Florida Voter Purge Will Continue, Defying Federal Warning

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

Florida Voter Purge Will Continue, Defying Federal Warning
Posted: 06/02/2012 9:23 am Updated: 06/02/2012 9:54 am

Florida will defy a federal warning to stop purging people the state suspects aren't U.S. citizens from voter registration rolls.

Despite a Justice Department letter, objections from county elections officials and evidence that a disproportionate number are voters of color, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner's office planned to continue scrubbing the election rolls, a spokesman said Friday. Gov. Rick Scott (R) ordered the search for potentially ineligible voters.

“We have an obligation to make sure the voter rolls are accurate and we are going to continue forward and do everything that we can legally do to make sure than ineligible voters cannot vote,” said Chris Cate, a spokesman for Detzner. “We are firmly committed to doing the right thing and preventing ineligible voters from being able to cast a ballot. We are not going to give up our efforts to make sure the voter rolls are accurate."

Justice Department officials declined to comment on Florida’s plans.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/02/florida-voter-purge-federal-warning_n_1564131.html

[1monster]

1. Note to self: Call County elections supervisor to storngly urge them to stop if

they are continuing the purge...

[FarPoint]

3. Looks like the damage is done...

Repair or correcting the purge appears futile....just too late now. I sense they, the Florida GOP already calculated a response from the Feds....were willing to take the hit for the greater good of the party goals.

[Vincardog]

40. The "hit" they are willing to take is against the Democratic party for "supporting

illegal voters". Write it down, it will happen.

[LiberalFighter]

96. Repairing the damage is not too late.

The State Democratic Party should be able to compile a list of those purged and attempt to have them register again.

[mitchtv]

2. I'm stunned

they're calling Holder's bluff.

[FarPoint]

4. What exactly was Holders threat?

I've been really busy with work and a daughters wedding plans. The short version will be fine.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. He told them if they didn't stop purging the voter roles

he'd bust a bunch of Medical Marijuana patients in California. They were not phased by this threat.

[mitchtv]

8. that's about the extent

a faint plea, strongly worded.But, it sure looked like he might do something about it

,

[HooptieWagon]

28. +1

[awoke_in_2003]

34. ...

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

46. .

Sad but funny.

[ArcticFox]

65. Yeah, God forbid the Justice Dept. actually pursue justice

[Woody Woodpecker]

5. What are the legal options? Can Scott be placed under arrest for violating the voting laws

like NOW?

He is no longer fit to govern Florida, and hasn't since Voldemort was elected.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

23. Maybe Holder can send another strongly worded letter. This time say, "I really mean it."

[Kablooie]

85. He might if he loses years of legal battles. Before that, no.

[24601]

90. Their option is to try to get a federal court order. Absent that, there is no effective

enforcement mechanism.

It's as when the Executive Branch and Congress disagree on the meaning of a law. Until the courts breaks the tie, both views are of equal weight and validity.

[Joe Bacon]

95. This is a clear violation of the 15th Amendment

What Scott is doing is clearly in violation of the 15th Amendment.

Holder should be in court first thing Monday Morning to get an injunction to stop that crook.

[and-justice-for-all]

7. The state needs to be sued...

and Rick Scott needs investigated and his job purged.

[malthaussen]

9. I think this is what we call a Constitutional Crisis

Last edited Sat Jun 2, 2012, 02:13 PM - Edit history (1)

I wonder if the defenders of the Constitution will do their jobs?

-- Mal

[TrollBuster9090]

20. "I wonder if the defenders of the Constitution will do their jobs?"

If you're referring to the Tea Party nutcases, and most of the current GOP base, then YES. However, they're only interested in defending the original, un-amended Constitution that only counts three fifths of the African American population, and gives them (along with women) no political power whatsoever.

[awoke_in_2003]

35. We have had a constitutional crisis...

Ever since the day the patriot act was passed (and renewed). Neither party did anything about that, beyond lip service. Neither party will do anything this.

[GeorgeGist]

41. The constitution has been broken

at least since SCOTUS elected Shrub.

[Vincardog]

42. NO; We have had a constitutional crisis...

Ever since the SCOTUS illegally appointed DimSon AKA bUSH the dumber.
And neither party stood up to the illegal Unconstitutional act.

[awoke_in_2003]

45. I can agree with that...

But, that being said, the act got extended because the democrats, including a constitional scholar, allowed it to be.

