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Mark Harris, GOP candidate for the 9th race of the North Carolina District Convention, resists tears at the conclusion of his son John's testimony on the third day of public hearing on voting irregularities in Raleigh. | Travis Long / The News & Observer via AP, Pool
In an emotional testimony Wednesday, the son of North Carolina Republican Mark Harris said that he had warned his father against the mail-order strategy used by Leslie McCrae Dowless, the political activist at the center of an election fraud scandal in the 9th congressional district.
John Harris testified Wednesday before the North Carolina Electoral Council about allegations of election fraud. Although Mark Harris beat Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the unofficial vote count on the night of the November 2018 election, the election committee refused to certify the winner, highlighting the fraud charges.
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John Harris, a lawyer himself, quickly stated that he was wary of Dowless's operation and had shared his thoughts with his father and mother. John's testimony appears to refute his father's claims that he was never notified about Dowless, who had previously been convicted of fraud and perjury.
After Mark met Dowless, John sent his father an e-mail on April 7, 2017, which contained the text of the law on the illegality of collecting a person's mail-in ballot paper. .
"A good test is if you are comfortable with the complete process that he uses and that is broadcast on the news," emailed his father while Mark Harris was considering hiring Dowless.
John stated that he believed that his father's decision was already taken despite his warnings.
John added that he had no reason to believe that his father, his mother or anyone in the Harris campaign knew what Dowless was doing.
"I launched red flags at the time the decision was made to hire Mr. Dowless," said John, whose testimony dominated the third day of the hearing.
"I love my dad and I love my mother, I certainly have no vendetta against them, no family bills to settle," said John, holding back his tears. "I think they made mistakes in this process and that they certainly did things differently from what I would have done to them."
After investigating allegations of fraud, the council began hearing evidence this week. An electoral council official opened the proceedings on Monday by presenting evidence implicating Dowless in a "ploy" of illegal collection of postal ballots. State officials and people employed by Dowless said Dowless illegally paid people to collect and handle ballots.
Mark Harris is scheduled to start the fourth day of his testimony on Thursday. It is unclear whether the commission will finish its work on Thursday or will be on a fifth day. At the end of the hearing, the board of directors should either vote for a new election, certify a winner, or potentially deadlock.
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