I-Team: Candidate accused of submitting forged signatures

BARRINGTON, R.I. -- A Newport man is under investigation for alleged forgery on campaign papers.

Vernon Craig said he was a "poor people's" candidate and that he was going to run as a Democrat in a primary against U.S. Sen. Jack Reed.

But when Craig submitted more than 1,000 signatures for his nomination papers that he gathered in Barrington to the town's Board of Canvassers, something peculiar caught the chairwoman's eye.

"We found that all the signatures appeared to be the same. We had certain individuals come in and clarify if it was their signature, and they said that it wasn't," said Claire Boyes, chairwoman of the Board of Canvassers.

Boyes called Barrington police and filled out a witness statement.

The I-Team found Craig at his Newport home and asked if he forged anyone's name on the campaign papers.

"No, not at all, but I signed it. I mistakenly signed it," Craig said.

Craig claimed he's being treated for personal issues. Barrington police said they are aware of that, but they said they will investigate the forgery allegations.

Police said Craig has faced other, unrelated charges in the past.

Boyes said it looks like Craig got a hold of the town's voting list and allegedly forged more than 1,000 names from it. Among the most notable: the Barrington police chief and the wife of NBC 10 political reporter Bill Rappleye.