EXCLUSIVE — The campaign arm of Senate Republicans is requesting that the Department of Justice investigate a Montana election official’s “tampering” concern over actions by a Democratic operative in the state.
A man employed by Senate Democrats’ campaign arm was captured on surveillance video appearing to dislodge a ballot drop box secured to the Glacier County elections building, prompting fear from the election administrator of possible ballot tampering.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee “respectfully demands” that U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Jesse Laslovich investigate what it called a “disturbing incident” and to “prosecute any persons found to have broken federal law.”
“For anyone to tamper with an absentee ballot drop box, let alone a professional political operative supporting a United States Senator’s campaign, is nothing less than an assault on Montana’s elections and the will of its voters,” NRSC general counsel Ryan Dollar wrote to Laslovich in a letter, first seen by the Washington Examiner.
Montana is home to the country’s most competitive Senate race this cycle between Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Republican Tim Sheehy, a bitter battle that could determine majority control of the chamber.
NEW: Democrat operative caught allegedly trying to rip a ballot drop box off a wall in Montana.
Operative Laszlo Gendler is accused of tampering with a ballot drop box.
Gendler is paid by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) who are currently helping Democrat… pic.twitter.com/hfdkymWZx3
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 23, 2024
Laslovich’s office did not provide comment.
Laslovich’s cousin, Dylan Laslovich, serves as Tester’s chief of staff.
The NRSC said it trusts that Laslovich “will set familial ties aside, and honor the oath you swore upon taking office by faithfully executing your duties in this matter.”
“Your office is tasked with upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all Montanans, and that mission is particularly essential in the closing weeks of this hotly competitive election,” Dollar wrote. “We therefore urge you to investigate this serious incident to determine the extent of these crimes and to prosecute any violations of federal law that you find.”
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee did not respond to a request for comment. The campaign arm for Senate Democrats previously told Fox News that the person who made contact with the ballot drop box was a poll observer who was “instructed not to touch ballot boxes.”
“This individual was attempting to ensure a new ballot box was secured to the wall, neither the ballot box nor ballots were affected,” the DSCC said. “Their actions were not in accordance with our procedures and out of an abundance of caution they will no longer be doing this work moving forward.”
The Montana Secretary of State’s Office confirmed to the Washington Examiner the identity of the person in the video as Laszlo Gendler.
The Glacier County election administrator first alerted the matter to the Montana Secretary of State’s Office, which then notified law enforcement.
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The NRSC’s request to Laslovich said the DSCC employee’s reprimanding “raises even more questions about who else was involved and why” and that the scenario exacerbates election integrity concerns.
“Swift and decisive action from your office would help bolster confidence in Montana’s elections and deter other potential bad actors,” Dollar wrote to Laslovich.