Matos campaign worker charged in fake signature scandal, investigation continuing.

PROVIDENCE – The first shoe has dropped in what is being described as a continuing investigation into the nomination signature scandal that rocked Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos' campaign for Congress last fall.

Attorney General Peter Neronha's office has charged campaign worker Christopher Cotham, age 45, with two counts of "falsely making a nomination paper while knowing it to be falsely made," and "two counts of submitting nomination papers to election officials containing information known to be false."

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 11.

Recap of the signature scandal

Jamestown Canvassing Clerk Keith Ford was the first to sound the alarm over Matos' signatures, which included the names of at least three dead residents and others who were not registered or were otherwise ineligible to vote in the town. Of the 17 signatures that a different campaign worker, Holly McClaren, submitted in Jamestown, all but one were rejected.

Hundreds more signatures on Matos' nominating papers were eventually thrown out. She still had enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, but the episode knocked her out of her presumed front-runner status.

At a press conference, Matos publicly blamed McLaren at the time.

More: In a reversal, RI Board of Elections will now scrutinize Matos' nomination signatures

"Let's be clear," she said. "My campaign is not under investigation; a vendor that my campaign hired is under investigation."

Matos added, at the time, that "this individual disregarded the instructions of my campaign" and that she was a "victim unfortunately of someone we trusted."

Asked about others involved in the collection of signatures for Matos during her campaign last fall, including McLaren, Neronha told The Journal the investigation is continuing.

Matos responds

The lieutenant governor issued this statement following the announcement that Cotham had been charged:

"It is vital that the people who demeaned Rhode Island’s democratic process are held accountable for their actions.

"As I've said from day one, this is a serious crime that was perpetrated against Rhode Islanders' confidence in our state’s free and fair elections, and I am more invested than anyone in a thorough and public investigation.

"I'm glad to learn that the Attorney General has taken this important step forward in that process. I will continue to support our justice system in any way I can to ensure the truth comes to light, as well as supporting reforms to the reporting structure to protect our democratic process."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Sabina Matos campaign worker charged over fake nomination paper signatures