Closing arguments wrapped up Monday in the case of three Rensselaer County officials accused of obtaining absentee ballots on behalf of other people, and using them to vote over and over in the 2021 elections.

The attorneys for Rich Crist, Jim Gordon, and Leslie Wallace all gave closing arguments in front of a judge on Monday. One of them said everything they’ve witnessed has been legal and lawful.

One defense attorney accused the government, including the FBI, of carrying out a careless, sloppy investigation and turning a blind eye to the truth.

Attorney Paul DerOhannesian said the investigation was permeated with confusion and riddled with inconsistencies.

All three defense attorneys insisted and asserted their clients did nothing wrong, over and over again reminding jurors it is perfectly legal for someone other than the voter to fill out an absentee ballot, just as long as the voter signed the ballot envelope.

The government sees things differently, calling the alleged conspiracy a despicable scheme to allow conspirators Gordon, Crist, and Wallace to vote as many times as they wanted to. In other words, it’s a case about the abuse of power as part of an effort to stay in power.

The government reiterated Gordon and Crist used coercion and intimidation to force county employees to sign their absentee ballots and hand them over to them.

Defense attorneys said it wasn’t true, and neither of those defendants has the authority to fire or discipline county workers.

Jury deliberations begin Tuesday morning.

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