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Luzerne County’s prior election director should pursue a reward for detecting voter fraud so the money can be donated to a worthy local cause, county Manager C. David Pedri said Wednesday.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, had announced in November he would pay rewards of at least $25,000 and up to $1 million from his campaign fund to those who report evidence of voter fraud connected with the 2020 presidential election that leads to an arrest and final conviction.
Shelby Watchilla, who resigned as county election director on Christmas to accept a private-sector position, had investigated and reported a case in October that led to the arrest of Robert Richard Lynn, a 67-year-old registered Republican from Forty Fort.
Lynn was charged with forging the name of his deceased mother on an application for an absentee ballot that was sent to the county election bureau in September. Lynn’s preliminary hearing is scheduled on Jan. 14.
Pedri said he reached out to Watchilla to let her know she could file a claim after he received an email Tuesday from a reporter at The Dallas Morning News in Texas.
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat, has repeatedly taken to social media calling on Patrick to release the reward to Pennsylvania for the Lynn case and two others, saying the receipts would be donated to food banks. However, the Dallas reporter told Pedri that Patrick is saying only the original tipster is eligible.
“I’ll leave it up to Shelby because she was the one who investigated the entire matter,” Pedri said in reference to the pursuit of a reward. “If there is any sort of reward, I’d recommend it would go to a nonpartisan voter registration group or voter services group.”
Watchilla said Wednesday night she will attempt to seek the reward through online contact information for Patrick because it could help others locally. Patrick’s November release did not state an official format to submit claims.
“I think it would be a good way to give back to the community,” Watchilla said of a reward that could be donated.
Pedri stressed he would not support any worker, past or present, keeping a reward for fulfilling their duty to report suspicious activity. He also said the reward decision is up to Patrick and that he won’t publicly make an issue of the matter if the Texas official decides not to pay.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.