Team 4: Voter Fraud Allegations
WTAE-TV's Jim Parsons Reports
POSTED: 4:45 p.m. EDT May 8, 2002
Democratic Marc Gergely is running for election in the 35th legislative district. His White Oak home is in that district -- now.
But when new district lines were drawn up last year, White Oak was out and McKeesport was in. So Gergely changed his residence to McKeesport. And when the lines got changed back again, Gergely followed suit.
The following report by Team 4 investigator Jim Parsons aired Wednesday on WTAE-TV Action News at 5 p.m.
This is state House candidate Marc Gergely's home in White Oak, where he has lived since 1997. But this is where Gergely said he lived on Nov. 6, when he voted in the 2001 general election -- his grandmother's house in McKeesport. Dave Donato, McKeesport Republican chairman: "That means he left his home in White Oak to go to McKeesport to vote. And if you're permitted to do that, then there are no rules." Donato is a longtime political foe of Gergely. Donato: "I think it's ludicrous. I think he did it for political expediency." What is Donato talking about? He's talking about this: Gergely changed his voter registration address from White Oak to McKeesport last October when he updated his driver's license. That made him a resident of the newly redrawn 35th district. Gergely even voted in McKeesport, signing a sworn Election Day statement that he lived there. Then, just two weeks after Gergely voted from his grandmother's house in McKeesport, the state legislature changed the 35th district lines again. Suddenly, his house in White Oak was back in the district and his grandmother's house in McKeesport was out of the district. That very same day -- November 19 -- Marc Gergely changed his address with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation yet again. Robert Owsiany, attorney: "So now he's contending that, no, he lived all along in White Oak -- which is now in the 35th legislative district." Owsiany took Gergely to state Supreme Court, arguing that his name should be removed from the ballot because he did not live in the 35th district for at least a year. The court sided with Gergely, finding that he had never really moved from his house in White Oak. A victory for Gergely -- or was it? Donato: "You vote where you reside. At the very least he ought to be prosecuted for voter fraud, to set an example to individuals in positions like he is." Gergley declined Team 4's request for an on-camera interview. But he said by telephone that he was thinking about moving to his grandmother's house because of financial troubles, so he changed his address with PennDOT -- not realizing it would change his voter registration address. Donato doubts that explanation. He is filing a complaint with the Allegheny County Board of Elections.
This is state House candidate Marc Gergely's home in White Oak, where he has lived since 1997. But this is where Gergely said he lived on Nov. 6, when he voted in the 2001 general election -- his grandmother's house in McKeesport. Dave Donato, McKeesport Republican chairman: "That means he left his home in White Oak to go to McKeesport to vote. And if you're permitted to do that, then there are no rules." Donato is a longtime political foe of Gergely. Donato: "I think it's ludicrous. I think he did it for political expediency." What is Donato talking about? He's talking about this: Gergely changed his voter registration address from White Oak to McKeesport last October when he updated his driver's license. That made him a resident of the newly redrawn 35th district. Gergely even voted in McKeesport, signing a sworn Election Day statement that he lived there. Then, just two weeks after Gergely voted from his grandmother's house in McKeesport, the state legislature changed the 35th district lines again. Suddenly, his house in White Oak was back in the district and his grandmother's house in McKeesport was out of the district. That very same day -- November 19 -- Marc Gergely changed his address with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation yet again. Robert Owsiany, attorney: "So now he's contending that, no, he lived all along in White Oak -- which is now in the 35th legislative district." Owsiany took Gergely to state Supreme Court, arguing that his name should be removed from the ballot because he did not live in the 35th district for at least a year. The court sided with Gergely, finding that he had never really moved from his house in White Oak. A victory for Gergely -- or was it? Donato: "You vote where you reside. At the very least he ought to be prosecuted for voter fraud, to set an example to individuals in positions like he is." Gergley declined Team 4's request for an on-camera interview. But he said by telephone that he was thinking about moving to his grandmother's house because of financial troubles, so he changed his address with PennDOT -- not realizing it would change his voter registration address. Donato doubts that explanation. He is filing a complaint with the Allegheny County Board of Elections.
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