Accusations of Voter Intimidation in Fla.

[NashVegas]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - State investigators looking into possible ballot fraud in the city's disputed mayoral race have been accused of intimidating elderly black voters.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents revealed their sidearms while contacting people whose absentee ballots are under question, Voter Protection Coalition spokeswoman Alma Gonzalez said Friday.

...

The voters' rights group believes the investigation of Mayor Buddy Dyer's campaign workers - who concentrated on absentee ballots in their get-out-the-vote efforts - disenfranchises minorities.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4319766,00.html

[mbperrin]

1. Black voters being treated poorly in Florida? Nahhhhhhh...

couldn't be. Not with the record of great civil rights achievements and advances in voting rights enjoyed by the great state of Florida.

<memo to me: less oxy this time of day>

[RowWellandLive]

2. I thought Dyer was the Democrat

the article doesn't say so correct me if I'm wrong.

[Orangepeel]

3. Dyer is a Democrat. He is being accused by Republicans

He hired a consultant (used by many of both parties) to run his get out the vote program in the African American community. His opponent in the last election is accusing that man (and by implication, Dyer) of absentee ballot fraud.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is accused of harrassing voters in their investigation. Dyer won by a large margin, but only got 51% of the vote (compared to about 25% by his largest competitor) so he narrowly avoided a runoff.

It's all bullshit, by the way because Mulvaney is a crybaby. No doubt there is fraud in absentee ballots, but the particular consultant used has a very good reputation for honesty. When the allegations first surfaced, most people in the Democratic party just waived it off because they were confident that he was on the up and up. But, the FDLE (which reports to Jeb ultimately) has kept pursuing it. Coincidentally, they started this investigation right after Dyer introduced future-President Kerry at an Orlando event.