Former Florida state senator charged with three criminal counts in sham candidate scheme

Seeing tactics like this along with trying to ban or limit early voting, blocking automatic registration, earlier electoral fraud in NC, blatant gerrymandering, limiting power for their successor and efforts to dismantle our institutions when they do have power, it seems their intentions are only anti-Democratic power grabs.

Is this really the way the right has chosen to govern? They have been screaming stop the steal but items like this are ignored. Ironic.

A former Florida state Republican senator was charged Thursday with three criminal counts involving a sham candidate intended to siphon votes away from a Democratic incumbent.​

An arrest warrant says Frank Artiles, the former senator from the Miami area, gave more than $44,000 to the fake candidate in the 2020 election. That candidate, Alex Rodriguez, has the same last name as the then-Democratic incumbent, Jose Javier Rodriguez.​

[State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle] did say the investigation is not over.​

“It violates everything that should be honest and straightforward about our elections,” she said. “Where it goes from here, we don’t know. We have not completed this investigation.” [NBC News]​

 

Florida Democrats Call For A New Election After GOP Charged With Manipulating Race

https://www.wvtf.org/post/florida-d...-after-gop-charged-manipulating-race#stream/0

 

I think it will be difficult to prove that adequately, unless Alex Rodriguez is not registered to vote in that district. This might be a case to follow.

 

Voting Redo Rejected by GOP-Controlled Florida Senate After Election Fraud Charge
https://www.newsweek.com/voting-red...da-senate-after-election-fraud-charge-1577602

Florida Republican leaders say they are standing by a former Miami-Dade state senator who was arrested on election fraud charges Thursday, rebuking Democratic calls to hold a special election in order to ensure a legitimate vote.
​

Seems the sanctity of elections really isn’t that paramount.

 

SNIP
The "sham" independent candidate neither lived in the district nor campaigned for the seat.
ENDSNIP

https://www.newsweek.com/voting-red...da-senate-after-election-fraud-charge-1577602

I heard about this one back in November and it was a case to follow back then. I remember joking with another forum member about how running somebody name Alex Rodriguez as a candidate in S. Florida is sure to fool some people, A-Rod being a local legend down there...

Glad charges have been filed as this seemed like election (not voter) fraud of the first magnitude... The GOP strikes again. When will people learn not to vote for them?? They cannot govern and many resort to actions like this...

 

You have to love the GOP 'defense' of this action.

SNIP
“You have to allow law enforcement to do what they do. I think we don’t have all of the facts … a week from now we’ll have a lot more information to make a judgment on, but certainly I believe the prosecutor earlier today said very clearly that Ileana Garcia had nothing to do with any of this,” he said.
ENDSNIP

I'm certainly willing to believe that, but being the sole beneficiary of election fraud shouldn't make you feel real good about yourself...

Also, you didn't mention a huge key of the story

SNIP
Alex Rodriguez was also charged Thursday with election law violations. His lawyer, William Barzee, said Rodriguez was led into the scam by Artiles and is cooperating with investigators.

“Alex Rodriguez deeply regrets allowing himself to be used in this way and hopes that by coming forth with the truth he can help to right these wrongs,” Barzee said in an email.
ENDSNIP

Let's see what "A-Rod" has to say....

 

As always, politics is humanity at its worst.

 

I'd like to see a recount

 

It certainly seems to bring out the worst in some population groups that know their beliefs are in the minority.

 

This is yet another reason why I should be acclaimed emperor.