[malthaussen]

60. The Constitutional Scholar

Made a special effort to extend it, and caused a mini-uproar by using unconventional means to extend it (remote signing, remember?), and said the Act was "Vitally important to National Security." Or something like that.

Prior to that, I was willing to cut Mr Obama some slack: recalcitrant Congress, Blue-Dog Dems, need to trade-off for important bills... the usual apologia. But he extended the Patriot Act of his own, free, unfettered will. Nobody was holding unemployment compensation hostage, or anything like that. At that point, I said "Okay, there really is nothing new here."

It's kind of ironic that we are finally moving towards acknowleding the human rights of LGBT persons, at the same time when we are undermining the value of those rights to an unprecedented degree. ("Unprecedented" for US history, of course)

-- Mal

[pscot]

98. I actually believed having a "constitutional scholar" in the Whitehouse

might be a good thing. My mistake.

[malthaussen]

99. It's the old definition of "lawyer," pscot

"A lawyer is a man skilled in circumventing the law."

-- Mal

[pscot]

101. So a constitutional scholar is one skilled

in circumventing the Constitution? I think the President needs to explain hiimself. I have no idea what his core beliefs are, and I hear others saying the same.

[Vincardog]

61. I agree. The Political class is complicit in the take over of our country

[Autumn]

52. Nah, we don't have those anymore.

They just do this for shits and giggles plus they know no ones going to do anything about it. As for defenders of the Constitution? Who's going to bother defending a "goddamn piece of paper" that the biggest part of these elected politicians have used to wipe their ass with ?

[Vidar]

10. Eisenhower would have sent in the 82nd Airborne, but Obama

has all our troops and National Guard wandering around foreign deserts and mountain ranges.

[Demit]

11. "Justice Department officials declined to comment." Isn't that just great.

Eric Holder is contemptible. And Obama? For not cleaning house at Justice when he got in? I don't know what to say about that.

[quaker bill]

55. You usually decline to comment

when the politics stop and the legal action begins.

[jaysunb]

63. +1

I know the Justice Dept. isn't going to stand down for these racists..I just love the way some progressives don't understand how the real world works. The warning was issued, defiance has been shown, now comes the payoff. Criminals must be permitted to commit the crime before you prosecute.
The RICO laws may just be waiting to enter stage left for all the states that have conspired to suppress voting rights.

[Demit]

88. Not all progressives are lawyers.

And I don't 'know' the Justice Dept. the way that you apparently do.

[former9thward]

93. "Criminals must be permitted to commit the crime before you prosecute."

I don't know where you got that concept but it was not from a legal book. When Gov. Blago in Illinois was arrested it was because U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald said Blago was "about to commit crimes" concerning the open Senate seat.

[Demit]

87. I did not know that. Thanks.

[Stuart G]

13. After you link , look further down the article.. for some good news...

Dade Miami County stopped purging voters: (9th and 10 paragraphs below letter)

Miami-Dade County election officials issued 1,570 warning letters, said Christina White, the county chief deputy supervisor of elections. Of these, 13 people responded indicating they are not citizens and have been removed from the voter rolls. One of the voters cast one ballot in 1996. Another voted once in 2000 and again in 2004. Their names will be forwarded to the state’s attorney’s office for possible prosecution as required by law, White said.

However, Miami-Dade County said it will not purge other voters from the rolls because of the large number of citizens included on the state’s suspect voter list. Nearly 450 voters who received warning letters provided proof of citizenship and another 35 have made plans to do so. About 1,000 voters have not responded, White said.

[graham4anything]

14. For all those that believe Gore and Bush were the same in 2000(and Kerry/Bush)

this is the fault of EVERY SINGLE PERSON who voted 3rd party in any state for either Ross Perot or Ralph Nader or Ron Paul and did not vote for either the democrat, or those on the other side that would caucus/ vote with the democrats

it's very easy and it's their fault. (also those who sat on their hands and stayed home in 2010)

and vote for Charlie Crist AS A DEMOCRAT against Scott for Gov.

these extremist rightwingers only have 25% of the vote, but when people don't vote, that is enough to slide in as those who won in 2010 did.
For every one person they purge, find two others who are voters and make sure they get
to the polls

[HooptieWagon]

21. Crist did NOT run against Scott as a Democrat!

He was running as an Ind for US Senate against Rubio. Where the hell did you get your misinformation?

