To the Editor:
[Last week], Congressman Jim Moran sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder calling on him to investigate allegations of voter fraud in Harrisonburg, Va. The next day, Project Veritas released a video showing Jim Moran’s son Pat Moran [allegedly] detailing to an [individual who was secretly recording] how to commit voter fraud in Virginia. Pat Moran, who at the time was also serving in an official capacity of field director for his father’s campaign, immediately resigned. Brian Moran, Pat’s uncle and Jim’s brother, is presently the state chairman for the Democratic Party of Virginia.
In announcing his request for an investigation in Harrisonburg, Moran wrote an article entitled “Voter Fraud Must Be Investigated.” Moran’s concluding point was that: “Voting is at the core of our democratic principles. When that right is violated, our democracy is violated.” I concur.
For these reasons, my campaign is calling upon Attorney General Eric Holder to initiate an investigation into allegations of voter fraud against the campaign of Congressman Jim Moran. Proceedings have already been initiated by the Arlington County Police Department. However, because this is a federal election, it is critical that the Department of Justice conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that we have free and fair elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
While serving in Kosovo, I had the opportunity to be an official election observer. Deployed in a remote village in the mountains of Southern Kosovo, I witnessed throngs of excited, happy Kosovar Albanians rushing to the polling stations as soon as they opened. It was the first time in their lives that they had confidence that their vote counted, that they were participating in a free and fair election. As I saw their smiles, I felt a surge of pride that as Americans, we have a culture of free and fair elections. They have been thus because the participants, candidates and organizations, almost always agree to play by the rules. We are only as good as the rules we make.
So when this story concerning the Moran campaign broke this week, I was as stunned and disappointed as everyone else. Regardless of political party, we are all, or should be, Americans first, and that means insisting that our political leaders play by the rules.
I hope, on behalf of the integrity of our electoral process, Attorney General Holder will conduct a thorough investigation. In Jim Moran’s own words: “Voter Fraud Must Be Investigated.”
Patrick Murray
Colonel, USA (retired)
Republican Candidate for Congress
Virginia 8th District