Two officials in Amite City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 21 to criminally violating federal election laws in a vote-buying case, the Department of Justice announced.
Court documents show former Amite City Police Chief Jerry Trabona, 72, and current Amite City Council member Kristian “Kris” Hart, 49, pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay and offering to pay voters residing in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, for voting in the 2016 primary and general election.
During both of those elections, Hart was running for his current seat on the City Council. Trabona was up for reelection as police chief.
Prosecutors said the two officials admitted that they conspired with each other to pay or offer to pay voters and then carried out the plan….