Smartmatic Accused of Unlawful Gifts to LA County Official Amid Contract Controversy

Fox News has filed a legal petition alleging that Smartmatic, a voting technology company, provided unlawful gifts to a Los Angeles County official who played a role in securing a lucrative contract for the firm. The filing claims that Smartmatic executives may have misused taxpayer funds in a manner similar to accusations made against them in a separate federal case involving bribery in the Philippines.

The allegations surfaced as Fox News seeks public records related to the relationship between certain Los Angeles County officials and Smartmatic. The company was awarded a contract to supply voting equipment and services for state, federal, and local elections in Los Angeles County.

According to the filing, Fox News asserts that evidence has emerged indicating that Smartmatic’s senior executives engaged in misconduct similar to that which they have been accused of in other jurisdictions. The petition requests that the California Superior Court compel the county to comply with public records laws, citing incomplete records provided by the county.

Fox News claims it has uncovered evidence suggesting that Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder and Clerk, received “business class travel, expensive entertainment, and other personal benefits” from Smartmatic that he did not disclose as required by law. The filing states that Logan developed close relationships with Smartmatic executives through frequent communications and social gatherings.

Logan, however, maintains that the contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process. In a statement, he said, “The contract between Los Angeles County and Smartmatic USA was competitively bid, evaluated, and awarded in compliance with the County’s open competitive public procurement processes.”

Despite Logan’s assertions, Fox News alleges that the county’s records are incomplete and that significant gaps exist in communications between Logan and Smartmatic officials. For instance, the county reportedly produced no text messages between Logan and a Smartmatic official from June 2021 to June 2022, despite evidence of regular communication during that period.

The filing also references an August 1 submission by the Department of Justice, which indicates that prosecutors are investigating Smartmatic executives for alleged bribery related to contracts in the Philippines. Fox News claims that this investigation includes evidence suggesting that Smartmatic funneled taxpayer dollars from its Los Angeles County contract to a “slush fund” managed by a shell company.

While Fox News has not presented evidence that any payments from this slush fund were made to Los Angeles County officials, it claims to have numerous examples of benefits provided to Logan that he allegedly failed to disclose. Logan responded by stating that the county has worked diligently to fulfill records requests and that the documents provided contradict the allegations made by Fox News.

Smartmatic has denied the accusations, asserting that the company operates ethically and complies with all laws. In a statement, Smartmatic said, “Fox lies, and when caught, they lie again to distract. Smartmatic wins business because we’re the best at what we do.”

The controversy surrounding Smartmatic is compounded by ongoing legal issues faced by its executives. Roger Piñate, a co-founder of Smartmatic, is currently facing charges in Miami for alleged money laundering and bribery related to contracts in the Philippines. Additionally, Jorge Vásquez, another executive, was included in an indictment over allegations of participating in a bribery and money laundering scheme.

As the situation develops, the implications of these allegations could have significant repercussions for both Smartmatic and the integrity of election processes in Los Angeles County.