By Kenric Ward | Watchdog.org Virginia Bureau

HE SAID IT: Moran talks with an undercover reporter about the best ways to commit voter fraud, and now the police are involved.

ARLINGTON — Arlington County police have launched a criminal investigation into the activities of Patrick Moran, son of U.S. Rep. James Moran, D-Va.

Patrick Moran, 24, was caught on video appearing to assist an undercover reporter commit voter fraud. Watchdog.org reported the incident Wednesday.

Hours later, Patrick announced that he was resigning as field director from his father’s re-election campaign effective immediately.

On Thursday, the Arlington County Police Department released this statement:

“The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the Arlington County Police Department have been made aware of a video released yesterday allegedly depicting Patrick Moran, former Director of Field Operations for the Jim Moran for Congress campaign organization, assisting another to vote illegally.

“The Arlington County Police Department has initiated a criminal investigation of this matter.”

Moran, an 11-term congressman, is facing Republican challenger Patrick Murray in a rematch of the 2010 campaign. Murray’s camp applauded the police department’s announcement.

“We’re glad to see that local law enforcement is taking Patrick Murray’s advice to launch a criminal investigation into this matter,” said David O’Connell, Murray’s campaign manager.

“Voter disenfranchisement — and voting for people who are not eligible — is contrary to everything our system is about. It’s important that people in the 8th District and the commonwealth in general are confident that the system works.”

Patrick’s sister, Mary Elise, is Moran’s campaign manager and Moran’s brother, Brian, chairs the Virginia Democratic Party.

The undercover reporter who approached Patrick Moran was on assignment for Project Veritas, the James O’Keefe-led organization whose other undercover videos include a series that led to the collapse of ACORN, a prominent liberal community organization, and more recently one that led to the firing of an Obama campaign worker engaged in what appeared to be a voter-fraud effort in Houston.

Video and a transcript reviewed by Watchdog.org reveal that Moran, who works in an office shared with other Democratic campaigns including the president’s re-election organization, tried several times to persuade the undercover reporter to abandon the conspiracy as too difficult and even dangerous, before offering to help in the effort.

Contact Ken Ward at kenric@watchdogvirginia.org or (571) 319-9824.