Florida attorney general calls for investigation into Michael Bloomberg after billionaire Democrat paid off $16million in felons' debts so they can be allowed to vote
Florida's attorney general asked state and federal law enforcement on Wednesday to investigate possible election law violations after billionaire and former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg helped raise more than $16million for Florida felons to pay their debts so they can vote in the presidential election.
Attorney General Ashley Moody sent letters to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI saying that further investigation is warranted.
Governor Ron DeSantis and House Rep. Matt Gaetz had asked Moody to review allegations that Bloomberg and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition had violated the law by offering incentives for voting.
DeSantis, Gaetz, and Moody are Republicans.
'I have instructed the Statewide Prosecutor to work with law enforcement and any Statewide Grand Jury that the Governor may call,' Moody said in a written statement.
In 2018, voters approved a constitutional amendment to restore most felons' voting rights once they've completed their sentences.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody asked state and federal law enforcement on Wednesday to investigate possible election law violations after billionaire and former Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg helped raise more than $16million for Florida felons to pay their debts so they can vote in the presidential election
Rep. Matt Gaetz has also called for a criminal investigation into Bloomberg, accusing him of buying votes in a scheme to pay off the debts of Florida felons
The exception was for murderers and sex offenders.
But when crafting the law to implement the amendment, the Republican-dominated Legislature said that rights wouldn't be restored until all fines, court fees and restitution were paid.
Bloomberg announced this week that he raised more than $16million to help pay off the financial obligations for felons so they can vote.
While the coalition says it doesn't target people based on their political affiliation, Moody is questioning whether the donation violates laws that prohibit giving people incentives to vote.
Spokespeople for Bloomberg and DeSantis didn't immediately reply to phone calls seeking comment.
A federal appellate court ruled on September 11 that in addition to serving their sentences, Florida felons must pay all fines, restitution and legal fees before they can regain their right to vote.
The case could have broad implications for the November elections.
Did Bloomberg actually commit a crime?
In 2018, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4, which returned voting rights to most Florida felons who had completed their sentences. It excludes those convicted of murder or sexual offenses.
But it quickly became unclear who could actually vote after Florida Gov Ron DeSantis signed a Republican-backed bill last year stipulating that, in addition to serving their time, felons would have to pay all unpaid fines and restitution before being eligible to vote.
Voter rights advocates immediately sued the governor and the state, arguing that a vast number of felons are too poor to pay their fines.
Just days before Bloomberg paid the fines and restitution, DeSantis won a court victory to keep felons from voting until they met those requirements.
Shortly after Bloomberg announced the move, Rep Matt Gaetz called for a criminal investigation into the billionaire and accused him of trying to buy votes.
It's unclear if Bloomberg actually broke any laws, but according to Florida's statutes, 'whoever by bribery, menace, threat, or other corruption whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, attempts to influence, deceive, or deter any elector in voting or interferes with him or her in the free exercise of the elector’s right to vote at any election commits a felony of the third degree'.
The statute goes on to say that 'no person shall directly or indirectly give or promise anything of value to another intending thereby to buy that person’s or another’s vote or to corruptly influence that person or another in casting his or her vote'.
Florida has 29 electoral college votes that are crucial to President Donald Trump´s hopes of staying in the White House.
Moody's letter was sent on the same day DeSantis and the independently elected Cabinet, acting as the state clemency board, decided not to act on a pardon petition sought by Florida Rights Restoration Coalition President Desmond Meade.
Moody is a Cabinet member, but declined to vote on Meade's request for a pardon.
DeSantis said he wanted more time to review his case.
The money Bloomberg raised is targeted for felons who registered to vote while the law was in question and who owe $1,500 or less.
That accounts for about 31,100 people, his staffers said.
In a state that decided the 2000 presidential election by 537 votes, that could be critical in a year when polls show Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden in a dead heat.
The Florida Rights Restitution Coalition had raised about $5million before Bloomberg made calls to raise almost $17million more, according to Bloomberg staffers.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Florida's only statewide elected Democrat and a member of the Cabinet, criticized the decision to investigate Bloomberg.
'Florida Republicans will stop at nothing to prevent people from voting, and this is another ploy to suppress the voices of those trying to regain their right to vote,' Fried said in a statement.
'Whether Mike Bloomberg, John Legend or Lebron James, these are are contributions made legally.'
After not being pardoned Wednesday, Meade said the clemency process is supposed to be about recognizing that people have turned their lives around and contributed to society, and he feels he's done that.
'They said they weren't going to go into retrying the past, but it feels like there was a slight attempt to do so,' Meade said.
'In spite of whatever I've done in the past, I've clearly demonstrated over the last 20 years that my life has been committed and dedicated to giving back to society, to make my community a better place, to bring people together.'
Meade has his voting rights, but he is hoping to have all his civil rights restored.
He served prison time for drug charges and other offenses, but began turning his life around when he was released in 2005.
He earned a law degree, but can't work as a lawyer because of felony convictions.
That's one of the reasons he wants his rights restored.
Neil Volz, the group's executive director, has also had his voting rights restored and the clemency board restored his other civil rights Wednesday.
But he lamented that Meade wasn't given the same privilege.
He noted that Meade was selected on Time magazine's 2019 list of most influential people in the world and chosen as the University of Florida's Bob Graham Center for Public Service's 'Floridian of the Year.'
Convicted felons in Florida are seen celebrating Amendment 4, a measure that will allow them to vote, by holding up four fingers in Miami last month
The former Democratic presidential candidate stepped in to help felons who have completed their prison sentences so they can vote on November 3. Two convicted felons are seen registering to vote
Convicted felon Yraida Guanipa reacts after she registered to vote at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department office in Miami, Florida on January 8, 2019
Clarence Singleton, who has a felony on his record, registered to vote at the Lee County Supervisor of Elections office on January 8, 2019, in Fort Myers, Florida
Graham is a former governor and US senator.
'Here's a guy who got his law degree and is unable to practice law,' Volz said.
'It just seems like, then what is enough?'
The question of satisfying financial obligations before voting rights are restored continues to be battled in court.
On September 11, a federal appeals court reversed a lower court ruling that gave Florida felons the right to vote regardless of outstanding restitution, court fees and fines.
Organizers for the group say they aren't targeting people registered with a particular political party.
'To hell with politics, to hell with any other implications or insinuations, at the end of the day it's about real people, real lives, American citizens who want to be a part of this,' said Meade.
'People with felony convictions have had their voices silenced for so long,' Meade added.
The group said other donors include John Legend, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Ben & Jerry's, Levi Strauss & Co, the Miami Dolphins, the Orlando Magic, the Miami Heat and Steven Spielberg.