Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently made headlines with the arrest of Modesta Vela for allegedly conducting an illegal ballot harvesting operation in Starr County during the 2022 general election. This action comes as part of Paxton's commitment to ferreting out what he describes as a very real and present threat of election fraud.
The investigation, which spanned several years, centered on accusations that Vela had targeted Texas voters, particularly those over the age of 65, manipulating their voting process. According to a statement from the Texas Attorney General, a grand jury returned a "true bill" indictment against Vela on charges of influencing voters within the presence of their ballot—a felony under state law. The said indictment led to her arrest on September 4 in Starr County.
"Criminals trying to steal our elections and rig the democratic process will be found, arrested, and prosecuted," Paxton asserted, painting a picture of vigilance against the corrosion of democratic integrity. "Modesta Vela was trying to take advantage of voters and broke the law by illegally ballot harvesting and targeting a Texan seeking to engage in our elections. Now, it’s time for Vela to answer for her actions in court," he stated in a release aiming to reaffirm the sanctity of the voting process, according to the Texas Attorney General.
