STATEMENT FROM THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE RELATING TO

NOVEMBER 2008 ELECTIONS

United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced today that Ray Jahn, an Assistant United States Attorney

in the Western District of Texas, will lead the efforts of his office in the connection with the Justice

Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 4, 2008 general elections.

AUSA Jahn has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the Western District of Texas,

and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of complaints of election fraud and

voting rights abuses in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters.
 

On October 8, 2002, Attorney General Ashcroft established a Department-wide Ballot Access and Voting

Integrity Initiative. The goals of this Initiative are to increase the Department’s ability to deter voter

intimidation, suppression, discrimination and election fraud and to prosecute these offenses whenever and

wherever they occur – to make voting easier and cheating harder. Both goals are equally important. It is

imperative that in pursuing voter integrity, ballot access is not in any way diminished or harmed.

The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers the goals of the Initiative. The Program also is

intended to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of

contact within the Department where the public can report possible election fraud and voting rights

violations while the polls are open on election day. The franchise is the cornerstone of American

democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise exercise it, while those who

seek to corrupt it are brought to justice.
 

In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on November 4, 2008, and to

ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton stated

that Assistant United States Attorney Ray Jahn will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He

can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 210-384-7122. The following Assistant

United States Attorney’s will be available in the following divisions of the Western District of Texas.
 

Contact Telephone Number

Alpine – Jay Miller 432-837-7332

Austin – Tony Brown 512-916-5858

Del Rio – Robert Brady 830-703-2025

El Paso – Margaret Leachman 915-534-6884

Midland – John Klassen 432-686-4110

Waco – Mark Frazier 254-750-1580

**San Antonio – Ray Jan 210-384-7122
 

The FBI will also have Special Agents available in each field office and resident agency in this District to

receive allegations of election fraud, intimidation, suppression and other election abuses. The FBI can be

reached by the public at 210-225-6741.
 

Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can be made directly to the Civil Rights

Division’s Voting Section in Washington at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767. Where voter intimidation

or suppression tactics target voters on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin, please contact the

Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section at 202-514-3204.
 

NOTE: AUSA Ray Jahn is the primary contact and will be available at this number until polls close