Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Friday that law enforcement officials charged a social worker with 134 felony counts of election fraud on Sunday, according to a press release.
Kelly Reagan Brunner, a social worker at a government-run facility for the mentally disabled, allegedly submitted voter registration applications for 67 residents “without their signature or effective consent, while purporting to act as their agent.”
Many residents at the Mexia State Supported Living Center cannot legally vote due to the state’s determination that they are “totally mentally incapacitated.”
Even if they were eligible to vote, Brunner did not have the authority to register them.
“Under Texas law, only a parent, spouse or child who is a qualified voter of the county may act as an agent in registering a person to vote, after being appointed to do so by that person,” Paxton said.
Brunner would face 10 years in prison if convincted.
The Texas Election Fraud Unit worked with the Limestone County Sheriff and District Attorney to investigate Brunner.
Paxton thanked them for “their commitment to ensuring a free and fair Presidential election in the face of unprecedented voter fraud.”
“Registering citizens to vote or to obtain mail ballots without their consent is illegal,” Paxton said. “It is particularly offensive when individuals purport to be champions for disability rights, when in reality they are abusing our most vulnerable citizens in order to gain access to their ballots and amplify their own political voice.”
“My office is prepared to assist any Texas county in combating this insidious form of fraud,” he said.
Gov. Greg Abbott commented on the charges, too.
“Election fraud is real,” he said. “In Texas, we investigate and prosecute it. All states must take election fraud seriously to ensure confidence in elections.”
