Jacob Ogles
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants another $2.2 million for a controversial election police force. But there’s no guarantee the Legislature will provide the funding.
This week, DeSantis released his “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget and requested funding for 16 full-time positions in the Office of Election Crimes and Security.
The salaries for those positions make up more than $1.38 million in the Governor’s budget. DeSantis also wants about $411,000 for various contracted services, more than $224,000 for nonstaff expenses, and about $90,000 in other equipment and personnel costs.
That’s all pretty much the same as DeSantis requested a year ago for the current budget year, but it’s nearly $1 million more than lawmakers included in the 2023-’24 budget.
The Florida Legislature last approved about $1.4 million for the election crimes office. While that represented roughly a 20% increase in funding for the office from its inception the prior year, the Legislature approved fewer full-time positions and no equipment budget that DeSantis’ administration wanted.
It remains to be seen if the Legislature sees more value this year than it did in the past.
State Rep. Alex Andrade, chair of the House Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee, said he was “not sure yet” if the Legislature could meet the Governor’s request.
“They requested additional FTEs last year, and they weren’t in our budget. It’ll depend on a whole host of factors, but it’s certainly not guaranteed to be funded,” Andrade said.
The election force has also proven to be controversial.
Shortly after it was formed, the election police force arrested 20 individuals the administration claimed had registered and voted illegally in the 2020 election. Most of those individuals said they believed their right to vote had been restored after the passage of a 2018 constitutional amendment, and many had even been contacted by state or county officials and encouraged to register. Several ultimately had charges against them dropped.
The Legislature responded by giving the statewide prosecutor reporting to Attorney General Ashley Moody greater authority to prosecute individuals for election crimes.
20 comments
Impeach Biden
December 11, 2023 at 6:03 am
Have to keep an eye on those Demo ballot stuffers.
Michael K
December 11, 2023 at 8:17 am
Proof?
Julia
December 11, 2023 at 6:01 pm
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WhatNow
December 11, 2023 at 8:34 am
lol NOBODY’S gonna waste their time “pretend-guarding” polling stations down here anymore, having learned from prior experience.
PeterH
December 11, 2023 at 12:24 pm
As you are well aware THE ONLY VOTER FRAUD THAT OCCURRED IN THE 2020 ELECTION…… and of course not mentioned by DeSantis or any Republican……happened at THE VILLAGES…..A Republican enclave near Orlando.
Earl Pitts "The Ronald's Un-Official Campaign Manager" American
December 11, 2023 at 6:06 am
Good Morn ‘Ting America,
STAND BY FOR NEWS:
Transfer Ron’s “State of Florida” Election Police to the National level and you have yet another wise reason why All American Voters will be casting their votes for DeSantis
As America’s Go-To-Political-Guru I, Earl Pitts American, have many friends who are:
1.) American Patriots
2.) Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s
3.) Dook 4 Brains Rino’s
4.) Regular unaffiliated Dook 4 Brains
My wide range of friends with diametrically opposed opinions is why I have all of my incredably sage wisdom to appropriatly share with a gratefull Nation.
Anyway; one thing All Americans hate is Election Fraud. Therefore my Peeps we see no other politicion is going to address election fraud except Ron DeSantis.
AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS “THE REST OF THE STORY”:
Of why Ron will sweep the Nation in the Greatest Landslide “POTUS Win” since FOREVER!!!!!
