District Attorney John Sarsfield has yet make a decision on
District 5 supervisor-elect Jaime De La Cruz’s fate for allegations
of election fraud because he is still waiting on a report from the
state that is months overdue. But De La Cruz believes the
prosecutor should make a decision with or without the report and is
ready for the issue to be resolved, no matter what the outcome.
Hollister – District Attorney John Sarsfield has yet make a decision on District 5 supervisor-elect Jaime De La Cruz’s fate for allegations of election fraud because he is still waiting on a report from the state that is months overdue. But De La Cruz believes the prosecutor should make a decision with or without the report and is ready for the issue to be resolved, no matter what the outcome.
“I probably could go on my own, but I don’t want to take two actions if there’s other violations,” Sarsfield said. “It’s more effective to wait to see what’s going on.”
He said he should be receiving the report from the Secretary of State’s Office in the next two weeks but said he hasn’t heard why the state is taking so long in sending it to him.
“I got a phone call from them, but we’ve been playing phone tag all week. I have nothing new on that,” he said.
As the year winds down and De La Cruz’s Jan. 3 swearing-in date approaches, he said some type of action needs to be taken so the matter isn’t lingering over the community.
“It’s not fair to the constituents of District 5 and the rest of the community to have this hanging over their heads,” he said.
Sarsfield has been waiting for months for the report to decide how to proceed on allegations of voter fraud in the March District 5 election. De La Cruz is accused of breaking the elections code on Election Day – when he beat incumbent Bob Cruz by 10 votes – by illegally handling ballots and coercing a voter, among other claims.
His campaign advisor, Ignacio Velazquez, was accused of similar allegations but Sarsfield said last month he won’t be pursuing the charges. The allegations stem from a probe which the Board of Supervisors commissioned shortly after the March election.
De La Cruz said there shouldn’t be a question of what the state report reveals because the allegations were made locally by Cruz’s camp.
“What does the state have to do with it?” he said. “I believe he can make a decision on his own.”
De La Cruz also questioned the charges against Velazquez being dropped, but his charges remaining.
“Supposedly I am being charged with the same situation as Ignacio,” De La Cruz said. “What is the difference between Ignacio and myself?”
Sarsfield said De La Cruz and Velazquez’s charges were not the same and simply dismissing the charges against De La Cruz because Velazquez’s charges were dismissed wouldn’t be correct.
“They did not do exactly the same thing,” he said. “I don’t want to argue the facts with Mr. De La Cruz. I can see why he would want to think that, but he’s mistaken.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
