A former Milwaukee election official convicted of misconduct in office and fraud for obtaining fake absentee ballots was sentenced Thursday to one year of probation and fined $3,000.

Kimberly Zapata, 47, also was ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.

Prosecutors charged Zapata in November 2022 with one felony count of misconduct in public office and three misdemeanor counts of election fraud. A jury in March found her guiltyon all four counts.

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Kori Ashley rejected an argument by Zapata’s attorneys that she was acting as a whistleblower, telling her before handing down the sentence that she had ways to make her point other than breaking the law.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    6 months ago

    I know this might be controversial, but people fraudulently stealing absentee ballots should be punished regardless of what their political leaning is. I know, I’m so brave.

    • OccamsRazer@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Yep. Even if she is telling the truth about her motives and if she uncovered true election fraud, she cant break the law to obtain that evidence.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Who’s saying otherwise? Of course anyone committing election fraud needs to be brought to justice.

      However it’s interesting that so many of the criminals come from one side of the spectrum, and it’s the side with wild accusations of fraud.