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MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2002

South Dakota attorney general Mark Barnett on Friday discussed the results of his investigation into alleged voter fraud among American Indians.

Barnett dismissed claims that Indian voters were paid $10 by Democrats to go to the polls. He said three affidavits generated by Republican lawyers were flat out false.

The questionable affidavits were linked to one man, Quentin Charging Elk. Charging Elk, who voted for Republican John Thune, said he heard about vote-buying from "people on the streets," according to The Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

The probe began after Democrat John Thune beat Thune thanks to the Indian vote. One woman, Becky Red Earth-Villeda, has been charged for alleged forgery of voter ballot applications but state officials repeatedly said the results of the election wouldn't be affected.

Get the Story:
Claims of cash for votes refuted (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 12/14)
Flandreau woman charged with voter fraud (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 12/14)
Man baffled by affidavit link (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 12/15)
Claims of voter fraud beget fraud claims (The Rapid City Journal 12/14)
Woman charged in voter-fraud case (The Rapid City Journal 12/14)
Fact and fiction of Indian voter turnout (The Rapid City Journal 12/15)

Related Stories:
Indian voter fraud claims investigated (12/13)
S.D. Indian vote claims prompt action (12/12)
Editorial: Not racist to probe Indian votes (12/12)
AP reviews Indian vote affidavits (12/11)
Indian vote allegations dismissed (12/10)
Excerpts: Bad Indian votes in S.D. (12/10)
S.D. AG disputes Wall Street Journal (11/21)
Editorial: The Indian Vote in S.D. (11/20)
Letters: The Indians fought back (11/20)
Editorial: The South Dakota Indian Vote(11/20)
Editorials: The power of the Indian vote (11/18)
Narrow Johnson win in S.D. confirmed (11/13)
Indian voter turnout in S.D. was high (11/8)
Indian votes helped Johnson (11/7)
S.D. Indian vote was challenged (11/7)
S.D. Senate race 'too close to call' (11/6)
S.D. woman 'traced' signatures on forms (11/1)
No illegal ballots found in S.D. (10/31)
S.D. election night proposal questioned (10/30)
S.D. woman fights voter fraud charges (10/29)
S.D. voter fraud tied to one person (10/25)
Charges fly in S.D. Indian voter dispute (10/24)
Opinion: Don't let illiterate Indians vote (10/23)
All eyes on South Dakota for votes (10/22)
Charges of Indian voter fraud denied (10/18)
Editorial: Investigate voter fraud (10/18)
S.D. voter fraud probe continues (10/17)
'More and more' cases of voter fraud (10/16)
Thune: S.D. vote challenge not my idea (10/16)
Problems cited with Indian voter drive (10/15)
Native voters said key in S.D. races (09/02)
Sioux tribal members file voting rights suit (08/06)