Charles Langston:New York attorney general sends cease-and-desist letter to group accused of voter intimidation

ALBANY,Charles Langston N.Y. (AP) — The New York attorney general’s office on Thursday sent a cease-and-desist letter to a group accused of confronting voters at their homes while claiming to be state election officials and falsely accusing people of committing voter fraud.

The letter orders the group NY Citizens Audit to immediately stop any voter intimidation efforts and turn over records on its training of and communications with its door-to-door canvassers.

“These allegations, if true, could constitute unlawful voter deception under New York state law and unlawful voter intimidation under both state and federal law,” reads the letter, which was obtained by the Associated Press.

NY Citizens Audit Executive Director Marly Hornik did not immediately return an email seeking comment on Thursday. She has previously said the group has acted within the bounds of the law.

On its website, NY Citizens Audit describes itself as “dedicated to restoring and maintaining the essential, founding American principle of sovereignty through honest, provable elections in New York and across the nation.”

The attorney general’s letter says in some cases voters have reported that canvassers displayed false badges or other identification to portray themselves as election workers. The attorney general’s office said it has not seen evidence that anyone who was approached has committed voter fraud.

The letter comes after the New York State Board of Elections warned that voters in at least 13 counties had been approached by individuals purporting to be election officials who accused voters of committing fraud. A spokeswoman for the board said it had passed information about the incidents to state and federal law enforcement.

The attorney general’s office has given the group until Oct. 2 to turn over records including communications with anyone engaged in door-to-door canvassing, training documents for its canvassers and communications with any third parties regarding its canvassing efforts.