The Watertown Police Department is recommending charges against former 37th AD Dem candidate Charisse Daniels following an investigation into allegations from the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee that dozens of her signatures were fraudulently or improperly submitted.

A police department statement today said investigators are requesting criminal charges relating to elections fraud and forgery be issued through the Jefferson County DA’s office against “an adult female Watertown resident age 30.”

The statement doesn’t name the suspect, but the department received a request to investigate Daniels’ nomination papers and has previously acknowledged it had opened an investigation. A police department spokesman did not immediately return a call from WisPolitics.com today seeking additional comment.

The department said it would not release the suspect’s name until prosecutors make a formal charging decision.

The Elections Commission last month denied Daniels a spot on the fall ballot after RACC challenged her nomination papers. Among other things, RACC alleged 40 of the 201 signatures she turned in should be discounted because they were illegally obtained and that three should be disqualified because they were duplicate signatures. In its complaint, the GOP provided 15 affidavits from individuals claiming they did not sign Daniels’ nomination papers.

Candidates for state Assembly need 200 signatures to run for office.

Daniels didn’t immediately return a voicemail from WisPolitics.com this afternoon.  

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