Yet Another gop Pleads Guilty
A former Clay County election officer plans to plead guilty to a charge that he took part in a vote-buying scheme with prominent public officials.
The attorney for Paul E. Bishop filed a motion Thursday seeking a hearing for him to plead guilty to one count of racketeering.
That charge alleges that members of the conspiracy used the county Board of Elections as a vehicle to corrupt voting between 2002 and 2007 so they could hold on to power and enrich themselves and others.
...The indictment said Bishop, a Republican election officer in the Manchester precinct in 2002 and 2004, hosted meetings at his house where candidates for office pooled money to use in buying votes.
He also bought votes at the polling place, giving voters a mark or ticket so they could get paid later, the indictment says.
Roberts is one of several onetime public officials who have gone to prison in earlier stages of the federal corruption investigation in Clay County that has been going on for several years.
