TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The state’s new Office of Election Crimes and Security, which recently arrested 20 individuals for voter fraud, is facing pushback from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.
The commissioner is urging Florida’s inspector general to investigate what led up to the arrests of 20 ineligible voters that ended up on the voter rolls in 2020.
“I respectfully request that your office immediately investigate both the process that allowed these ineligible voters to have their applications approved by the state as well as the disturbing decision by the Florida Office of Election Crimes and Security to persecute these individuals for what appears to have been nothing more than a publicity stunt,” Fried said.
The convicted felons were able to vote despite being disqualified due to previous convictions of either murder or sexual assault.
“I immediately said this was a PR stunt before even knowing the story,” Fried said. “We knew he was trying to show his force with his new election police.”
News Channel 8 reached out to the Florida Office of Election Crimes and Security regarding the allegation, but we have not yet heard back.
“If we hear of a potential felon on the voter rolls within 90 days of election it’s almost impossible to get them off,” said Mark Earley, president of the state association of supervisors of elections. “If they’re on the rolls and those get counted.”
“Supervisors would like the Department of Elections to be better resourced so they can get their job done so we can get our job done then felons won’t be voting,” Earley added.
DeSantis has claimed the office of election crimes will be making more arrests in the coming months.
