Connecticut Election Fraud Investigation

Connecticut elections vulnerable to fraud.

That is one question at the heart of a reported federal investigation.

An investigation the Secretary of State wasn't aware of

until it was on the news. Your chief political reporter, Susan Rapp,

live in Hartford with the details on this. Susan?

Stephanie, Connecticut appears to be targeted along

with eight other states.

That's according to a report in CNN Now or by CNN.

Now according to the Secretary of the State she says she's had no contact with

the

Federal Government, but at this point it looks like the Feds

are looking into

voter fraud.

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas didn't have many answers when she called

a press conference Tuesday. It comes after a CNN report

that Connecticut is being investigated by Homeland Security for

voter fraud. The focus seems to be on non-citizens

who may have registered or voted illegally.

If there is evidence that someone

knowingly voted illegally, it

should be investigated. If the facts

establish misconduct, there should be

accountability.

And while she wants to calm people's concerns about fair elections,

Thomas admits she hadn't reached out to federal authorities.

Some of this may stem from voter fraud in Bridgeport.

Wanda Jeta Pataki, the woman caught on camera allegedly

bringing

handfuls of ballots to an absentee box faces more than 100

counts of ballot and voter fraud. City Councilman Alfredo

Castillo faces more than 30 counts for

illegally possessing absentee ballots.

Republican lawmakers say Democrats refuse to acknowledge

corruption in Bridgeport. Last year they sent a letter to former

Attorney General Pam Bondi asking the feds investigate.

We should make sure that absentee ballots are secure;

not many people are handling them.

We have those drop boxes as you see in Bridgeport that are example

of people just stuffing them in there.

We have no voter identification policy in place.

Now we reached out to the Department of Homeland Security.

They will not confirm whether or not there is an investigation here in

Connecticut or any other state. As for secretary of the stomp-- Thomas,

Secretary of the State Thomas, she is very concerned about the timing of

all this. She feels it's a coordinated effort given

this is just a few

months away from November's election.

She's also worried that some of this publicity from the

investigation will

make voters afraid and confused. You chief political

reporter Susan Raff, Channel Three Eyewitness News Live at the

State Capitol.