Bloomberg in hot water in admitted 3 degree felony vote buying scam in Florida (dollar, money)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It said the word "including", that does not mean it is an all inclusive list.
The full text;
"No. 4 Constitutional Amendment Article VI, Section 4. Voting Restoration Amendment This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case by case basis."
It states "after they complete all terms of their sentence", it does not get any clearer than that, I voted "yes" on the basis it means all terms, including any fines and other costs owed.
Look, you're arguing a technicality. Other voters thought the language was clearly interpreted differently. At the core though, Republicans are playing games. Democrats probably are too, but there is no dispute about where the high ground here is. Voting rights are sacrosanct to the democratic part of our government and depriving people of the right to vote because they don't agree with you politically is tyranny. Florida's restrictions are unique to Florida and clearly exist to subvert the will of the people. This whole thread is a side show because the real undemocratic, criminal behavior came from the politicians.
It isn't a surprise that Republicans interpreted the language in a way that is advantageous to them. But it comes on the heels of another Republican governor of Florida imposing a hurdle to re-enfranchising prior felons. From what I've read, Rick Scott also slow rolled any restoration of voting rights to prior felons. That alone was a disgrace because Scott and DeSantis's margin of victory was far less than the number of people who should have been re-enfranchised.
Trump's 2016 margin of victory was 113,000 votes (vs. 1.2 million to be re-enfranchised felons)
DeSantis's 2018 margin of victory was 33,000 votes (vs. 1.2 million to be re-enfranchised felons)
Rick Scott's 2018 margin of victory was 10,000 votes (vs. 1.2 million to be re-enfranchised felons)
I'm not a Democrat, I'm not a Republican, and I don't live in Florida. But I can use common sense here and see that Democrats will win the popular vote in Florida if ALL voters are counted, DeSantis and Scott abused their power to keep a tremendous number of voters disenfranchised against the will of active voters, and there are local to national consequences. It makes me sick to my stomach that Rick Scott stole the 2018 election for a 6-year term and will vote party lines as if he represents the majority or even a plurality of interest of its residents.
L
It isn't a surprise that Republicans interpreted the language in a way that is advantageous to them.
It isn't a technicality, unless you think 1+1=2 is also a technicality.
The use of the word "interpreted" in this context implies ambiguity where none existed. As I said earlier in this thread, ignorance of English does not mean the wording was unclear, just that some have an ignorance of English.
For the record I believe that no citizen should be deprived of the right to vote. But like you, I don't live in Florida. And fortunately, the people of Florida made what I think is the right choice to give these felons back their right to vote.
It isn't a technicality, unless you think 1+1=2 is also a technicality.
The use of the word "interpreted" in this context implies ambiguity where none existed. As I said earlier in this thread, ignorance of English does not mean the wording was unclear, just that some have an ignorance of English.
For the record I believe that no citizen should be deprived of the right to vote. But like you, I don't live in Florida. And fortunately, the people of Florida made what I think is the right choice to give these felons back their right to vote.
Republicans stole a U.S. Senate and State Gubernatorial election by depriving people the right to vote and you continue to justify it. Congrats.
I see that ignorance of English extends far beyond definitions, grammar and syntax....
I've justified nothing. I say felons should always have the right to vote. And thankfully that has now been achieved in Florida thanks to the Republicans. And thankfully the Court of Appeals made it even clearer for those ignorant to the definition of "sentence".
I see that ignorance of English extends far beyond definitions, grammar and syntax....
I've justified nothing. I say felons should always have the right to vote. And thankfully that has now been achieved in Florida thanks to the Republicans. And thankfully the Court of Appeals made it even clearer for those ignorant to the definition of "sentence".
Quote:
“People have actually been thrown in jail for their inability to pay a fine or fee. This is a constitutional issue at this point,” said Sharon Bock, the Palm Beach County Clerk and president of the Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers.
RELATED: Amendment 4 requires addressing the criminalization of poverty | Opinion »
As president of that organization, Bock has put together a response team so that by the time the bill officially becomes law on July 1, “we will have a uniform response to Amendment 4 and the clerks’ position."
“When this amendment was going on the ballot, here at our clerks office,” she said, "I had asked that we go back through every fine, fee, felony charge, etc. to see where we stand. Even if there is a fine, fee and court cost paid, the person who wants their voting rights restored would still have to tackle the restitution issue.”
The clerk’s office does not handle restitution. Bock stressed that under the new law, getting voting rights back would be a “multistep process.”
Doesn't sound automatic to me. At best, even if voters agreed with your interpretation of the language, Republicans still stymied the implementation to their own benefit.
Quote:
The GOP-controlled Legislature, however, sought to limit the effects of the amendment by passing a law that conditioned the right to vote on payment of all fees, fines and restitution that were part of the sentence in each felon's case. The state, however, had no central listing of this information, and the Legislature created no system to help felons ascertain how much, if anything, they owed. Even the state ultimately agreed that it would take six years to create such a system.
I was a Florida resident and Flroida voter from 2003 through 2018 and voted for the amendment. I and many other Floridians did not read the amendment as requiring payment of outstanding fines. The "including parole" was interpreted by everyone I knew as a clarification that completion of the sentence meant also parole, not "including but not limited to" parole. I definitely wouldn't say that someone interpreting it in that manner has poor understanding of the English language. The addition of the fines was purely legislative and highly controversial. It's not the first time the Florida legislature pushed back against a state constitutional amendment. When medical marijuana was approved they dragged their feet and limited it as best they could as well.
That man can pay all the fines he wants to pay. And the state of Florida can do NOTHING about it. They can go suck an egg.
Crybullies will be surprised to know that Fl. A.G. Ashley Moody has confirmed there is a state investigation underway into Bloomberg's actions and the FBI has been contacted and there may be a Federal investigation also !!! The FBI doesn't comment on investigations so we won't likely know anything until they have an indictment !!!
Democrats normally like investigations and many times call for one !!! This should make them happy and its really bipartisan for people who want the rule of law to prevail !!! As Maxine Waters said we need to get in his face and get a crowd together and let him know he isn't welcome !!!
Bloomberg isn't a resident of Florida and for him to think he can come into the state and buy influence isn't appreciated !!! He isn't welcome here !!!
Crybullies will be surprised to know that Fl. A.G. Ashley Moody has confirmed there is a state investigation underway into Bloomberg's actions and the FBI has been contacted and may be a Federal investigation also !!!
She and the FBI can open an investigation into a can of Spam for all I care. If Bloomberg was doing anything illegal, they’d already have the goods. They’re having an “investigation” to try and conjure up some archaic law that they hope can apply to the situation.
They’ve got NADA. Hell, less than NADA. The state of Florida couldn’t have possibly thought far enough ahead to write a law that prohibits people to pay felon’s fines. You and I both know it.
What if a family member paid the fines? Why would that be different?
And back to my earlier question - what about community groups that provide transportation to polling places?
What about employers that provide time off for employees to vote?
What about pro bono interpreters that help a voter read ballot questions?
It seems to me that if this law were to be strained to cover the Bloomberg situation all of the above would also be violations of it. They are all arguably things "of value" that assist someone with voting. But they shouldn't be illegal because they assist someone with the act of voting, they aren't payment for voting a particular way.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
