Dallas Morning News: “Nearly a year after offering up a hefty bounty for evidence of voter fraud in the wake of Donald Trump’s loss, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has handed out his first reward. But instead of going to an informant who smoked out fraud by Democrats, Patrick’s five-figure payout went to a progressive poll worker in Pennsylvania whose tip led to a single conviction of illegal voting by a registered Republican. The unexpected outcome reveals the political dangers of cash bounties. With few strings attached, and more cases of alleged GOP voting fraud still in Pennsylvania courts, Patrick may be asked to shell out even more cash to his opponents.”
“This case also undercuts unsubstantiated GOP concerns that widespread voter fraud helped hand the White House to Joe Biden, political experts said. In Pennsylvania, a state that was central in Trump’s attempts to overthrow the election, around five cases of voter fraud from last year’s election have been prosecuted, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer — four involved Republicans. In an interview with The Dallas Morning News, tipster Eric Frank said he would have turned in anyone he saw voting illegally regardless of party. But as the scion of a family of Democratic operatives, he also acknowledged the irony of the situation. This week, Frank deposited $25,000 of Patrick’s campaign cash into his bank account. ‘It’s my belief that they were trying to get cases of Democrats doing voter fraud. And that just wasn’t the case,’ Frank said. ‘This kind of blew up in their face.’ Patrick’s spokesman Allen Blakemore declined to comment.”