(FreePressBeacon.com) – Following an unashamed effort to influence voter choices, Democrat Ken Mascara, a former sheriff from St. Lucie County, Florida, has been found guilty in an election fraud scheme involving a ghost candidate.
Mascara first took office in 2000 and served until December 2023. He faced repercussions from the Florida Ethics Commission after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) carried out an investigation.
The FDLE found that Mascara was part of a scheme to have retired deputy Kevin Carter run in the primary election to weaken Richard Williams, a former Florida Highway Patrol trooper.
Carter won the primary but was defeated by Mascara in the general election.
When faced with evidence of misconduct, Mascara chose to settle with the state Attorney General’s Office instead of pursuing a formal hearing. By doing so, he admitted to the accusations.
Shortly before the ethics commission made its decision, Mascara resigned, citing health reasons, which some believe was an attempt to avoid further scrutiny.
As a result of the settlement, Mascara has been ordered to pay a $5,000 civil penalty and has been publicly censured and reprimanded for misusing his office.
This penalty comes after Mascara admitted to the commission that he encouraged another candidate to run against him, violating Florida’s ethics laws.
The FDLE’s deeper investigation into the 2020 race revealed that Mascara had directed his subordinates to manage his opponent’s campaign activities.
He was also accused of funneling cash to straw donors to support the other candidate’s campaign.
Although these findings did not lead to criminal charges due to the absence of a conclusive money trail, Mascara’s actions have led to significant professional and public censure.
Mascara has remained silent on the specifics of the allegations, except for a Facebook post.
In it, he claimed he was surprised by the fact that encouraging participation in the democratic process was considered unethical.
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