A top aide to a freshman Democratic congressman has resigned as authorities continue their investigation into alleged ballot fraud during the 2012 election.
Giancarlo Sopo, Rep. Joe Garcia’s (D., Fla.) communications director, told the congressman on Friday that he will step down.
Garcia told the Miami Herald that Sopo will cooperate with law enforcement officials, who are investigating an alleged scheme to fraudulently request 500 ballots for unsuspecting voters.
Florida law, the Herald noted, "prohibits anyone other than voters or their immediate family members from requesting mail-in ballots."
Sopo’s attorney, Gus Lage, said he will meet with Florida prosecutors investigating the case. "If there was any illegality to what was done, Mr. Sopo did not appreciate that at the time," Lage insisted.
The Herald reported that Sopo’s family may have been part of the plan.
Sopo had been placed on unpaid administrative leave last month, days after Miami-Dade prosecutors and police raided his cousin’s home in connection with the scheme to request ballots online for nearly 500 unsuspecting voters in the Aug. 14 Democratic primary. Garcia said at the time that he did not immediately fire Sopo — opening the congressman to criticism from Republicans — because Sopo told Garcia he wasn’t involved in the plot.
Sopo recruited his friends or family to assist, Lage said — presumably either to compile or submit the ballot requests.
Garcia demanded the resignation of his chief of staff Jeffrey Garcia (no relation) in May after he admitted to orchestrating the scheme.
Jeffrey Garcia’s admission came hours after the Miami-Dade state attorney’s office and other law enforcement executed search warrants on May 31 seeking computers and other electronic equipment at the homes of Sopo’s cousin and the family of John Estes, Joe Garcia’s 2012 campaign manager.