{"id":143,"date":"2024-09-13T23:24:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-14T03:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kawsachunnews.com\/w\/florida-police-interrogate-abortion-petition-signers-is-democracy-at-risk\/"},"modified":"2024-09-13T23:24:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-14T03:24:16","slug":"florida-police-interrogate-abortion-petition-signers-is-democracy-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kawsachunnews.com\/w\/florida-police-interrogate-abortion-petition-signers-is-democracy-at-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida Police Interrogate Abortion Petition Signers: Is Democracy at Risk?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tThe Tampa Bay Times<\/em> revealed on Friday that several Floridians, who signed a petition supporting an abortion rights measure, have been visited by local law enforcement officers. This news has caused widespread concern among abortion rights advocates. \n<\/p>\n

\n\tIsaac Menasche, one of those questioned by an unidentified plainclothes officer, was unsure about the officer’s agency affiliation. On the other hand, Becky Castellanos, another resident of Lee County, reported that Florida Department of Law Enforcement Officer Gary Negrinelli had identified himself with a badge and business card during his visit. \n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe officers were investigating potential fraud tied to the petition for Amendment 4, a measure aiming to prevent pre-viability abortion bans in Florida. Menasche was asked about his signature on the petition, while Negrinelli questioned Castellanos about a relative who also signed the petition.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t“This is a clear example of voter intimidation, reminiscent of the ‘election police’ tactics used in 2022. It’s akin to Gestapo strategies.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to the Times<\/em>, these interrogations seem to be part of an extensive and unusual initiative by Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration to scrutinize thousands of already verified and validated Amendment 4 petitions, as Election Day draws near.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Republican governor, who has faced backlash for establishing an Office of Election Crimes and Security\u2014which has led to the arrest of Florida citizens who believed they were legally entitled to vote following a referendum that restored voting rights to many individuals with past felony convictions\u2014had previously signed a six-week ban that would cease if the ballot measure is approved.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAs reported by the Times<\/em> on Friday:\n<\/p>\n

\n\tOver the past week, DeSantis’ secretary of state has ordered election supervisors in at least four counties to forward at least 36,000 already validated petition forms to Tallahassee. Since the Times<\/em> first covered this initiative, both Alachua and Broward counties have confirmed they have received similar demands from the state.<\/p>\n

\n\tA 16-year veteran supervisor described the request as unprecedented. Interestingly, the state did not ask for rejected petitions, which have historically been the foundation for previous fraud cases.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n\tWhile Department of State spokesperson Ryan Ash claimed that the agency has “found evidence of illegal conduct involving fraudulent petitions” and that it is their “responsibility to pursue justice for Florida citizens who have been victimized,” a representative for the coalition supporting Amendment 4 criticized the state’s approach.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tKeisha Mulfort, spokesperson for the ACLU of Florida, which is part of the Floridians Protecting Freedom coalition, labelled the state’s efforts as “very clearly a fishing expedition” in an interview with the Times<\/em>. She urged Floridians to “reject these authoritarian tactics and vote yes on Amendment 4 in November.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe ACLU of Florida, while promoting the report on social media, pointed out, “This is what state-sanctioned election meddling looks like.”<\/p>\n

\n\tDemocrats in the state echoed these sentiments. State Representative Anna V. Eskamani (D-42) shared a social media post by Menasche in which he expressed feeling “unsettled” and “disturbed” by his encounter with the law enforcement officer.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tEskamani condemned the “outlandish and anti-democratic behavior being enforced by DeSantis and his allies in an attempt to sustain our state’s nearly complete abortion ban.” She called it “blatant voter intimidation and straightforward corruption,” urging people to “keep calling it out, resist, and vote @yes4florida. Spread the word.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPamela Castellana, chair of the Brevard Democratic Executive Committee, responded to Eskamani, stating, “This literally left me breathless. This is outright voter intimidation, just like the ‘election police’ in 2022. It’s reminiscent of Gestapo tactics. If you live in Florida, you understand. If you don’t\u2014please assist me in spreading the message. Stop authoritarianism.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\tJournalist Jessica Valenti voiced her opinion on Friday, asserting that Republicans “are indifferent to voters’ desire to restore abortion rights. If they need to undermine democracy to keep it banned, they will.”\n<\/p>\n

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\n\t“We’ve seen many Republican attacks on pro-choice ballot measures, but this one is particularly harmful because it attempts to manipulate Americans into believing that voters don’t really want abortion rights restored and that the overwhelming support is contrived,” Valenti added.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tBeyond the fraud allegations, Amendment 4 supporters have also expressed anger over the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s decision to launch a webpage on Thursday that claims the ballot measure “endangers women’s safety.”\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFlorida Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book (D-35) has vowed to explore “appropriate legal action.” Meanwhile, ACLU of Florida Executive Director Bacardi Jackson declared in a statement that “this type of propaganda issued by the state, funded by taxpayer money and operating outside of the political process, sets a dangerous precedent.”<\/p>\n

\n\tJackson added, “This is something we would expect from an authoritarian regime, not in the so-called ‘Free State of Florida.'”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n