GAB investigating recall petition signature fraud involving Recall Dave Hansen

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Government Accountability Board is investigating recall petition signature fraud involving last year’s recall Senator Dave Hansen committee.

Investigators with the state elections agency have met with several witnesses and subpoenaed information and evidence related to two groups that eventually combined.

Together they submitted more than 18,800 signatures. More than 3,300 signatures were tossed out either by the GAB themselves or through challenges from Sen. Hansen. With more than 15,000 valid signatures, the GAB then ordered a recall.

Chad Fradette came forward with the information to WTAQ. He was originally involved in the Recall Dave Hansen group organized by David VanderLeest, who would later run against Hansen in the recall election.

Fradette says he left and started the Committee to Recall Dave Hansen after things got strange with VanderLeest.

“We founded a second one because David VanderLeest was hording all the signatures, wouldn’t let anyone look at them or to verify them if they were real or not or keep count of what we had and it got really strange, so we broke off,” Fradette said in a phone conversation.

Fradette formed a group with David Steffen, who ran against Hansen in 2004 and lost.

Fradette says the GAB is investigating signature collectors that came from out of state, fraudulent signatures, forgeries, and try to ascertain who paid for them.

Fradette says questions also arose about VanderLeest’s involvement.

http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2012/jun/29/gab-investigating-recall-petition-signature-fraud-involving-recall-dave-hansen/