Ten Florida lawmakers get subpoenas in election law case

[seafan]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

TALLAHASSEE — Ten state legislators — five senators and five House members — have been issued subpoenas in the ongoing lawsuit over federal review of controversial sections of a new election law. The subpoenas were issued by a Washington, D.C., law firm that represents the League of Women Voters of Florida and the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic voter advocacy group.

The two organizations intervened in the case of State of Florida vs. United States of America and Eric H. Holder Jr., the U.S. attorney general. The state-initated lawsuit asks a three-judge panel to "pre-clear" or approve four specific sections of the new election law to ensure that they do not violate the civil rights of minority voters in five counties: Hillsborough, Collier, Hardee, Hendry and Monroe.

.....

Among many other demands, the subpoena tells Baxley and the others to produce "all documents concerning your, or any other legislator's, reasons, justifications, rationales, interests and/or purposes in enacting any of the four sets of voting changes." The law firm's representative declined to discuss why specific legislators were issued subpoenas.

The other House members whose records were demanded are Reps. Keith Perry, R-Ocala; Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach; Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City; and Trudy Williams, R-Fort Myers. Senators who were subpoenaed include Sens. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton; Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale; Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland; Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey; and John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/ten-florida-lawmakers-get-subpoenas-in-election-law-case/1203946

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Dockery and Fasano were the only Senate Republicans who voted against the bill.


Meanwhile, Republican leadership is doing everything it can get away with to abolish voting rights of non-Republican voters, by pursuing secretive tactics in redrawing new voting districts. This fight will be out in the open very soon.


Occupy Tallahassee might be a good counter-tactic in this fight.

[msongs]

1. seems like the Feds should be suing Florida, not the other way around nt

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for thread, seafan.

[ccavagnolo]

3. Time to be honest

kicked!

[drm604]

4. I wonder if they'll have to testify under oath as to their reasons for enacting the changes.

I don't think anyone will believe "I don't remember".

[polichick]

5. "This fight will be out in the open very soon." The sooner, the better...

Republican corruption knows no bounds.

[onethatcares]

6. what are the four specific sections?

the problem with the repukes here is they already have the speaker of the house picked for 2017, they don't give a damn about elections or the integrity of any electoral process. Look at 2000 if you think they do.

[Enthusiast]

7. Fascists could care less about preserving democracy.

For all intents and purposes, the Republican Party could change their name to the more accurate The American Fascist Party.

[seafan]

11. Third party registr'n; out-of-­county address changes; petition signature verification; early voting

From what I can decipher from this article.


The FL Secretary of State Kurt Browning (Republican), appointed by Rick Scott, has ordered implementation of these contentious parts of the new law in all FL counties except the five that require federal preclearance due to a long history of voter suppression. (Counties of Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough, and Monroe)

Since FL law and federal law require that all voters are treated under uniform standards, and here, they are clearly NOT, with 5 counties treated one way and the remaining 62 counties another way, this is clear violation of state law and federal election law.


But that has never stopped Republicans from trying to steal elections.

[onethatcares]

14. thank you, n't

thanx again

[LiberalFighter]

8. They should ask specifically whether ALEC had any part in the law change.

And put them under oath.

[freshwest]

10. That'd be the most important admission. It'd start an examination of their actions nationwide.

[seafan]

9. Update: Eleventh lawmaker subpoenaed in Florida election law controversy.

For those unfamiliar with this new Florida law that was crafted during the 2011 Spring Legislative Session, undeniably intended for voter suppression by Republican lawmakers:


April 2, 2011: Florida GOP House whips out sweeping and contentious "election reform" bill

May 20, 2011: Florida's governor Rick Scott signs assault on democracy into law (voter suppression bill)


Now, this law is under federal review, triggered by legal action against it. Subpoenas have been issued to eleven Republicans thus far, to provide their rationale for crafting this controversial legislation.


Another Republican state senator joins this list--- Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami.


Here is the updated list so far:

Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala (sponsor of the legislation (HB 1355))
Rep. Keith Perry, R-Ocala
Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach
Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City (Florida’s liaison to ALEC)
Rep. Trudy Williams, R-Fort Myers

Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton (caught viewing porn on official computer during legislative session)
Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale ("Bully" Bogdanoff)
Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami "Cronyism for me, but not for thee"
Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland (Jeb foil, independent thinker)
Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey (at times, does the right thing)
Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine (key Jeb Bush operative and rabid protector of Marco Rubio's deeds)



This is going to be interesting, especially in light of the role of the right-wing-driven American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), in crafting and directing eerily similar and damaging legislation to Republican-dominated state legislatures across the country since January, and aimed at suppressing voting rights, weakening workers' rights, gutting pension laws, etc.



Not so fast, boys.

[Divine Discontent]

12. the attack on voting rights must be stopped cold!

Get it now, or one of a million other designs! http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128659602907896843?rf=238107662556833486

[lib2DaBone]

13. Sen Mike Bennett of FLorida was the first to call for drug testing Food Stamp recipients..

.. then he was caught looking at porn on his state-issued computer while debating an abortion bill.
---------------
UPDATE: Florida State Sen. Mike Bennett is out with a response to a controversy sparked by a video report capturing footage of the Republican lawmaker looking at images of scantily-clad women during a Senate debate over abortion restrictions.
----------------


TRA (typical Republican activity)

[Kingofalldems]

15. Kick this one to the top