After Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis announced criminal charges against nearly two dozen individuals hinging on allegations of illegally voting in the face of past criminal convictions that prevent them from legally casting ballots under Florida state law, another of the cases has been dismissed.
A second southern Florida judge has concluded that the state-level prosecution team responsible for the charges doesn’t have the appropriate authority, which, according to Florida rules, is only applicable when an allegedly criminal act is committed in more than one jurisdiction. Ronald Lee Miller, the defendant in this case, never personally entered, mailed, or emailed something to another county in the course of him submitting an application for voter registration — which was processed by state authorities before county election officials provided him with a voter registration card. With similar circumstances underlying cases throughout the list DeSantis so fervently touted revealing supposed electoral misconduct, it’s a question where guilt even lies if defendants were explicitly treated by the relevant authorities as though they could legally vote.
The latest dismissal was from Circuit Judge Laura Anne Stuzin, who set aside felony charges of giving a false affirmation in connection with an election and unlawfully voting, as explained by media coverage in the state of the case. “Let this be a lesson to all not to use the legal system for political gain and waste taxpayers’ hard earned money,” Robert Barrar, a lawyer for the defendant, said. Predictably, the state team indicated an appeal of the judge’s decision would be forthcoming. Among those who were charged, one woman, Romona Oliver, reportedly registered with the assistance of staff with the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s office, who she said never specifically asked her about whether her right to vote was restored after a felony conviction she mentioned, as reported on this site. Oliver later took a plea deal allowing her to evade any further penalties. In another of the cases, prosecutors dropped the charges for allegedly illegally voting after the defendant was sentenced to jail in a separate case.
Authorities mishandling voter records has driven some serious problems. Oliver herself remained listed in voter registration records months after her arrest, and another of those arrested was later issued a new voter registration card as though he remained actually eligible to vote. Separately, the state also previously appealed the decision to dismiss charges against Robert Lee Wood on similar grounds of jurisdictional concerns. The charges originate with an office within the Department of State for which DeSantis advocated. The newly two dozen sets of charges were announced in August as some of the first publicly visible work done by that team, the Office of Election Crimes and Security. Despite the fact officials themselves treated individuals hit with the charges as eligible voters, DeSantis sounded exuberant at the possibility of serious convictions. “That is against the law, and now they’re going to pay the price for it,” DeSantis said of their actions.
