Governor Ron DeSantis Says Florida Election Cops Charged 20 People With Voter Fraud

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said his new election police force charged 20 people with voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

DeSantis, a Republican who drew applause from supporters at a press conference on Thursday, said his election cops identified people barred from voting because of murder or sexual assault convictions but voted anyway in 2020 .

“They didn’t go through any process. They did not get their rights back and yet they went ahead and voted anyway. It’s against the law and now they’re going to pay the price,” DeSantis said. “These people we are tracking – are outside the contours of Amendment 4.”

Murder and sexual assault are an exception to Florida’s Amendment 4, which allows felons to reclaim their right to vote, according to CBS News.

DeSantis said the majority of those charged voted in Broward, Miami-Dade or Palm Beach counties. He did not provide details on individual cases.

Voter fraud is a third-degree felony, DeSantis said, and those charged face maximum penalties of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

The state launched the country’s first Bureau of Election Crimes and Security in early July, drawing condemnation from critics who called it a “voter intimidation” tactic. More than 11 million Florida residents voted in the 2020 election. There is no evidence that voter fraud is a widespread problem there or anywhere else in the United States.

DeSantis said more prosecutions are forthcoming, with investigators focusing on people who voted in two separate jurisdictions and undocumented immigrants.

“It’s just the first step,” DeSantis said. “There are going to be foreign nationals. We want the federal government to work constructively on this file, and so far that has not been the case. We have an obligation to ensure that American citizens vote.

The Republican’s politically ambitious agenda suffered a setback on Thursday when a judge ruled his “Stop WOKE” law – which restricts discussions around race in businesses and schools – was unconstitutional, according to The Associated Press.

Earlier this week, Hillsborough County State’s Attorney Andrew Warren sued the governor, alleging he was removed from office in retaliation for his stance on abortion and transgender rights, a AP reported.

DeSantis has been touted as a likely 2024 presidential candidate. He is up for re-election in the Florida gubernatorial race in November.