In a recent ruling, a judge in Georgia has determined that Brian K. Pritchard, a prominent figure within the Georgia Republican Party and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump‘s false claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, repeatedly engaged in illegal voting practices. 

Pritchard, who serves as the first vice chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and hosts a conservative talk show, has been fined $5,000 for voting illegally and registering to vote while serving a sentence for a previous felony conviction. The judge’s decision also includes public reprimand and the requirement for Pritchard to cover the investigative costs incurred by the State Election Board.

In a comprehensive 25-page ruling, Administrative Law Judge Lisa Boggs affirmed the State Election Board’s findings that Pritchard had illicitly voted on nine occasions, willfully disregarding the conditions of his extended probation stemming from two felony convictions that date back almost three decades. Pritchard’s initial felony forgery charges in Pennsylvania led to a three-year probation sentence in 1996.

Despite subsequent probation revocations in 1999, upon his relocation to Georgia and again in 2002 and 2004, Pritchard was subjected to a new seven-year probationary period in 2004. This extended probation rendered him ineligible to vote in the state until 2011.

In 2008, Pritchard completed a voter registration form with Gilmer County’s Board of Elections and falsely affirmed that he was “not serving a sentence for having been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.” He cast multiple ballots in Georgia, including four in the 2008 primary and general elections and runoffs and five in 2010 across special elections, primaries, and the general election.

While in the legal proceedings, Pritchard claimed that he was unaware of any restrictions preventing him from registering to vote and believed his probationary sentence had expired. However, in her ruling, Judge Boggs expressed skepticism about the sincerity of Pritchard’s explanations and deemed them neither credible nor convincing. The court highlighted that, at the very least, Pritchard should have been aware of the potential limitations on his voting rights.

No immediate comment was provided by Pritchard’s attorney or the Georgia Republican Party regarding the ruling. However, Pritchard’s previous political endeavors and public statements shed light on his commitment to improving election integrity, as stated in his candidacy questionnaire for the first vice chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. Notably, he wanted to leverage grassroots conservative influence for this purpose.

Pritchard’s defeat in a special election for Speaker David Ralston‘s state House seat was marred by scrutiny around his voting record. In response, Pritchard accused detractors of manipulating the election and tarnishing his reputation. He cast doubt on President Joe Biden‘s victory in the 2020 presidential election and questioned the legitimacy of the reported vote count.

The George GOP is already reeling after several of its leaders were indicted in Fulton County for trying to overturn the results of the state’s 2020 presidential election.

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