Wire Services
State law-enforcement officials have moved from a “review” phase into an “information gathering process” as they look into former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg helping Florida felons pay outstanding legal costs so they could register to vote.
“In a preliminary inquiry — where we are now — we start to obtain documents and conduct research,” Gretl Plessinger, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokeswoman, said in an email Thursday. “A case moves into a full investigation when a criminal predicate has been established — verified information that reasonably indicates a crime may have occurred. Currently no criminal predicate has been established.”
No timeline has been set for the investigation.
Attorney General Ashley Moody, acting upon a request from Gov. Ron DeSantis, asked for the investigation on Sept. 23 after Bloomberg raised at least $16 million for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.
Bloomberg has vowed to pump more than $100 million into Florida to assist Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential bid, and Moody contends the assistance to the coalition could be a violation of laws against offering incentives to people or groups in exchange for voting in a particular manner.
The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition has collected more than $20 million for a “Fines and Fees” fund established in response to a state law and a recent court ruling requiring felons to pay “legal financial obligations” — fees, fines, costs and restitution — to be eligible to vote. Democrats have labeled the investigation request political theater.
5 comments
Ocean Joe
October 8, 2020 at 8:02 pm
This is so stupid it could only happen in Florida.
The people passed the amendment.
The GOP legislature knee capped it with the fines requirement.
A wealthy ex-Republican has outsmarted them.
Those who will be entitled to vote will vote by secret ballot just as you and I.
Ashley Moody, we understand winning elections for Republicans comes first with you, but could you please stop embarrassing Florida in the process?
The only crime to be investigated is whether or not the attorney general has committed malfeasance by allowing this farce to continue. Using state office for personal gain should be investigated. Name a special prosecutor and investigate yourself for abusing your office.
James Robert Miles
October 9, 2020 at 6:57 am
This is just another example of the F’ing GOP wanting to have it both ways! Cry babies, the lot of them!! DUMP TRUMP 2020, Save America from incompetence!
Patti Lynn
October 9, 2020 at 8:44 am
Our tax dollars at work!!! We EARNED the name FloriDUH !!!!
Joe Fatala
October 9, 2020 at 6:20 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Look how desperate the Rght Wingnut Republicans are. What a bunch of LOSERS. VOTE THEM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Count Iblis
October 12, 2020 at 4:37 am
The GOP shot in their won feet by arguing that the fines are not just part of the sentence but that a failure to pay the fines and to be in debt, means that the sentence has not been completed. This means that rich felons e.g. millionaires who were convicted of tax evasion who are more likely to vote for Republican candidates, will be more likely to get their voting rights restored.
So, the GOP is responsible for bringing in this loophole into the system that can be exploited to win more votes for one or the other party. Bloomberg’s action is going to balance out the bias brought in by the GOP a bit. There is no violation of the law, because people can vote in any way they like. But the people who will end up getting their voting rights restored due to Bloomberg’s actions are more likely to vote for Democratic candidates.
Comments are closed.