Florida Democrats want DOJ to investigate ‘voter intimidation’ on abortion measure

Seven members of Florida’s Democratic Congressional delegation have written a letter asking U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the DeSantis administration’s “brazen attempts at voter intimidation and election interference on Amendment 4.”

The state is investigating tens of thousands of allegedly fraudulent signatures on petitions collected to get Amendment 4, which would enshrine abortion rights into the Florida Constitution, on the ballot.

“These actions constitute an abuse of official resources to undermine political opponents,” the Democrats’ letter says. “Ensuring the honesty of our elections is of the greatest importance, which is why there are measures in place to ensure the validity of state constitutional amendment votes. The Governor’s undemocratic actions undermine the rights of Floridians.”

The Tampa Bay Times first reported the state investigation last week. There have been additional published reports that agents of Florida’s Office of Election Crimes and Security have visited voters’ homes questioning their signatures on those petitions.

“The Department of State has uncovered evidence of illegal conduct with fraudulent petitions,” officials with the agency said in a statement posted on X on Thursday.

“We have a duty to seek justice for Florida citizens who were victimized by fraud and safeguard the integrity of Florida’s elections. Our office will continue this investigation and make referrals to FDLE as appropriate.”

The Democrats’ letter cites the fact that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has launched a webpage that includes critical language about the implications for patients’ health if the amendment passes, which critics have called electioneering. The Florida Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to fast-track a lawsuit filed by a South Florida attorney to adjudicate the complaint.

During a press conference in Lake City earlier this week, DeSantis insisted the webpage was 100% accurate. He dismissed the backlash on Monday too, comparing the move from the health care agency to a public service announcement.

“It’s not an anti-Amendment 4. What it is, it’s providing information about what Florida law is and the resources that are available under that law,” he said.

The Democrats begged to differ.

“When voters go to the polls, they should do so with confidence in the integrity of our elections to vote for initiatives that earned an honest place on the ballot,” the letter says.

‘Anti-democratic actions’

“We are fully supportive of robust, transparent investigations into allegations of signature fraud. The DeSantis administration’s tardy, opaque, unusual, and redundant investigation does not appear to be of this nature. We are concerned that this investigation, as well as the AHCA’s anti-Amendment 4 campaign, constitute an abuse of official resources to intimidate and unsettle voters out of voting for Amendment 4, which Governor DeSantis has a long, storied history of opposing.”

The letter concludes by urging Garland to have the Department of Justice launch an investigation into the governor’s “anti-democratic actions.”

“Floridians, including the hundreds of thousands who contributed a signature in the hopes that they could vote to restore women’s right to bodily autonomy, deserve the freedom to cast a ballot in November untainted by illegal political ploys,” the letter says.

Florida enforces a ban on most abortions after six weeks. If approved, Amendment 4 would reverse those limitations and restore the right to an abortion up until the point of viability, estimated to be around 24 weeks’ gestation.

The letter was signed by Florida Democratic Reps. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Maxwell Frost, Kathy Castor, Lois Frankel, Frederica Wilson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, and Darren Soto. South Florida Congressman Jared Moskowitz is the lone Democrat not to sign the letter.

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