DeSantis and Patronis on Wednesday blocked Meade’s request for a pardon, with DeSantis saying the panel should take the issue “under advisement” until it can gather more information. Fried supported granting the pardon, while Moody recused herself.
Meade, executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, has achieved international acclaim as an advocate for Amendment 4, a constitutional amendment that restored voting rights to felons “upon completion of all terms of sentence including probation and parole.” Nearly two-thirds of Florida voters approved the amendment in 2018.
The state’s labyrinthine and years-long clemency process prompted Meade and other advocates to initiate the constitutional amendment, which enabled Meade to cast a ballot in last month’s primary elections.
Let’s face it, it is Governor DeSantis’ effort to keep as many tax paying citizens as possible from voting or having full citizenship restored. “Further study” is a ploy used by bureaucrats to delay a decision they don’t have the fortitude to make, especially when they do not have a valid reason to deny voting rights or a pardon.
Capt.
I do not think it is a Republican or a Democrat issue. Neither side (Politically speaking) or anyone in between wants Felons, especially sex offenders, to vote.
They are afraid we could sway things in our favor and they will do anything in their power to suppress us. That is the REAL reason we are being held down from voting.
Why do you think black people could not vote for so long. How dare they try and drink from a water fountain or use a white man’s bathroom. (Their words not mine).
Felony Voting Law as written the day I was let go by the state, “15 years with no arrest voting rights automatically restored. Period. How is it I am forced to remain disenfranchised? How is it the law is rewritten after the fact. Good Luck America! At this point I could give a…..
Karma is a bit¢h!
“it’s still discrimination” was my answer to Desmond when he discussed the petition they used to get the issue of restoring voter rights in Florida on the ballot. The statement about who the voters didn’t want to vote was not acceptable. This occurred at the Shattering the Shackles conference in Atlanta some time back. Oh, and by the way, he knows Ron Book and worked with him on the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust committee.
Was he as spineless toward Ron Book as he has been on voting rights?
I wonder if another ballot initiative could be employed to engrave in the constitution a fair process for receiving a pardon, rather than the partisan method employed by the current administration.
It really bothers me that when people in office don’t like the rules under which they must operate, they can simply vote in new rules. The rules by which Congress operates is a prime example. This fiasco with the Supreme court could have been averted if we had iron clad rules applied uniformly regardless of the administration in power.
So sad to hear the grief folks in Florida go through. It’s like redneckery is a competitive sport.
On a side note, I got a postcard in the mail from the state of Florida stating they noticed I had not registered to vote this year. It further went on to state I may be eligible if other circumstance are not prohibiting me to do so.
What a joke, they KNOW I cannot vote. A slap in the face.
OF COURSE other circumstances apply. I am listed as a felon. My rights have not been restored. AND I am on the Lifetime registry hit list.
Hey cJ…. return the post card and mark it no longer at this address. You may as well have a little fun with them! Take care boss.
That would be fun until they arrest me for saying I do not live there but have it on my registry notification. Funny for sure but not giving them one ounce of reason to be on their radar.
Don’t care much for Meade anyway . He called sex offenders all Child Molesters, which is why he excluded Registered Citizens on the vote.
He cannot be pardoned anyway, since he has military felony theft convictions, which is a Federal offence that the State cannot pardon.
Not sure why his lawyer didn’t explain that to him.
Yes! Thanks to Jed for remembering what Meade did to us; very similar to the bullying many of us endured in prison by drug dealers, and other thugs. Never forget that if a convicted wife beating drug dealer is entitled to redemption, so are we.