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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Dallas GOP Used Bogus ‘Voter Fraud’ Charge, Democratic Candidate Says

DALLAS (CN) - The Dallas County Republican Party, its Chairman Kenn George and incumbent Texas Rep. Tony Goolsby defamed a Democratic candidate for the Texas House by falsely reporting that she was "under investigation for voter fraud," days before the 2006 election, Harriet Miller claims in Dallas County Court.

Miller ran against incumbent Goolsby in 2004 and lost. She claims that on Oct. 23, 2006, Kenn George sent a defamatory letter to Dallas County District Attorney Bill Hill, to Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbert, and to Secretary of State Roger Williams. The letter claimed that in 2004, "Miller had engaged in clear and disturbing voter irregularities," though she lost.

Miller says George's sole evidence for these "irregularities" was that "in certain precincts, 'Harriet Miller received considerably more votes in her challenge for the Texas House than Paul Jenkins, the Democrat (sic) candidate for Congress.'" Miller says Jenkins was not running as a Democrat, but as an Independent. She claims George defamed her recklessly, with knowledge of its falsehood.

And she claims George and Goolsby then turned over the defamatory letter to the local CBS affiliate, which dutifully reported, on Oct. 25, that Miller was "under investigation for voter fraud."

She says the defendants then used the planted CBS story to send another defamatory letter, this time to voters, "stating that 'CBS 11 News reports that the Dallas County District Attorney is looking to accusation of massive voter fraud by Democrat Harriet Miller's 2004 campaign.'"

Miller demands punitive damages for libel and slander. She also sues Allyn & Company. She is represented by Charles McGarry. See complaint.

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