Former Milwaukee elections official charged with misconduct

By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Prosecutors have charged a former top Milwaukee elections official with felony misconduct in office after she allegedly sent falsely obtained military absentee ballots to a Republican state lawmaker who has advanced election fraud conspiracy theories. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm’s office also charged Kimberly Zapata with three misdemeanor counts of election fraud Friday. Her attorney, Michael Maistelman, had no immediate comment. Zapata was the the Milwaukee Elections Commission’s deputy director. Mayor Cavalier Johnson has accused her of sending the ballots to state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, who has advocated for overturning the 2020 presidential results. He says she was fired as soon as city officials learned of her alleged activities.