Officials: Pennsylvania postal worker admits making up allegations of ballot tampering

Mail-in ballots at a postal sorting facility.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A postal worker in Erie, Pennsylvania, who claimed that a postmaster instructed workers to backdate ballots mailed after Election Day, has admitted to U.S. Postal Service investigators that he fabricated his story, three people with knowledge of the matter told The Washington Post on Tuesday.

Richard Hopkins signed an affidavit saying he heard the supervisor make the order, which was made public by the right-wing group Project Veritas. President Trump has refused to concede the election, claiming there was widespread voter fraud, and his campaign provided Hopkins' affidavit to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Graham then sent a letter to the Department of Justice and FBI regarding the allegations, demanding they launch an investigation.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.