Attorney Tabs Veteran Prosecutor to Monitor Election Fraud, Voter Intimidation in Md.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo J. Wise will handle complaints about voter intimidation and fraud in Maryland during the ongoing election, officials announced Friday.
Wise, a seasoned prosecutor who specializes in corruption, will help coordinate the Department of Justice’s Election Day Program in Maryland, U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said in a news release. Wise will work with the FBI to shore up election security as Election Day approaches.
Maryland’s U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. Photo by Bruce DePuyt.
The announcement comes days after Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) issued a harsh warning against voter intimidation, which is both a state and federal crime. According to Frosh, intimidating or trying to bribe voters is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 crime.
“The vote is the foundation of our democracy,” Hur, the chief U.S. attorney in Maryland, said. “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted accurately. We will always act appropriately to protect the integrity of the election process.”
Wise has handled high-profile corruption cases during his tenure as a corruption-buster in Maryland: He prosecuted former Del. Cheryl D. Glenn and state Sen. Nathaniel T. Oaks for corruption, and brought down several Baltimore Police officers while investigating the Gun Trace Task Force.
Wise will be on the job through Election Day, and can be reached at 410-209-4800. Marylanders with concerns over voter intimidation can also reach out to Frosh’s office at 443-961-2830 or toll free at 833-282-0960, or by email at [email protected].
Bennett Leckrone
Reporter
Bennett Leckrone was a Report for America corps member at Maryland Matters through May 2022. He is a December 2019 graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. Leckrone has interned at The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Columbus Dispatch, PennLive.com, The Dayton Daily News and The Troy Daily News.
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