The former Democrat Party chair of Stamford, Connecticut, was sentenced Monday to two years of probation and $35,000 in fines after being found guilty in an absentee ballot fraud case from the 2015 elections.
Superior Court Judge Kevin Randolph, who found John Mallozzi guilty during his trial last month on 14 counts each of charges of forgery and making false statements in absentee ballots – both felonies, sentenced him to two years of probation and $35,000 in fines.
Assistant State’s Attorney Laurence Tamaccio argued when Mallozzi was chair of the Democrat Party in Stamford; he signed absentee ballot applications and envelopes containing the ballots for people who were not aware he had done so.
“The common author is the defendant John Mallozzi,” said Tamaccio, according to Westchester News 12.
The judge stated one voter was discovered to have voted two dozen times in the same election.
Former Stamford Mayor David Martin was reportedly one of more than 40 people, many Stamford government officials, who defended Mallozzi.
“One of John’s characteristics in his political involvement in this city is to try to increase the political participation of our first generation immigrants,” Martin said, the news report noted. “I think he’s shown his nobility and what he has done for this community.”
According to Hearst, the Office of Adult Probation had recommended to the judge he grants Mallozzi, 72, a “conditional discharge” that would have required him to perform 150 hours of community service.
Tamaccio, however, asked that Mallozzi receive a sentence of five years in prison, arguing a “conditional discharge” would be “woefully inadequate.” The assistant state’s attorney emphasized that Mallozzi tried to “subvert” the election in 2015 and displayed no remorse for his crimes, the report observed.
A memo from Tamaccio noted Mallozzi had faced up to five years of prison and a $5,000 fine for each count of second-degree forgery and making false statements in absentee balloting, Hearst reported.
“Your honor, I’m sorry that things happened,” Mallozzi said during his opportunity to address the court on Monday. “I take full responsibility and it’s up to you to do whatever you think is best.”
Nevertheless, Stephan Seeger, Mallozzi’s attorney, said he plans to file an appeal.
Seeger, who had filed to have the case against his client dismissed, said, according to Hearst, Mallozzi was a “victim of selective prosecution.”
An investigation against Mallozzi was launched back in 2015 when a Stamford voter attempted to vote at his polling place on Election Day of that year and was told he could not do so because he had already voted via absentee ballot. The voter, however, told the polling official he had not voted.
Mallozzi was not charged, however, until 2019, and was released after posting a $5,000 court-appearance bond.
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Susan Berry, PhD, is national education editor at The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “John Mallozzi” by Connecticut State’s Attorney Office.
