The first arrests from DeSantis's election police take extensive toll

[Zorro]

The fallout came fast when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s new election police unit charged Peter Washington with voter fraud last summer as part of a crackdown against felons who’d allegedly broken the law by casting a ballot.

The Orlando resident lost his job supervising irrigation projects, and along with it, his family’s health insurance. His wife dropped her virtual classes at Florida International University to help pay their rent. Future plans went out the window.

“It knocked me to my knees, if you want to know the truth,” he said.

But not long after, the case against Washington began falling apart. A Ninth Judicial Circuit judge ruled the statewide prosecutor who filed the charges didn’t actually have jurisdiction to do so. Washington’s attorney noted that he had received an official voter identification card in the mail after registering. The case was dismissed in February.

https://wapo.st/40PQHVL

[Attilatheblond]

1. Thinking DeSantis doesn't care about what comes after the original headlines

He is counting on people not reading whole articles or any follow up information. He's just in it for the knee jerks he thinks will get him votes.

[flying_wahini]

2. Plus the fact that most Republicans forget anything more than a week ago.

Not too deep.

[JHB]

8. ...which by now should be a very familiar part of the Republican/con media landscape

FOX has done it for decades (see: putting a "D" in front of the names of R's who are under investigation or arrested for something).

[Chainfire]

10. You hit that nail on the head. He sees his path to fame and glory as becoming a bigger Fascist

than anyone else in the Republican Party. He doesn't give a damn who or how many people he hurts in the race to the White House.
DeSantis is evil!

[JanLip]

3. Can Mr. Washington

Sue old white boots for pain and suffering?

[Mad_Machine76]

4. If Disney can sue.....

Theoretically anybody could, right?

[JanLip]

6. I sure hope so

This poor family should be able to get compensation. DeSantis is pure evil

[NullTuples]

26. Anyone can sue...with enough money. But these are DeSantis' judges, too...

[CatWoman]

5. I truly hope he does

[Baitball Blogger]

7. This is what it looks like when you lead by prejudice.

It's like De Santis and his supporters are trying to jump over sixty years of Civil Rights laws.

He's not a smart man when it comes to legal blowback.

[sarge43]

21. Bigotry always comes with a price.

It often takes too long for the bill to come due, but it always does.

[JHB]

9. Congratulations, Florida taxpayers. YOU are the ones that will be stuck with the bill

Have fun paying the lawsuits you lost off.

[Botany]

11. I hope those arrested sue the hell out of DeSantis and the police officers that arrested them

n/t

[Hope22]

12. We knew the fallout would be devastating.

These people are the first but it won’t stop here! My heart goes out to this family!

[DENVERPOPS]

13. Hey Floridians,

Hitler’s re-incarnation, Florida’s Infamous Governor DeSantis has released his personal Goon Squad Police Force Gestapo on Florida………

You asked for it, You got it, DeSantis……….Great to know that Floridans is safe, While DeSantis is away, taking junkets all around the world, instead of being in Florida taking care of their state and ACTUAL Florida problems…….

Soon, each and every Republican Governor is gonna want one of their very own, personal, Goon Squad Police Force Gestapo for their state………..

[CaptainTruth]

31. I didn't ask for it.

I didn't vote for any of this crap, but I am going to stay here & fight it.

[DENVERPOPS]

32. Good on you CT !!!!!!!!!!! NC

[sakabatou]

14. Remember, cruelty is a feature of the GOP

[calimary]

15. I just saw a tease for an upcoming story about that monster seaweed floater moving toward Florida

that’s stinky, slimy, and Heaven knows what is living and crawling and slithering around (AND multiplying) in it. And it ain’t no Disney World, Ronnie-baby.

And best yet, it’s ALL YOURS!!! With lotsa love from Mother Nature!!!

I don’t feel bad for you OR, frankly, for anybody fool enough to vote for you. I feel bad for everybody who didn’t, but are still stuck with you anyway.

[halfulglas]

16. So instead of having an upwardly mobile, taxpaying family looking to the future,

Now they have a family scraping to make their house or rent payments, juggling what bills to pay. Way to go, governor. In the meantime, where are those charges against MAGATs who voted multiple times?

[Sky Jewels]

17. Fuck all Florida Fascists

[dlk]

18. Can he sue for malicious prosecution?

If DeSantis & co. have to start paying large settlements/judgments, they may let up their assaults on democracy some.

[dlk]

19. Can he sue for malicious prosecution?

If DeSantis & co. have to start paying large settlements/judgments, they may let up their assaults on democracy at least some.

[Cha]

20. Damn Stupidd eSadist.

[NoMoreRepugs]

22. I'm hoping this family approaches Morgan & Morgan - largest law firm in the state

and a Democrat supporter and sues the shit out of gogoboots DuhhhSantis.

[ZonkerHarris]

23. with what money? Guy lost his job

[Deuxcents]

27. They will take your case..if they feel it has merit

And get paid when they win. I should think this has merit and I hope they take it. I understand that Morgan n Morgan founder is a Democrat and supporter. I’d like to follow this family’s case

[rickford66]

24. What happened to the Trumpers in The Villages who voted twice ?

[Deuxcents]

28. Good question seeing as there were at least 4 of them

[rickford66]

29. They were old white guys so maybe the laws didn't apply.

[Martin68]

25. Excellent article in the Post. Most of the article explained how the program has ben a complete

failure. Churches (Catholic and evangelical) and the business community (notoriously conservative) pressured the Republican majority to significantly water down the anti-immigration legislation yo the point where it was largely meaningless. Why? Because the church supports Christian immigrants, and Florida businesses need employees. One provision in Santo's law would have proved very inconvenient and expensive for businesses who need cheap hard-working labor.

[SMoss]

30. Hit FL where it hurts

For many years we spent the Winter in FL. I estimate that we spent about $30,000 in 2020. We are never going back and we tell our friends.