ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (November 3, 2017) – Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, presented to the public clear evidence his re-election campaign has uncovered of the ongoing voter fraud conducted by political operatives on behalf of the Frank Gilliam for Mayor Campaign.

Outside the steps of the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office, Guardian released the official 16-page investigative report assembled by a private investigator hired by the campaign, Lou DiJoseph.

DiJoseph, along with co-investigator Tim Witkoski, conducted numerous witness interviews and surveillance operations over the course of several days in October, even wiring a volunteer witness to go undercover to expose the fraud.

Rodney Cotton made a surprise appearance to tell his story about his voter fraud experience.

“I’m here to represent the homeless in Atlantic City who are being taken advantage of,” Cotton told a crowd of reporters. “I cannot stand by and see this injustice be done. Votes should come from the heart.”

The investigators’ findings, outlined in the report distributed to media, comprised of witness statements indicating operatives working with the Frank Gilliam for Mayor campaign offered homeless individuals and other residents cash in exchange for a Gilliam vote on messenger and vote-by-mail ballots.

“It’s beyond despicable that they’re preying on the elderly and homeless in our city,” Guardian said. “It’s deception of the worst kind.”

In the report, one of the accused activists, identified as Craig Callaway, operated a white van in which he transported operatives to several Atlantic City housing complexes, demonstrating the lengths to which Gilliam’s campaign would prey on low-income and elderly residents for their votes.

“Callaway has had free reign of this building,” Guardian said in reference to the Board of Elections. “And what is really sad is everyone knew about this.”

The document also contains many other reports in which witnesses describe being asked to vote for Gilliam and other Democrats on messenger ballots in exchange for money.

In one instance, a witness stated she observed Callaway’s van making daily trips to Altman Terrace, Jeffries Towers and Shore Park.

In an Oct. 26 surveillance operation, the investigators observed Callaway and other operatives directing a handful of residents around the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office.

One day later, the investigators met with Cotton, who said he was offered a similar pay-for-vote arrangement from an activist. He told investigators that the operatives had routinely carried this operation out with many of the city’s homeless population.

Cotton volunteered go through with the arrangement while wearing a concealed recording device. That operation was carried out Oct. 28.

Cotton recorded the interaction from the time he was picked up by Callaway at the Gilliam for Mayor Headquarters and taken to the Atlantic County Court House.

On the recording, Callaway and others can be heard directing Cotton how to vote on a vote-by-mail ballot. After submitting the ballot, Cotton was given $30 in cash.

“I felt like a grease ball,” Cotton said of the experience.

Guardian urged voters to fight back by showing up at the polls on Election Day Tuesday.

“We need you to come out and show that we’re not going to let our city be bought,” Guardian said. “I call on you in the name of Democracy to vote. All we’re asking for is a fair and just election.”

To read the private investigators’ findings and view video clips of Cotton’s undercover operation, please visit http://bit.ly/2irOpcq To watch video of the press conference and more, Mayor Guardian’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DonGuardian4Mayor

###