Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican in Florida, declared on Thursday that 20 felons who voted in the 2020 election will be detained and charged with violating the state’s voting rights rules.
The action was regarded as the “first volley” for the Office of Election Crimes and Security, which was established by DeSantis and authorized by the Florida legislature. Some are concerned that the office may deter minorities and other populations from voting. On July 1, the office commenced operations.
DeSantis stated that all twenty individuals detained were convicted of murder or sexual assault and were primarily from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. He said that they were not among those whose voting rights were restored by “Amendment 4,” a 2018 ballot initiative that restores voting rights to convicts in the state, excluding those convicted of rape or murder.
“They were not subjected to any procedure. However, despite not having their privileges restored, they voted regardless. This is illegal, and the perpetrators will now pay the price “DeSantis stated on Thursday during a news conference. These individuals are beyond the scope of Amendment 4 and are being pursued.
Up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine are potential penalties.
In addition, DeSantis stated that the Office of Election Crimes and Security will examine illegal voters in 2020. In 2020, little less than 11 million Floridians voted.
DeSantis stated, “This is only the beginning.” “There will be international travelers. We want the federal government to cooperate constructively on this matter, but this has not occurred thus far. We are obligated to ensure that all eligible U.S. citizens vote.”
Cecile Scoon, president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Florida, stated that there are still unanswered issues regarding the election crimes office, including how law enforcement would be deployed and if their presence will be noticed at the polling places.
“It poses a hazard to human beings. They believe these officers will be employed in what manner? Will they be standing over the shoulders of the people?” She said,
Scoon noted that he was afraid that, following the recent firing of State Attorney Andrew Warren by DeSantis, election supervisors and officials might be next.
“I saw this as a warning sign. Because he had removed one individual from office, there was apprehension over the subsequent steps. What is the matter?” Scoon said.
The news of the arrests comes at a time when many Republicans continue to think that significant fraud occurred in the 2020 election, a notion that was propagated by former President Donald Trump. According to the Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project, according to a July CBS News survey, 69% of Republicans believe substantial voting fraud occurred in the 2020 election, despite the rejection of almost 70 legal challenges.
Secretary of State of Florida Cord Byrd stated, “We must have elected officials that guarantee free and fair elections and assure the public and residents that they may have faith in the electoral process.” “I am confident that this will alleviate concerns that, behind the scenes, state officials are disregarding infractions of the law. The opposite is true.”
At least nine of the twenty-four Republican hopefuls for secretary of state, typically the state’s senior election official, have expressed concerns about the legality of the 2020 elections, according to a CBS News investigation.
DeSantis has frequently asserted that the 2020 elections in Florida were quite secure, and he has lauded the state’s swift ballot count in comparison to other battleground states where the process took far longer.
However, he has shared the platform with candidates who feel the election was stolen, like Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.
“DeSantis, a possible presidential contender in 2024, is up for reelection this autumn. Tuesday, August 23, is the date for the primaries in Florida, although he is unchallenged.”