Police physique digicam footage launched by a Florida newspaper Tuesday reveals how the arrests of a number of residents for alleged voter fraud two months in the past touched off scenes of bafflement on all sides.
On Aug. 18, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) held a press convention to announce the arrests of 20 individuals — a political stunt aimed toward grossly exaggerating the influence of voter fraud on U.S. elections.
DeSantis stated on the time that the arrests had been “simply step one” to a crackdown on supposedly widespread voter fraud, a problem that has turn into former President Donald Trump’s rallying cry since he misplaced his 2020 reelection bid. The governor, a staunch Trump ally, is seen to be jockeying for the Republican Occasion’s subsequent presidential nomination.
However DeSantis’ dealing with of election regulation within the state of Florida has additionally earned him vital criticism — additional fueled by the brand new physique digicam footage.
This week, the Tampa Bay Occasions revealed video of regulation enforcement approaching a number of the 20 residents to be put beneath arrest, together with Tony Patterson, Romona Oliver and Nathan Hart. The group included convicted murderers and intercourse offenders, who — in contrast to different felons within the state — are expressly forbidden from reclaiming their voting rights after serving their sentences.
The officers seem “nearly apologetic” as they perform their duties, the paper stated.
“Apparently, I suppose you've got a warrant?” one officer says to Patterson within the video as he's arrested exterior his residence.
“For what?” Patterson asks. Officers reply that it pertains to “voter stuff.”
“So, sadly, proper now we’re going to need to take you to jail,” one tells him.
Patterson complies however voices his complaints, saying at one level, “Why would you all let me vote if I wasn’t capable of vote?”
Requested why authorities had been simply arresting him at that second — two years after the alleged fraud — one officer replies, “I don't know, man.”
Footage from inside a cop automobile reveals one of many officers saying, “I’ve by no means seen these expenses earlier than in my complete life.”
Related scenes performed out with Oliver and Hart. When Hart provides a purpose for why he believed he might vote legally, an officer even tells him that he made a compelling argument.
Based on the Tampa Bay Occasions, the group arrested in August consisted of 12 registered Democrats and at the least 13 Black individuals.
“They’re going to pay the value,” DeSantis stated at his August press convention.
Voter fraud carries a possible sentence of 5 years behind bars and a $5,000 tremendous. But two residents of The Villages — a Trump-loving retirement haven in central Florida — notably didn't see any jail time after they pleaded responsible to such expenses earlier this 12 months. As an alternative, the lads had been instructed to finish 50 hours of neighborhood service, meet usually with a supervising officer and agree to not drink to extra.
Extra just lately, after Hurricane Ian hit Florida final month, DeSantis was accused of utilizing the pure catastrophe as a possibility to disenfranchise Democratic voters in his state.
The governor agreed final week to make it simpler for Floridians to vote in November’s midterm election, as infrastructure in some locations stays devastated. However an government order he signed solely grants lodging for voters in Republican-leaning counties, even supposing Democratic-leaning Orange County was additionally hit onerous by the storm and noticed huge flooding.
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