Police cameras show confusion, anger over DeSantis’ voter fraud arrests
The never-before-seen footage, obtained by the Times/Herald through public records requests, offers a personal glimpse of the effects of DeSantis’ efforts to root out perceived voter fraud.
“They’re going to pay the price,” DeSantis said during the news conference announcing the arrests.
Of the 19 people arrested, 12 were registered as Democrats and at least 13 are Black, the Times/Herald found.
They are accused of violating a state law that doesn’t allow people convicted of murder or felony sex offenses to automatically be able to vote after they complete their sentence. A 2018 state constitutional amendment that restored the right to vote to many felons excluded this group.
But, as the videos further support, the amendment and subsequent actions by state lawmakers caused mass confusion about who was eligible, and the state’s voter registration forms offer no clarity. They only require a potential voter to swear, under penalty of perjury, that they’re not a felon, or if they are, that their rights have been restored. The forms do not clarify that those with murder convictions don’t get automatic restoration of their rights.
Oliver’s lawyer, Tampa attorney Mark Rankin, said he thinks DeSantis’ election security force chose these 20 in particular because the public would not have sympathy for people who were convicted of murder or sexual offenses. During a news conference announcing the arrests, DeSantis noted their criminal records.
According to the U.S. Constitution when a person has finished their sentence/parole/probation they are supposed to have all rights restored it does not specify what type of felony and last time I checked US Federal Constitution always trumps a state’s Constitution
KO57, where does the US Constitution state “when a person has finished their sentence/parole/probation they are supposed to have all rights restored”?
Nothing in the Constitution says any such thing.
Penitentiaries didn’t even exist when the Constitution was written, let alone probation and parole.
Exactly.
So, I have to ask; if my rights to vote were never removed by the ” State of conviction” and I never signed any paperwork, nor for that matter, I was never informed that my right to vote was removed when I transferred to Florida for two years of supervised Parole. And I have voted every time there was any kind of election, even when I was on Parole. Do I continue to vote, or get a lawyer to protect my due process rights???
Not a lawyer, but this does not seem to be a specific intent law.
So wrong. Let’s hand cuff people for voting. If you fill out an application and your own government does not process your application well enough to tell you are not eligible, what does that tell you about our governments ability to handle much of anything with accuracy and honesty. But we all know the answer. They can’t and they don’t care.
All I will say as I often do is pay attention to the political party that understands our injustice system and the unjust registry. It is not a D nor an R.
Perfect! He has brought to the forefront the very issue that needs to be tackled and done away with while being shown how poorly it is being administered. A good FLA lawyer should be able to shred this issue in court and in the press while getting these folks the ability to vote back in front of everyone to reconsider. Politicizing this could backfire and hopefully does.
Not only this, but expect to pay a higher car insurance premium if your on the registry, and in some cases, turned downed all together. I have first-hand information that Progressive insurance pulls records from the DMV and gives you a higher rate if you are on the registry. Thanks
What is this first-hand information?
That would not be surprising since they also check credit scores and ratings in determining rates.
Is this even legal?
Out of curiosity, I looked at the statues, and it’s kinda ambiguous, but it sounds to me like a sex offender (or murderer) can lawfully REGISTER to vote, just not actually vote.
But then, the supervisor of elections is supposed to make sure the person is eligible to vote including checking to see if they are a registered sex offender, and then notify the person if they are not. So in the above cases, did the supervisor determine they were ineligible and attempt to notify them?
Can’t think of any good reason to register to vote if you aren’t eligible to actually vote, and can think of a good reason not to– you will get places onto all the political spam mailing lists! So look at the bright side! You’re not getting inundated with political solicitations!