Pastor Arrested for Alleged Signature Forgery
A 33-year-old pastor has been taken into custody, facing allegations of forging signatures in an effort to advance his candidacy in the 2024 Democratic primary for state representative.
The Rev. Robert Hoggard, affiliated with the New Jerusalem Christian Center in Middletown, Conn., reportedly filed a petition backing his campaign for the 33rd Congressional District.
“We have a political class that is doing everything in its power to dissuade voters from contributing to their communities and cancel this election,” Hoggard remarked, emphasizing his frustrations amid the accusations.
In Connecticut, unofficial candidates must gather signatures from residents within their district to qualify for inclusion on the primary ballot. This requirement raised eyebrows when Democratic Voter Registrar, Patricia Alston, flagged Hoggard’s petition as suspicious, prompting an investigation.
“The startling evidence includes multiple voters stating they did not sign the preliminary petition for Robert Kyle Hoggard’s candidacy, and the signatures on documents submitted to the Registrar’s Office are fraudulent,” stated Mike Fallon, chair of the Middletown Democratic Town Committee.
In a rebuttal, Hoggard accused Democratic officials of conspiring against him. “Tactics like this discourage people from running for office,” he remarked. “There is, frankly, nothing this political class can do to deter voters from wanting to serve in the place where I was born and raised.”
Hoggard previously ran for the general election as a candidate under the “We the People Party,” coming in close to incumbent state Rep. Brandon Chafee (D), who won by a narrowing margin of fewer than 700 votes.
Authorities from the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office arrested Hoggard on Thursday, hitting him with 14 counts of second-degree forgery and six counts of perjury. He was later released after promising to return for court proceedings.
When asked for a comment, Hoggard directed inquiries to his lawyer, John Kennelly, who expressed confidence that a thorough investigation would prove his client’s innocence. “These accusations stem from the fading memories of fleeting encounters,” he said, asserting that evidence would support Hoggard’s claims.
The New Jerusalem Christian Center has yet to respond to requests for comments regarding Hoggard’s situation.
In related news, recent reports revealed various election irregularities in the state, including cases where hundreds of voters were mistakenly assigned to incorrect precincts, and instances of missing ballot petitions.
It’s worth noting that Hoggard was required to sign the petition in the presence of a notary public and to verify the authenticity of each signature collected.
