Forgeries uncovered among 2008 Obama, Clinton campaign signatures

Growing numbers of public officials are calling for an investigation into forged signatures on the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates’ primary petitions.

Both the Indiana Democratic and Republican parties were joined Sunday by Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White in calling for an investigation.  

The South Bend Tribune discovered that at least dozens of signatures for 2008 Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were forged in St. Joseph County.

Among the forged signatures was that of former Indiana Gov. Joseph Kernan. Kernan has examined his supposed signature on the petitions and said it is not his, and he does not remember signing it.

In order to get on the ballot in Indiana, presidential candidates must obtain 500 signatures from residents in each of Indiana’s nine congressional districts.

These signatures must then be signed by a member of each county’s board of voter registration (or equivalent board) to be considered valid.

If enough of Obama and Clinton’s signatures are forgeries, it would mean neither of them should have qualified to be on Indiana’s ballot.

Presidential campaigns have to rely on a large team of volunteers to collect these signatures, so the candidates themselves are not likely responsible for the forgeries.  

The Tribune discovered that the forged signatures were signed using a stamp of Linda Silcott’s signature. Silcott is a member of the St. Joseph County Board of Voter  Registration.

When the signatures were signed, however, Silcott, a Republican, was out of office due to her husband’s death.

Silcott’s deputy, who was new at the time, claims she does not remember stamping the questionable petitions, but she said she does remember that the stamp was kept in an unlocked drawer.

The Tribune hired a forensic handwriting analyst, Erich Spreckin, who linked as many as 20 sheets of petition signatures for Obama to a single Democratic party volunteer’s handwriting. The handwriting analysis is not conclusive.

The Indiana Democratic and Republican parties are united in calling for an investigation into the allegations of forgery.

“How deep does this problem go?” Eric Holcomb, state GOP chair, said in a statement. “Is it isolated to St. Joseph County, or was it a broader, coordinated effort across the state? Who forged the signatures and why?”

The Democratic Party echoed Holcomb’s call for an investigation but characterized the situation as “an isolated incident in St. Joseph County.”

"We want to know who committed this act, and we want that person held accountable,” Dan Parker, Democratic party chair, said in a statement. “Like Republican Chairman Holcomb said, the focus right now needs to be on finding the person responsible in this case.”  

White called the allegations frustrating.

“It is right for Hoosiers in South Bend and St. Joseph County to be concerned about reports that a high number of forged signatures were submitted,” White said in a statement. “Uncovering this information now is somewhat like closing the corral gates after the horses have escaped.”

— Zach Ammerman