2 years ago
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A perplexed antheral extracurricular his Tampa location asked constabulary wherefore they would apprehension him for voting aft the authorities allowed him to vote.
A pistillate sitting wrong a patrol car told officers she had been advised she could legally formed her ballot aft completing her sentence.
A handcuffed antheral told constabulary helium had been instructed to capable retired a elector registration signifier aft helium completed his probation.
They are among 20 radical arrested Aug. 18 successful Florida implicit alleged elector fraud successful the 2020 election, caller constabulary body-cam footage released to the Tampa Bay Times shows. At a quality league aboriginal that day, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) praised the Florida Office of Election Crimes and Security, the elections police unit helium created due to the fact that of baseless claims of wide predetermination fraud, for arresting those helium claimed had illegally registered oregon marked their ballots. All of them, helium vowed, would “pay the price.”
As The Washington Post antecedently reported, those arrested — astir of whom are Black — are each accused of violating a authorities instrumentality prohibiting those convicted of execution oregon felony intersexual offenses from voting aft completing their sentences. The arrests, The Post reported, raised questions astir whether DeSantis and his predetermination constabulary portion were weaponizing their caller powers to summation governmental advantage.
In the videos obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, those arrested look puzzled erstwhile section and authorities constabulary showed up astatine their houses to fulfill the warrants. Authorities, too, astatine times showed disorder erstwhile answering the questions of those taken into custody, footage shows.
A spokesperson with the governor’s bureau did not instantly respond to a connection from The Post seeking remark pursuing the merchandise of the videos.
All of them were charged with elector fraud, a third-degree felony successful the state, and look up to a $5,000 good and up to 5 years successful prison. Several of those charged told The Post earlier this twelvemonth that predetermination officials and elector registration groups led them to judge that they were eligible to ballot aft the state’s 2018 amendment to reconstruct felons’ voting rights. Some of their attorneys said Florida seemed to people their clients for honestly misunderstanding the law.
In 1 of the videos obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, a frustrated antheral placed successful handcuffs extracurricular his location complained astir those tasked with determining who tin ballot successful the state.
“What is incorrect with this state, man?" the antheral said. “Voter fraud? Y’all said anybody with a felony could vote, man.”
Tim Craig and Lori Rozsa contributed to this report.
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