Texas Republican, Democratic Leaders Differ Over Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's Cash Incentive To Find Voter Fraud
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - An offer by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has made national headlines.
President Donald Trump has filed legal challenges in a number of states to contest the election results.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said the Lt. Governor is wasting his time because the President lost the election.
"The overwhelming evidence shows that he lost the election. That's what he should be worried about, by making sure that there is a there's a transition between a new administration and the old administration whether or not Mr. Trump concedes," Hinojosa said.
But Republican State Senator Bob Hall, District 2, supports the Lt. Governor's announcement.
"If this helps put an end to fraudulent voting, I think it's a great idea. Because somehow we have got to make sure that we have honest elections," Sen. Hall said.
The Lt. Governor, who was President Donald Trump's Texas campaign chair, said in a news release Tuesday that whistleblowers and tipsters should turn over any evidence of voter fraud to their local law enforcement agency.
He said anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and a final conviction would receive a minimum of $25,000.
The Lt. Governor was unavailable for an interview Wednesday, but said in his statement Tuesday, "I support President Trump's efforts to identify voter fraud in the presidential election and his commitment to making sure that every legal vote is counted and every illegal vote is disqualified."
Several complaints and affidavits alleging unfair elections and potential fraud have been filed in courts nationwide.
But so far, no court has confirmed the allegations to be true and reversed any of the state's election results that the President has contested.
Hinojosa criticized Patrick's effort.
"What they're doing is adversely affecting the confidence that people have in our election system. And this is fundamentally wrong," he said.
Senator Hall said he sees nothing wrong with Patrick's incentive.
"No one is asking anybody to fraudulently do anything in this, it just offered people an opportunity to step forward and help them out by coming forward with it," he said.
Hinojosa said the Lt. Governor can't use his campaign funds this way.
CBS 11 reached out to the Lt. Governor's office, but has not heard back.
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