juillet 2, 2024

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EXCLUSIVE – A temporary election worker charged in connection to two security-related thefts that happened just a day apart last month at the Arizona Senate Building and the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center was seen smiling with several Democratic politicians in resurfaced social media posts viewed by Fox News Digital, and participated in Democrat primaries in Arizona during at least two past cycles. Walter Alphonso Jamel Ringfield Jr., 27, of Phoenix, is facing multiple charges, including theft, criminal damage, trespassing and burglary, as Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner said last week that investigators were combing through « a lot of digital evidence, » including Ringfield’s past social media activity, and vowed to « leave no stone unturned » when determining whether the crimes were politically motivated.Although authorities have not provided an update on their investigation since then, screenshots viewed by Fox News Digital show Ringfield posed in several photos he shared on social media in 2020, 2021 and 2022 with Democratic politicians, including U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Tempe, Arizona, Mayor Corey Woods; and then-Tempe police chief Jeffrey Glover, who was later appointed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs as director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety in 2023. Arizona DPS is the agency that accused Ringfield of stealing from a security guard’s desk in the state Senate building last month.ARIZONA ELECTION WORKER SEEN STEALING FROM SENATE SECURITY DESK DAY BEFORE ELECTION CENTER THEFT: OFFICIALSIn one post, Ringfield described the politicians as « some of my friends. » The photos shared on Instagram showed a smiling Ringfield also sharing his experience meeting Jevin Hodge, a former Democratic state representative who resigned earlier this year amid sexual assault allegations, the former Democratic mayor of Tempe, Neil Giuliano, and Berdetta Hodge, a member of the Tempe City Council whose position is nonpartisan. « A leftist activist, with a history of run-ins with the law, allegedly stole the key to illegally access the machine that counts votes from Maricopa’s election system, » RNC Election Integrity communications director Claire Zunk said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. « Democrats at best have turned a blind eye while insisting the election is secure. At worst, was this a planned threat in a long line of extreme election interference by Democrats? What was the motive, one month before the primary? Arizonans must have proof their ballots are safe and Americans a system where these threats are not tolerated. » Ringfield was arrested outside his Phoenix home on June 21. Just a day earlier, he was seen on security footage walking past a desk with multiple tabulators and pocketing a security fob and lanyard, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Ringfield was confronted by his employer, and detectives who served a search warrant at his home recovered the security fob from a dresser in the master bedroom. At a press conference held the next week, Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates admitted Ringfield was in a felony diversion program, information he said did not surface in a background check conducted before Ringfield was hired as a temporary election worker in Maricopa County. Court records show Ringfield was in the program following a September 2023 arrest for allegedly pocketing $1,800 in cash over the course of a shift working as a cashier at a Phoenix grocery store. In total, Ringfield has had four criminal filings against him for unspecified offenses, including one felony and one traffic infraction. That includes in 2019 when he had a forcible entry/detainer filed against him. Court documents also list a prior arrest for disorderly conduct and fighting. In response to Ringfield’s arrest late last month, the RNC and the Arizona GOP dispatched attorneys and observers on the ground in Maricopa County « as part of our election integrity program to gather information and promote transparency as the situation developed, » RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a June 25 statement. « The RNC and AZGOP have a long history of engaging in Maricopa County election issues both in the field and in the courtroom, and yesterday’s events are an example of our election integrity program’s capacity to provide real-time legal response when issues arise at tabulation centers. » »This incident raises serious questions about election security in Arizona that must be answered – we will be constructively engaged with Maricopa County officials to ensure that the remedies to this security breach sufficiently address our concerns, » Whatley added at the time. ARIZONA ELECTION WORKER ACCUSED OF STEALING SECURITY DEVICE WAS HIRED DESPITE FELONY THEFT ARREST MONTHS PRIORTwo days after the press conference, the Arizona Department of Public Safety revealed that Ringfield had been tied to another theft from the Arizona State Senate Building. Troopers reviewed security footage that showed a suspect, later identified as Ringfield, entering a restricted area of the building and removing numerous items from a security staff member’s desk on June 19, the day before the theft at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center. State police said the stolen items included challenge coins and other desk accessories. Under the handle @alphonsosundevil on Instagram, Ringfield shared a selfie with Kelly on Sept. 9, 2022, according to a screenshot viewed by Fox News Digital. The caption said, « I met 2 current amazing and inspiring US Senators today, » tagging Kelly and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who was not pictured in the post. In another photo shared on Jan. 17, 2022, Ringfield, wearing a mask with other volunteers, is seen carrying a blue sign with Martin Luther King Jr.’s image that reads, « The dream lives on… Voting rights now. » The caption said he was blessed to have walked in the MLK parade and thanked Berdetta Hodge, also the former president of the Tempe Union High School District governing board, adding: « It’s an honor and a privilege interning for you this semester. » On Dec. 18, 2021, Ringfield shared a photo smiling with a group of politicians, according to a screenshot viewed by Fox News Digital. The account « @alphonsosundevil » is now private. « With a smile on my face, it’s time to introduce some of my friends, » Ringfield wrote then. ARIZONA ELECTION WORKER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING SECURITY DEVICE FROM BALLOT TABULATION CENTER

Ringfield is seen at the end next to a cheerful lineup of Woods, Glover, then-state Rep. Jevin Hodge, Giuliano, and Bordetta Hodge. Ringfield wrote that it was his second time meeting Woods, the first time being the night when he became mayor-elect, and the caption described Woods as « the first Black mayor of tempe. » The caption praised Glover as « Tempe’s first black police chief. » Ringfield said he was « honored to be interning » for Jevin Hodge next semester, adding: « Happy birthday to my friend. »Reached for comment on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Woods said the mayor does not know Ringfield personally and the photos were taken at past meet and greet events. The mayor’s spokesperson explained that « it happens all the time » when people will walk up to the mayor or an official and ask for a photo, adding that Woods « gets his picture taken with thousands of people a year and that he does not know or have a relationship with this person. » For Giuliano, the caption said he is « 6-0 in political campaigns » and « has met every president except 1 since he has been in the political realm. » « He’s so awesome, » Ringfield wrote. « It was a blessing to be in the presence of good friends. » On March 10, 2020, Ringfield shared a photo with his thumb up smiling next to Wood at another event, according to another screenshot. « With a brief moment I learned a lot from Tempe’s first black mayor, » Ringfield wrote, congratulating Woods. « I’m looking for a role model. »  Other screenshots of his social media activity showed Ringfield supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and asking followers whether they were pro-choice or pro-life on abortion. On TRUTH Social, former President Trump’s social media platform, Ringfield appears to have posted from a different handle, @imjustheresoiwontbefined. » A screenshot of his cover photo shows Ringfield again smiling with a group of people, including Democrat Jevin Hodge. Voting data showed Ringfield voted in the Democratic primaries in 2022 and 2020 in Arizona. He made two donations of just $5 each to ActBlue, the leading fundraising platform for Democratic campaigns and groups nationwide, in 2022, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. Fox News Digital reached out to Kelly, Klobuchar, Glover, Giuliano and Jevin and Berdetta Hodge for comment, as well as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, but did not immediately hear back. 

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Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/politics/arizona-election-worker-charged-security-related-thefts-seen-democrat-politicians-resurfaced-photos

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Publish date : 2024-07-02 17:51:50

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