[graham4anything]

36. yoiu obviously did not read correctly

If you read what I said, it says NEXT ELECTION for Gov. against Scott, with Charlie as a democrat. Nobody was talking about the past, but the future. (only republicans look to the past, we need to look to the future).

btw- Meeks was a fringe nobody who could NOT win. The Dems didn't bother getting a real candidate, assuming(wrongly) that Charlie would have an easy time being that he was so popular (except that alot of his popularity was from democrats who couldn't vote in the primary.

then Meeks and Crist enabled Rubio to win (Rubio being Jeb's puppet anyhow).

Crist is the one and only at the time republican to slap down the Bush family and did so twice. He is not perfect, but then well, he is more admirable than say John Edwards ever was.

The day John Edwards was forced on Kerry, btw, was the day John Kerry knew he would not be seated. Edwards was the kiss of death.

BTW- Edwards getting one jurist to possibly mistrial his case, shows Edwards as a 1% clearly
meaning money will never be able to be controlled. Thank Edwards singlehandedly for doing this.

BTW- I was out in the streets in 2000 both in Florida and later in DC.
Joe Lieberman and the other dem-lites refused to do anything.
This is something congress needs to do, not the president, and if the repubs had their way,
they would take away voting for senators from the people and make the house the one and only important branch.

Remember the problem of 2000- even had Gore prevailed, the Florida delegation would have still sent the republican one and there would have been a constitutional crisis. Remember too that for all intent and purpose, Bush was a one termer til 9/11 happened.

[HooptieWagon]

50. well, your post was full of incomplete sentences and poor grammer.

It sounded like you were blaming Scott being elected on people who voted Crist.

[robinlynne]

24. bullshit. this is the fault of all citizens who look the other way as election faud is repetaed year

after year. 2000 election was a fiasco. Where were the people in the streets? only the black caucus in congress reacted strongly. noone else.
2004 the black caucus and one senator reacted strongly.

Not just in Florida. all over the country.
john Kerry promised to count the votes. At john Edwards' insistence.
he did not do so.

[kdmorris]

71. There were lots of people in the streets down here

No one paid any attention to us.

[robinlynne]

75. where? Florida? Glad to hear it. I remmebr watching the SUpreme Court travesty in desbelief.

[HooptieWagon]

51. Yes, having the DLC in control of the Democratic Party

does require holding ones nose when casting a ballot... especially here in Fl.

[Gregorian]

15. The very soul of the conservative has been revealed.

This is like peeling an onion. Let us not stop, but continue peeling. We've only just started.

I'm thinking that this kind of argument they pose is also at the very heart of our military's disproportional size. We must ensure the safety of ________ (insert noun).

[lookingfortruth]

16. It is unreal that we would see our elections become some sort of Kangaroo election.

[TrollBuster9090]

17. The two options for the Obama Administration are:

A) Indict Ken Detzner for violating federal law and subpeona his email and telephone records to see if there was a politically-motivated conspiracy to knowingly exclude voters for the purpose of altering the election results, or

B) Throw themselves on the floor, assume a helpless fetal position and accept the fact that the Florida GOP is going to steal another election.

[Capt.Rocky300]

18. Mike Papantonio said

on the Ed Show the other night that Scott could be arrested. He said arrests and prosecutions happened for this very type of thing in other southern states after the Voting Rights Act was put in place. And since we know Holder doesn't have a very good track record of arresting those who break the law I won't hold my breath.

[Stuart G]

19. The letter is the first step, refusing to follow #2, Fed Law Suit #3, goes to Supreme Ct #4..????nt

[TrollBuster9090]

22. Given the current make up of the Supreme Court...

#4 would probably be a complete waste of time.
They'd just rule that Florida can do whatever it wants with their voters list, thus winning the irony award, given that it's the same Supreme Court that ruled that Florida CAN'T do whatever it wants with it's election RECOUNTS.

If nothing else, we HAVE to win this election to change the makeup of the Supreme Court!

[gmpierce]

47. lots of luck!

Unless there is divine intervention, the current RATS members of the court will remain in place until the complete distruction of the republic.

PS: is there any truth to the rumor (which I just started) that Obama is going to appoint Robert Bork (despite his advanced age) as a gesture to bipartisanship.

[bigdarryl]

49. Thats funny in 2000 this same court intervened in the Florida recount

Ordering the stopping of the recount they didn't give a shit about states rights back then because they wanted there boy Bush in office

[Woody Woodpecker]

57. For the first time, if it gets that far, the USSC would be forced to revisit Bush v Gore

and declare that Chimp was illegally installed as a President of the United States, and all 5 conservative justices would be forced to either resign or recuse themselves from the case.

