More Use Of P.I.s By GOP In New Mexico?Is the Republican National Committee, too, turning to private investigators to help make it harder to vote in New Mexico?
David O’Niell, a P.I in the state, has told the New Mexico Independent that he was contacted by Todd Stefan of SETEC investigations, who told O’Niell he was recruiting P.I.s to advise poll challengers on election day, and was working on behalf of the Republican National Committee.
Stefan declined to confirm to the Independent that he was working for the RNC, but said: “I was told to see if there were some individuals, people with investigative experience, IT [information technology] experience… to advise attorneys and make sure that everything goes smoothly.”
Voting- and civil-rights groups last week filed suit against the New Mexico GOP and Pat Rogers, a lawyer associated with the party, after the Independent and TPMmuckraker reported that Rogers had hired a private investigator who questioned several Hispanics in Albuquerque about their right to vote.
No evidence has yet emerged tying the national GOP to that alleged scheme.
In Wisconsin, the Republican Attorney General has called for law enforcement agents to serve as poll-watchers.