Jury deliberations continue in Rensselaer Co ballot fraud trial

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Jury deliberations continued Tuesday in the trial against three Rensselaer County officials accused of committing ballot fraud. Jurors at the James Foley US Federal Courthouse — located in Albany — did not reach a verdict by the court's closing time.

Earlier in the day, jurors asked for clarification on the definition of the term "color of law". It is defined as when an official commits an illegal act yet claims that act is legal and they are acting under their official duties.

As to how color of law ties in — according to a 2023 federal indictment, the defendants which are three Rensselaer county officials are accused of using their positions to coerce people below them into submitting fake absentee ballots to influence the outcome of county elections in Republican’s favor. 

According to the Times Union, prosecutors argued defendants committed these acts to aid the re-election bid of Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin.

The three defendants in question are Rich Crist, the county’s Director of Operations, James Gordon, the Director of Central Services, and Leslie Wallace, an executive office worker.

The government says voters did not intend to request absentee ballots, nor did they seek voting assistance from Crist, Gordon, or Wallace. Gordon is also charged with one count of witness tampering, 

If convicted of conspiracy to violate constitutional rights, each defendant faces up to 10 years in prison.  Gordon faces up to 20 years if convicted of witness tampering.