[sakabatou]

25. What would the next step be?

[mitchtv]

33. those steps should bring us past the election so,,,

maybe Holder will wake up and make things really unpleasant

[quaker bill]

56. seeking an emergency injunction in Federal Court

You would have to prove a violation of law with continued and irreparable harm to voting rights, which given the reported error rate should be easy enough to do.

Scott has decided he wants this fight, so the DOJ should give it to him. They should do a photo op with the WWII vet and others who are wrongly threatened in the process. "These are the people we are standing up for"

With Scott, you have to take him down, and then continue applying the boot.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

26. Will someone please tell Holder that Detzner and Scott are selling medical marijuana?

It may be the only chance.

[HooptieWagon]

30. +1

[rocktivity]

31. DUzy candidate!

rocktivity

[Woody Woodpecker]

59. Just had Dragon Oil

Really pure stuff. Nearly 77% concentrated THC

[aggiesal]

27. Ironic . . .

"... we are going to continue forward and do everything that we can legally do ..."

After notifying Florida officials that what they are doing is illegal.

[Botany]

29. This is a cure for a problem that doesn't exist

" ..... preventing ineligible voters from being able to cast a ballot."

I have been doing voter protection and election day poll watching for years
and ineligible voters don't get to vote and if they do then their vote will
not be counted.

To be an eligible voter you have to register to vote but if you don't register
to vote or you are an eligible voter and don't vote over a certain # of election
cycles or if you have done something to make yourself ineligible to vote then
even if you do vote your vote will not be counted.

The same thing is true about the act of voting twice in a given election it almost
never happens and even if you did vote twice the second vote will not be counted.

This is a case of real election fraud by the government of Florida by taking away a
citizen's Constitutionally protected right to vote and having their vote counted. I hope
somebody whose voting rights were taken away sues the shit out of Rick Scott and
Sec. Ken Detzner. Eric Holder can get his thumb out of his ass and file a friend of
the court brief if somebody files a suit along with pushing the fact that the laws are
on the books protecting the rights of American Citizens to vote.



1965 voting rights act

[Cleita]

32. So should the feds send in the Marines?

What is the precedent for ignoring dictum to the states from Washington?

[PADemD]

37. IMO, Holder should send in federal marshals to arrest Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner.

[HooptieWagon]

53. Scott too, since he gave Detzmer the orders.

Im down with the DOJ appointing a state elections supervisor.

[Cleita]

67. That would work.

I hope he grows a spine and does it.

[DallasNE]

38. This Has Earmarks Of Watergate's Saturday Night Massacre

Why is the Governor ordering the independent Secretary of State to do this purge in this manner. The elected Secretary of State resigned rather than doing what Gov. Scott ordered. Ken Detzner is Scott's hand picked person. He is the modern day Robert Bork.

I do see some wiggle room in what spokesman Cate said, however.

[shcrane71]

39. It's just to effective for the RW, they can't

give up the purge now, even if it is illegal.

[flamingdem]

76. EXACTLY SO! Romney can WIN if they continue

They will continue at all costs, money is NO OBJECT

[shcrane71]

91. And the media won't act as the "fourth estate" against this type of corruption.

"Don't believe everything you read, see, or hear," is now a common phrase I hear, usually in regard to our failing US media outlets. It makes me grieve for my country.

[Marr]

43. This is what you get when you "look forward".

Prove that you won't prosecute criminals, and criminals will-- shockingly-- ignore you.

[SGMRTDARMY]

48. Accurate for who?

The repigs?
I guess we can expect FL to be a Repig win for Mittens. How can this bullshit go on in this day and age?

[DFW]

54. Time to send one of two things

Federal Marshals backed by armed might

or

a strongly worded letter.

What's it gonna be Eric?

[elleng]

58. I bet some more county elections officials will object,

as the 'head' county election official already has, as I recall.

[HooptieWagon]

62. I believe all or almost all county elections supervisors

have indicated the purge data is unreliable and they wont continue it as per the advice of legal counsel. So, this is becoming an interesting stalemate... County officials defying State officials who are defying Federal officials. Who blinks first?

[elleng]

66. LOVE it, and for first time, wish I were living in Florida, where I'd encourage County officials.

Won't bet, 'cause my bets tend to jinx my teams, but but but!!!

