Ex-Dem official charged in Ind. petition forgery

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A former Democratic county chairman in northern Indiana has been charged with scheming to forge signatures on petitions to place the party’s presidential candidates on the 2008 primary ballot.

The St. Joseph County prosecutor’s office filed felony conspiracy to commit forgery and other charges against 63-year-old Butch Morgan on Monday. Three former workers in the county voter registration office also face forgery and other charges.

Court documents say Morgan directed the workers to forge voter signatures onto Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton petitions.

Morgan denied wrongdoing when he resigned in October as county chairman after the South Bend Tribune and the Howey Politics Indiana newsletter reported finding hundreds of questionable signatures on the petitions.

A message seeking comment from Morgan’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned.