DeSantis Proposes Creation of Department to Investigate and Prosecute Voter Fraud
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) proposed last week the creation of an election integrity unit to investigate and arrest those who commit voter fraud.
The proposal calls for the creation of the Office of Election Crimes and Security, which would hire 52 people to “investigate, detect, apprehend, and arrest anyone for an alleged violation” from election security tips of election fraud. The cost of the program would be $5.7 million and must be approved during Florida’s 60-day legislative session.
“To ensure that elections are conducted in accordance with the rule of law, I propose an election integrity unit whose sole focus will be the enforcement of Florida’s election laws,” DeSantis announced during his State of the State address. “This will facilitate the faithful enforcement of election laws and will provide Floridians with the confidence that their vote will matter.”
American first state lawmakers are in support of the election integrity measure, though others are either on the fence or oppose it.
Establishment Republican House Speaker Rep. Chris Sprowls (R), who has an outsized influence on what is enacted into law, said he is undecided if the measure would be helpful. “We’re going to look at it, we’ll evaluate it and see what happens,” the Washington Post reported his position.
