Oliphant (former Broward Elections Supervisor) charged with 55 offenses

[Freddie Stubbs]

The Florida Elections Commission has charged Miriam Oliphant with 55 counts of election law violations.

BY ERIKA BOLSTAD

[e-mail]


TALLAHASSEE - Suspended Broward Supervisor of Elections Miriam Oliphant, already facing a Senate trial for her conduct in office, now faces 55 counts of violating election laws after not opening polls on time and not keeping them open late enough during the September 2002 primary.

The Florida Elections Commission levied the charges against Oliphant at its Feb. 19 meeting. If found guilty, Oliphant faces a fine of up to $55,000.

Oliphant has 30 days to respond and can choose to appear in administrative court or in front of the Elections Commission.

The 2002 primary election -- the first test of touch-screen election equipment -- was so chaotic in Broward and Miami-Dade counties that Gov. Jeb Bush ordered polls across Florida to stay open an additional two hours, until 9 p.m.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8138611.htm

[Mika]

1. Some salient quotes from the article

Two other agencies had exonerated her for potential criminal and ethical violations: the Florida Ethics Commission and the Broward State Attorney's Office.

Oliphant's attorney, Henry Hunter of Tallahassee, said he questions the timing of the commission's charges. Hunter, also representing Oliphant in her Senate suspension trial, said other counties had experienced similar problems at the polls during the 2002 primary.

''There were problems everywhere, particularly in Dade County,'' Hunter said. ``The problems she incurred are not different. She's not the only supervisor of elections to have precincts open late and close early.''

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The charges against Oliphant seem relatively unusual, said Mark Herron, a Tallahassee attorney who defends politicians charged with election violations.

Typically, elected officials who face elections violations are charged for not reporting campaign expenses properly.

One of the most notorious cases was in 2002 when state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, was fined $311,000 for 311 violations for incomplete campaign finance reports, a finding he later appealed and reduced to just 17 violations.

But Oliphant was charged with failing to perform her duty in office.

''I've never had a charge brought under that statute,'' Herron said.

``It's kind of like piling on. I think the Elections Commission is stretching its jurisdiction here.''

[The Sushi Bandit]

2. Is she a Dem or Repuke?

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. She is a Democrat