This “Sage Wisdom” has been brought to a Nation thirsty for “Truth, Justice, and The American Way” by me, Earl Pitts American
*FREE BUMPER STICKER*
*****(Friends these bumper stickers make great holiday stocking stuffers!!!!)*****
*I’m VOTING DESANTIS WITH EARL PITTS AMERICAN*
*AND ANOTHER*
*EARL PITTS ANERICAN FAN ON BOARD*
Earl Pitts "The Ronald's Un-Official Campaign Manager" American
December 11, 2023 at 6:14 am
****Sorry America****
My proof-reader missed the above bumper sticker mis-print:
Correction:
*EARL PITTS AMERICAN FAN ON BOARD*
Thank you America,
EPA
WhatNow
December 11, 2023 at 8:47 am
“All American Voters will be casting their votes for DeSantis – LOL! Sorry, “Dook 4 Brains” The Pits, but you seem to have “forgotten” that DeSantis has effectively already lost the Republican primary so *nobody’s* gonna be voting for him for *anything* lol. Maybe place a bet on what (if anything) he’ll be doing in the private sector upon leaving the Guv’s office… or perhaps become a volunteer polling place “pretend-guard” himself?
rick whitaker
December 11, 2023 at 9:06 am
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL FRIENDLESS PITTS
waking up right
December 11, 2023 at 7:37 am
What ever happened to the notion of limited government and individual liberty? Florida doesn’t have a problem with electoral fraud and we don’t need any so-called election police. Rona wants to piss away $2 Million on this farce. At least he is asking the Legislature unlike his $1 Million pledge to challenge FSU’s omission from the college football bowls. DeSatan is a dangerous facist who has no business in government. He belongs at Gitmo.
Michael K
December 11, 2023 at 8:17 am
More voter intimidation from the aspiring leader of the New Confederacy. What has the intimidation force accomplished, exactly? And will they go after his wife who encouraged illegal caucusing in Iowa?
Here’s a better idea: How about spending money on a statewide database to let former felons who have served their time know how much, if any, they may owe, to register to vote. It would be a much better use of public funds since the legislature blocked the will of voters.
SteveHC
December 11, 2023 at 9:01 am
Yet another among the multitude of totally wasteful & entirely unnecessary yet very expensive “solutions still looking for their problems” that DeSantis has become infamous for. So far ZERO convictions from this insane club of clowns & we have no reason to expect otherwise in the future. Hopefully the legislature will finally stop wasting Floridians’ taxes on DeSantis-inspired nonsense; seems bizarre that not *all* of his political donors have pulled the plug on his ridiculous “presidential” run & asked for their money back yet; I guess some of them’recjust as nuts as *he* is. You’d think that by now he’d be embarrassed…
WGD
December 11, 2023 at 12:03 pm
The work performed by this force will mainly consist of recording and distributing videos of black people attempting to vote after having been told they eligible and ignoring the crimes of white Republicans who vote multiple times. NOT election security.
Elmo
December 11, 2023 at 12:26 pm
The entire force should stake out The Villages since that’s where the actual ballot fraud comes from.
Michael K
December 11, 2023 at 5:28 pm
Yep. Those Village People who voted for Trump. Twice.
ScienceBLVR
December 11, 2023 at 1:30 pm
2.2 million for made up crap? What can I say, just the shady shifty Republican way and…
Money, get back
I’m alright, Jack, keep your hands off of my stack
Money, it’s a hit
Ah, don’t give me that do-goody-good b@!!sh!t
Money, it’s a crime
Share it fairly, but don’t take a slice of my pie
Money, so they say
Is the root of all evil today
Dont Say FLA
December 11, 2023 at 5:15 pm
The definition of GOP small government is adding 16 full time government employees to hunt for the ghosts of GOP’s continuing losing. GOP justa buncha Heathers
Earl Pitts American
December 11, 2023 at 5:59 pm
Good evening America,
Just review the above comments, the Dook 4 Brains Leftys hate the idea, which is why we need the election police.
EPA
rick whitaker
December 11, 2023 at 6:10 pm
CAUTION ⚠ TROLL COMMENT BY EARL PITTS ( FAKE NAME )
PeterH
December 12, 2023 at 12:31 am
NEWS ALERT
Hannah Giles, the chief executive of MISERABLE Right Wing Project Veritas, said Monday she has stepped down from her role at the right-wing group “effective immediately,” after discovering evidence that the organization has engaged in “past illegalities.”
Comments are closed.