For months, Republicans around the nation have been on what progressives consider to be a witch hunt in search of what they say is non-existent voter fraud. But as it turns out, the GOP was right — it does exist — and they've helped finance it.
NBC News reported Thursday that election officials in six Florida counties are investigating what could be "hundreds" of incidents of voter fraud allegedly committed by the Arizona-based Strategic Allied Consulting, including registering dead people.
The Republican National Committee and state Republican parties hired the firm to register Republican voters in five battleground states: Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Colorado and Virginia and has been paid close to $3 million. Mitt Romney's campaign also has paid $80,000 for "field consulting" services to Lincoln Strategy Group, Strategic Allied's parent company, according to reports.

The RNC severed its relationship with Strategic Allied after the allegations of voter fraud came to light.
"We've made it clear we're not doing business with these guys anymore," said RNC communications director Sean Spicer. "We've come out pretty strong against this kind of stuff — and we have zero tolerance."
The firm's attorney also said it has a zero tolerance policy, and Nathan Sproul, who heads Strategic Allied, is blaming the fraudulent acts on a few "bad apples" who tried to "cheat the system."

But according to a Salon report, Sproul is a "notorious Republican operative" who has "been accused of shredding Democratic voter registration forms in a number of states over several past elections" but continues to be hired to work on Republican campaigns.

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(Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images)