AUSTIN, Texas — A Latino voting rights group called for a federal investigation Monday after Texas authorities raided the homes of volunteers and confiscated cellphones and computers as part of the state’s Republican attorney general’s investigation into voter fraud allegations.
No charges have been filed against the subjects of the search conducted last week in the San Antonio area. Attorney General Ken Paxton previously confirmed that his office conducted the search after the district attorney referred his office to “allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting” during the 2022 election.
Some volunteers, including an 80-year-old woman whose home was searched, told colleagues that agents were in their home for two hours, taking medication and carrying smartphones and watches, and they protested vehemently against the search outside the attorney general’s office in San Antonio.
“We feel like our votes are being suppressed,” Roman Palomares, national president of the United Latino Citizens’ Coalition, said Monday. “We’re going to get to the heart of the matter.”
The investigation is part of an election integrity unit Paxton created in his office. Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. The federal Justice Department declined to comment.
Palomares said at least six members of the group had their homes searched. They included San Antonio political consultant Manuel Medina, who said his home was searched for hours while agents seized documents, computers and cellphones. Medina is a former Bexar County Democratic Party chairman and campaign manager for Democratic state House candidate Cecilia Castellano, whose home was also searched.
Nine officers also entered the home of 80-year-old volunteer Lydia Martinez, who said she was confused as to why the officers were there.
“They sat me down and started searching my house, my shed, my garage, my kitchen, everything,” Martinez said, and questioned her about other members of the group, including Medina.
The search warrant directs officials to search for all election-related documents and seize Martinez’s devices.
“I don’t do anything illegal,” Martinez reportedly told the agent. “All I do is help seniors.”
Voter fraud is rare, usually occurs in isolated cases and is usually detected. An AP investigation of the 2020 presidential election found fewer than 475 instances of possible voter fraud out of 25.5 million ballots cast in six states where Trump and his allies denied losing to Democratic President Joe Biden.
