Florida Senate Passes Voting Bill to Create Election Gestapo

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/04/us/politics/florida-voting-election-crimes-force.html

No paywall
https://archive.ph/Om5QP


The Florida Senate passed a sweeping new bill overhauling the state’s electoral process, adding new restrictions to the state election code and establishing a law enforcement office dedicated solely to investigating election crimes.

The bill, which passed 24-14, now goes to the state’s House of Representatives, where it could pass as soon as next week and land on the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, who is expected to sign it. One Republican, State Senator Jeff Brandes, voted against it. A Democratic senator, Loranne Ausley, initially voted yes, but immediately posted on Twitter that she “pushed the wrong button” and has since changed her vote.

Though Republicans in the state had passed another sweeping voting law in May of last year, Mr. DeSantis made election reform one of the top priorities for this legislative session as well. Both efforts come after the 2020 election in Florida was without any major issues, and Republicans in the state touted it as a “gold standard” for election administration.

The legislation is poised to become the first major election-related bill to pass this year in a critical battleground state, and it would indicate no sign of cresting for the wave of new election laws, adding more restrictions to voting, that began last year — with 34 laws passed in 19 states.

*snip*



I'd like to propose an amendment to the name: Florida creates their very own Gestapo. The DOJ can't ignore this. Other states will be copying this travesty.

[Karadeniz]

1. I hope the DOJ expedites a response.

[Silent3]

7. I don't think our DoJ has a clue what the word "expedite" means

It would take the DoJ six months to decide to hold a meeting to set the agenda for another meeting to plan the investigation of Florida's voting laws, the findings of which, at least a year later, would then, maybe, you know, if they still felt like pursuing the matter, be used to start developing a case for prosecution.

[DURHAM D]

2. In 2000 I had this dream that Florida would break off

and float into the Atlantic and breakup. It is my wish again.

[Nevilledog]

3. Click your heels together harder.

[DemocraticPatriot]

10. Your dream will eventually come true, after a fashion...

With oceans rising due to global warming, and most of the population of Florida situated on the coasts (as I have read), I suspect Florida will be much smaller in another 100 years, and eventually disappear altogether. (same effect as "breaking off" )

[mitch96]

12. Can you wait till I leave first? tnx 😏...nt

[Beartracks]

4. Why do Republicans fear democracy?

========

[Nevilledog]

5. Because if we're allowed to vote, they lose.

[dchill]

6. It's just that simple.

[mitch96]

13. +1...... the only way they know how to win is CHEAT!!......NT

[turbinetree]

8. And this is the same state that did this.....

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2020/10/07/florida-ruled-felons-must-pay-to-vote-now-it-doesnt-know-how-many-can/

but then again two senators think that a filibuster is more important.....and now look what is happening....

[DemocraticPatriot]

9. That Florida election crimes office had better get busy! The facts show that

there is plenty of Republican voting fraud to be investigated! Every single case of voters casting multiple ballots in 2020 that has been publicized, has been a case of Republicans casting additional ballots on behalf of their dead relatives... (naturally, it has been the Republicans committing the actual crime that they accuse the Democrats of committing...)

... and then there are those who may have cast ballots in multiple states, with dual residences. Obviously, this is much more likely to be committed by rich Republicans of means, than by the majority of Democrats.

Maybe the 'dead Republican vote' discovered thus far is only 'the tip of the iceberg'....



This reminds me a little of the Arizona "election audit"-- in that it could result in unintended consequences...
(after we did our own counting, guess what? we found more votes for Biden than the official count? well, guess what... we found a whole lot more Republicans committing vote fraud....)

[Chainfire]

11. The reason for the election security peace is a justification

It to prevent the certification of an election that doesn't go the Republican's way. If necessary, they will invent fraud and delay until they find the results that they were looking for. DeSantis is running for President. At least he can be confident that, regardless of the vote, he will win the third largest state.

DeSantis is a symptom of where we are headed. He is a power-hungry thug, a man without a moral compass. To DeSantis, money and power are the only true gods. To his kind, the working class people are just losers to be exploited. It is contrary the goals of the rich if the subjects rule. That is why Republicans hate the very idea of Democracy. That is why they keep chipping away at free elections.

We can not stand by, following the rules when the rules are meant to subjugate us. I believe that there is going to come a day where we have to put our bodies where our hearts are.

[crickets]

14. K&R for visibility.