Former Republican candidate who pledged to ‘restore trust’ in elections arrested for stealing ballots
An Indiana man who ran for Congress this year and promised to ‘restore trust’ in elections has been arrested and charged with stealing ballots during a test of voting machines.
Larry Savage Jr., 51, had been participating in a public voting machine test on October 3 in Madison County when he was caught on camera stuffing the ballots in his pocket.
He then allegedly approached Katherine Callahan, a former Republican Madison County auditor candidate, and whispered ‘f—- up count.’
He later texted Callahan, asking: ‘Sis they say anything about the ballots I took?’
Savage described himself as a ‘common man’ who would ‘restore trust and protect civil rights’ in ‘fair, transparent elections’ when he ran for congress as a MAGA candidate.
An Indiana man who ran for Congress this year and promised to ‘restore trust’ in elections’ has been arrested and charged with stealing ballots during a test of voting machines
Larry Savage Jr. (circled left), 51, ran in the Republican Primary for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, in which he finished in sixth place with less than two percent of the vote
He finished in a distant sixth place in the GOP primary for Indiana’s 5th Congressional District with less than two percent of the vote.
Savage was, however, elected as a precinct committeeman to attend a public voting machine test.
Four voting machines were tested out with 136 ballots but two had gone missing. Surveillance video showed Savage taking them, folding them and putting them into his pocket.
State police found the ballots in Savage’s car after executing a search warrant, Fox 59 reported.
Savage argued to authorities that he only took the ballots because he had been told by an official at the event that they were fake.
‘You talking about the ballot the lady told me I could take,’ Savage said, according to the charging documents. ‘I got the paper you’re talking about. I just rolled it up and put it in my pocket. I wasn’t trying to steal from nobody.’
State police found the ballots in Savage’s car after executing a search warrant
Savage argued to authorities that he only took the ballots because he had been told by an official at the event that they were fake
However, the attendees were told by the official on the surveillance video: ‘They are live ballots. They are live election ballots.’
Officers asked Savage why he put the ballots in his pocket if he thought they were free to take.
County prosecutors say he responded by stating ‘that he wasn’t going to incriminate himself.’
Savage then claimed that he didn’t have plans to do anything untoward with the ballots and would’ve given them back if he’d known he wasn’t supposed to.
A warrant was issued for Savage’s arrest on Monday. A day later, he turned himself in, according to the Indy Star.
He faces one charge of destroying or misplacing a ballot and one charge of theft.
Savage claimed that he didn’t have plans to do anything untoward with the ballots and would’ve given them back if he’d known he wasn’t supposed to
Savage appears to have responded to the arrest on Facebook, where he has made his cover photo his own mugshot
The voting machine company said that Savage engaged in ‘sabotage of the public test and their voting equipment.’
The state’s Republican Party has now condemned the man who said he ran as a ‘MAGA candidate.’
‘We unequivocally condemn any form of criminal election interference,’ spokesman Griffin Reid said in a statement.
‘We appreciate law enforcement’s efforts in pursuing justice and we will continue to monitor this situation as the process unfolds.’
Savage appears to have responded to the arrest on Facebook, where he has made his cover photo his own mugshot.
He wrote on one post: ‘The truth is gonna come out!’
