(TheRedWire.com) – On Monday, January 10, the Florida state legislature began their annual 60-day session. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is proposing a unique solution to combat any violation of state election laws. The governor has proposed creating an Office of Election Crimes and Security under the Florida Department of State. Unde DeSantis’ request, the state would budget $6 million to hire 52 employees responsible to the governor’s office to investigate, detect, apprehend and arrest people who break state election laws.
Florida governor proposes special police agency to monitor elections https://t.co/o46kvdrIH4
— Ion V. Sancho (@Ionsancho1) January 19, 2022
Democrats and left-wing activists expressed concern that partisans and conservative groups would use the law to intimidate voters. Others argued the measure simply isn’t needed in Florida. However, an election law expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation said the plan should be a model for every state, adding that election fraud investigations require specialized training and commitment that many law enforcement agencies can’t provide.
Gov. DeSantis’s Press Secretary Christina Pushaw noted that support for the measure should be bipartisan. Pushaw stated that it’s crucial to ensure every legal vote is counted, which is the exact opposite of voter suppression. She said the governor doesn’t understand why anyone from either party would be opposed to funding the necessary resources to enforce state election laws.
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