Company Hired to Handle Overseas Military Ballots Faced Lawsuit Over a bill

• President of Company Contributed Money to the Republican National Committee

Pentagon contractor that has been entrusted with handling the unsealed absentee ballots of military and civilian voters overseas was sued two years ago by a Tennessee business that accused it of fabricating information and other fraudulent behavior involving an overdue bill, according to federal court records. The Federal Voting Assistance Program contracted with the company, Omega Technologies Inc., this year to process overseas ballots. Omega is to receive the ballots by fax at its offices in Alexandria, Va., and then forward them to local elections offices, program officials say. The Pentagon has been directing a voter assistance program since 1988. The mission is to foster participation and to protect the integrity of the vote for an estimated six million military and civilian voters. Omega has been a part of the program since 1999, when it began sending blank ballots overseas. Ms. Brunelli said Omega had performed well. The President of Omega gave $6,600 to the National Republican Congressional Committee last year, according to federal election records. She said in the interview on Monday that the donations had no effect on her company's work. [more ]