[lumpy]

73. I heard that also. Have you heard anything more?

nt

[HooptieWagon]

74. Prob nothing over the weekend.

Should be more beginning the week. Fl counties are pretty strapped for cash, though. I dont think theres money for a legal battle with DOJ, especially one theyre sure to lose. Scott will prob prob cut some program to get cash for a legal battle though. Well see.

[Lasher]

86. You're right.

Florida voter purge gets pushback from elections supervisors, U.S. Justice

Source: Palm Beach Post

TALLAHASSEE — Florida elections supervisors said Friday they will discontinue a state-directed effort to remove names from county voter rolls because they believe the state data is flawed and because the U.S. Department of Justice has said the process violates federal voting laws.

Late Thursday, the Department of Justice sent Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner a letter telling him that an effort launched by Republican Gov. Rick Scott's administration last year to remove the names of people believed to be non-citizens from voter rolls appears to violate at least two federal voting laws. The federal agency gave Detzner until Wednesday to respond.

The Justice Department letter and mistakes that the 67 county elections supervisors have found in the state list make the scrub undoable, said Martin County Elections Supervisor Vicki Davis, president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections.

.....

In 2000, thousands of eligible voters were not allowed to vote because of an error-riddled felon voter list created under Gov. Jeb Bush's administration. State officials abandoned another problematic felon voter list four years later.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/florida-voter-purge-gets-pushback-from-elections-supervisors-2387004.html

Thanks to seafan for posting this in DU2 LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x5088237

[WillyT]

64. K & R !!!

[NorthCarolina]

68. Scott is calling Holder's bluff. nt

[PlanetBev]

69. Justice Department Response

Stop, or I'll say stop again.

[Scuba]

70. "...we are going to ... do everything that we can legally do to make sure ...

"...we are going to continue forward and do everything that we can legally do to make sure that ineligible voters cannot vote,” said Chris Cate, a spokesman for Detzner.



Next step: banning elections, ensuring that zero ineligible voters are voting.

[kdmorris]

72. Same thing they did before the 2000 election

It's so stupid that people put up with this election season after election season. So, they throw you off the voter rolls and force to you jump through hoops to get back on. I don't guess that I'll get purged... having this white girl American name.

[flamingdem]

77. If you've moved recently you might get purged

I think this is what happened to that 90 year old vet with an anglo name

[kdmorris]

78. Been in the same house for 11 years

But two of my daughters have moved.

[flamingdem]

79. Ut oh

But I'm sure you've informed them about Mr. Scott and the purge machine

[kdmorris]

80. Yep! n/t

[unkachuck]

81. "Florida will defy a federal warning to stop purging people..."

....tell Florida they can do what they want but we won't accept your crooked election results in November....that'll teach them....

[Doctor_J]

82. Arrest the SoS and send him to real prison

he can keep house for some lifers until the election is over.

[Doctor_J]

83. So who still thinks we're going to beat these people peacefully?

Say hi to the Easter Bunny for me.

[nolabels]

89. That either or attitude is not conducive for a win-win conclusion

The tooth fairy says she has a big word for you to learn. It is the word 'believe'

And now i believe i will have another beer

[MADem]

84. Justice needs to arrest and jail some assholes...IMO. nt

[Odin2005]

92. If Obama had a spine he would send the National Guard to protect voters...

And enforce the Voting Rights Act.

[Incitatus]

94. Let's see what the Supreme Court has to say about this

[sarcasmo]

97. Looking more and more like Bush V Gore every day.

[newspeak]

100. the repugs and the media have catapulted the meme that there's all this voter fraud

when actually, it is election fraud, voter suppression-intimidation and dirty tricks like phone jamming. They've got their base thinking a bunch of illegal aliens are all voting and unfortunately, the plebes have bought into it.

I remember about ten years ago they had a round table at aspen. The topic was about the constitution. These morons discussed whether or not the constitution was needed today. Apparently, any global corporation has more power than the citizens in this country. While they're selling made in china flags and selling the public on patriotism, they could give a shite about this country and its' people. Greed and profits and power, that's all that counts.

MM is right, certain corporations have caused more damage to families, communities than any drug dealer. There are still a few companies that care about communities and their families; but, there are enough sociopathic ones, like enron, BP; that have caused major irreparable damage to the american people and the environment. The more power these corporations gain, the less power "we the people" have.