| RICHMOND, Va. – Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Sweckertoday called for Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler to resign her position as vice chairwoman of the Virginia State Board of Elections.
“In a deliberate effort to shake voters’ faith in the electoral process, Clara Belle Wheeler has made patently false allegations of massive and widespread voter fraud,” said Swecker. “These baseless allegations are intended to dissuade people from exercising their fundamental right to vote. Undermining the very electoral system with which she is entrusted is a dereliction of duty, and actively advocating for the election of Republicans while overseeing the election system is a conflict of interest. We call for her immediate resignation today.”
Wheeler’s allegations came to light in an article published by the Winchester Star. According to the Star, Wheeler told the Winchester-Frederick-Clarke Republican Women’s Club that:
- “Massive, well-organized, well-orchestrated voter fraud ... happens every day”
- This year’s election is “the most important” election in memory because “if [Republicans] don’t win this election we will never win another election in Virginia because [the Democrats] will tear up the election process.”
- “It’s not who votes that counts…It’s who counts the votes.”
The Star also reported that “Wheeler used the occasion to stump heavily for Republicans in the upcoming election, giving the women’s group tips on how to plug for Republican candidates in public places like the grocery store and how to wear bumper stickers on leather purses without getting sticker residue on them.” |
