Connecticut GOP leaders have urged the US Department of Justice to investigate claims of election fraud in Bridgeport after a City Council Member’s controversial remarks raised suspicions about potential widespread corruption in the state.

Republicans from the Connecticut General Assembly penned a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi following allegations made by Alfredo Castillo, a Bridgeport City Council Member. Castillo asserted that he was simply carrying out directives from Democratic leaders to mobilize voters and denied any involvement in fraudulent activities related to the 2023 mayoral election in the city.

Castillo, who maintains his innocence, stated in an interview with Only in Bridgeport after his arrest on February 21 that he was complying with instructions from the Democratic Party to boost voter turnout. He expressed frustration at being vilified for following these directives, implying that such practices were standard protocol within the party.

Days after those comments Connecticut Republicans like State Rep. Vincent Candelora wrote and sent a letter to the DOJ requesting an investigation.

“Councilman Castillo’s own words suggest a broader operation at play, involving efforts to benefit high-profile Democratic candidates at the state and federal levels,” Candelora said of the investigation during a press conference Friday.

“We cannot ignore the possibility that these corrupt practices extend beyond Bridgeport.”

Castillo was among five local political operatives criminally charged for allegedly mishandling absentee ballots in the 2023 Bridgeport Democratic primary between Mayor Joe Ganim and challenger John Gomes.

Ganim was declared winner when absentee ballots rolled in after Gomes won the most votes at the polls, the Chief State Attorney’s Office said this month when announcing criminal action.

A judge ordered a new election after Gomes claimed voter fraud, though Ganim again emerged victorious.

Castillo, 53; Maria Pereira, 57; and Jazmarie Melendez, 26, are the trio of city council members facing charges while the city’s Democratic Town Committee vice-chair Wanda Geter-Ptaki, 68, is facing 92 charges including conspiracy to take possession of multiple absentee ballots, chief state attorney officials said.

Margaret Joyce, 45, who was allegedly part of the absentee ballot scheme, was also charged.

The allegations carried out include instructing absentee voters who they should cast their ballots for, altering ballots, filling out and submitting other voters’ ballots themselves and registering a non-citizen to vote.

Castillo in his interview with Only in Bridgeport also bemoaned that he’s “pissed and frustrated” to face the criminal charges, claiming, “If we don’t get out the vote, Ganim loses.”

When responding to the allegation that he registered a non-citizen to vote, he said, “How am I supposed to know? She gave me a social security number.”

“How much more loyal do you want us to be? We get out the vote and we get criminalized,” he said.

“Now we have to pay for lawyers. I have a wife and kids who are afraid of me going to jail. The party should have lawyers representing us.”

GOP officials in the Constitution State want to know if similar fraud is happening in other parts of the state.

“Such an investigation is critical to restoring public trust in our election system, which has been severely undermined by the scandals in Bridgeport,” according to the letter.

The five defendants have either denied wrongdoing or remained mum about the charges.