>> WE’VE ALL HEARD A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR ABOUT ELECTION FRAUD, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS VERY
LITTLE OF IT.
BUT LAST TIME THAT FLORIDA
VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS.
>> AN INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDER
WAY INTO FRAUD AND IT INVOLVES
PETITIONS TO GET EXPANDED
GAMBLING IN FLORIDA TO VOTERS.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS TURNED IN
TO ELECTION SUPERVISORS AROUND
THE STATE, ARE NOW DEEMED TO BE
FRAUDULENT.
BROWARD’S ELECTION SUPERVISOR
JOE SCOTT IS ONE OF THOSE
SOUNDING THAT ALARM AND JOINS US
NOW LIVE, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING GLENNA AND
MICHAEL.
GREAT TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN.
>> WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE.
SO THESE PISHES THAT YOU SUSPECT
ARE FRAUDULENT, FAKE, HAVE FOUR
SIGNATURES, HOW MANY OF THEM
HAVE YOU RECEIVED.
>> WELL OVER 60,000 AT THIS
POINT FOR ONE OF THE PARTICULAR
PETITIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT WE’RE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SEEK AN
INVESTIGATION INTO THIS.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS
SET UP IT’S HARD TO KNOW WHETHER
OR NOT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY
TRYING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR THE
PETITION GATHERERS.
SO AT THIS POINT YOU DON’T KNOW
IF IT IS THE PETITION GATHERERS
ENGAGING IN THIS ACTIVITY AND TO
WHAT DEGREE THE ACTUAL POLITICAL
COMMITTEE THAT IS RUNNING THE
WHOLE OPERATION IS.
SO IT IS HARD TO SAY EXACTLY
WHERE THE PROBLEM IS BUT THERE
ARE EASY SOLUTIONS THAT COULD BE
PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE IT SO THAT
THESE TYPE OF THINGS DON’T
HAPPEN.
>> BEFORE WE GO INTO SOLUTIONS,
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE IS IN THE FOLD HERE AND
KNOWS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
SO TO GET SOMETHING ON THE
BALLOT TO PUT BEFORE VOTERS, TO
PUT IN THE CONSTITUTION IN
NOVEMBER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO DO IT
BUT ONLY ONE FOR CITIZENS, AND
THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE IS TO
GET ENOUGH PETITION SIGNERS TO
PUT IT ON THE BALLOT IN EVERY
SINGLE COUNTY IN THROR DA.
SO AND THIS PARTICULAR EVIDENT
TO EXPAND GAMING WHICH IS A HUGE
POT OF MONEY ALL THE WAY AROUND,
THIS PARTICULAR BALLOT ISSUE IS
BEING BACKED BY THE LAS VEGAS
SANDS AND ALSO AN ALABAMA TRIBE
THAT HAVE PUT HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO
GETTING PETITION SIGNATURES, TO
GET PEOPLE TO SIGN OFF AND THEN
PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT.
SO IT IS A HEAVY LIFT, FEBRUARY
1ST IS THE DEADLINE FOR YOU AND
YOUR OFFICE AND THE OTHER
SUPERVISORS TO VERIFY ALL THOSE
SIGNATURES AND THAT’S WHAT
BRINGS US TO YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO
VERIFY THEM.
IN OTHER COUNTY THERE WERE FOUND
TO BE DEAD PEOPLE’S SIGNATURES
AND ONE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTION
AND HIS WIFE’S SIGNATURE THAT HE
SAID HE DIDN’T DO.
SO IS IT THE MONEY IN THIS
PARTICULAR BALLOT ITEM VICE A
VEE GAMBLING?
IS IT ALL THAT MONEY THAT’S SORT
OF CREATING THIS PROBLEM?
>> SO WHAT IS REALLY CREATING
CREATING-- YOU HIT THE NAIL
RIGHT ON THE HEAD GLENNA WHEN
YOU SAID THAT THIS IS THE ONLY
SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE THAT ALLOWS
REGULAR CITIZENS TO POTENTIALLY
GET SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT.
HOWEVER THE WAY THAT THE LAWS
ARE SET UP, IT IS SPECIFICALLY
SET UP TO ONE MAKE IT SO THAT
YOU NEED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
MONEY IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY
ACCOMPLISH A BALLOT PETITION.
AN INITIATIVE DRIVE, THAT’S ONE
PROBLEM AND THE OTHER PROBLEM
IS, IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GATHERING PETITIONS AS WELL AS
THE POLITICAL COMMITTEES THAT
SUBMIT THEM ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
SCREEN.
SO IF SOMEBODY WERE TO TRY AND
TRY TO MAKE THE PETITION
GATHERERS LOOK BAD BY FILLING
OUT BAD PETITIONS AND GIVING
THEM TO THE PETITION GATHERER,
THE PETITION IMARIER BY LAW HAS
TO THEN TURN THAT PETITION IN.
SO THEY DON’T HAVE THE, SO LET’S
SAY THEY WERE OUT THERE AND THEY
ACTUALLY MET WITH A GROUP OF
PEOPLE AND SAID HEY GUYS, FILL
IT OUT.
AND LET’S SAY STHS PEOPLE WERE
IN OPPOSITION, SECRETLY IN
OPPOSITION AND SHOWED UP TO FILL
OUT BAD PETITIONS, THEY COULD DO
THAT.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE AN
INVESTIGATION.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY
WHA HAPPENED BUT WE CAN’T
IMMEDIATELY JUMP TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THE FOLK BHOS
ARE GATHERING PETITIONS ARE IN
THE WRONG.
BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE
OPTION OF SCREENING THEM.
ONCE THEY’RE FILLED OUT THEY
HAVE TO TURN THEM IN.
>> WE SHOULD POINT OUT EXCUSE
ME, WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE
FLORIDA SECRETARY OF STATE
LAUREL LEE HAS REFERRED THIS TO
THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
AND I KNOW GLENNA WAS IN TOUCH
WITH THEM THIS WEEK AND THEY ARE
BASICALLY CONFIRMING THAT THEY
ARE LOOKING INTO THIS FOR
POSSIBLE CRIMINAL CHARGES.
I MEAN THIS REALLY IS SERIOUS
STUFF.
>> IT IS, ABSOLUTELY.
IT IS, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT OF
COURSE WE DO NEED TO
INVESTIGATE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE AN
INVESTIGATION TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE
CAN’T JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT BECAUSE WE’RE LOOKING INTO
THIS FOR CRIMINAL CHARGES THAT
THERE IS A PARTICULAR PARTY THAT
HAS YOU KNOW, IT’S PROBABLY TOO
SOON TO COME TO A CONCLUSION
ABOUT WHO EXACTLY WAS CONDUCTING
THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.
>> SO THERE IS A REAL LEVEL OF
INTRIGUE HERE AND THIS IS THE
ELECTION FRAUD THAT PEOPLE I
GUESS AT THIS MOMENT SHOULD BE
CONCERNED AND TO CUZZED ON.
BUT JOE, THERE ARE AT LEAST 15,
A DDZ OR 15 OTHER EFFORTS TO GET
QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT THAT ARE
UNDERGOING THAT PETITION PROCESS
RIGHT NOW.
SO HOW IS YOUR OFFICE ONE AMONG
67 HANDLING VERIFYING THE
SIGNATURES FOR ALL OF THOSE
EFFORTS.
>> SO WHAT, SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY
OVER THE PAST COUPLE EF MONTHS,
WE’VE ACTUALLY HIRED TEMPS.
WE’VE BEEN USING OVERTIME.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE MEET OUR OBLIGATION TO
PROS SES THOSE PETITIONS IN A
TIMELY MANNER SO AS WE GET,
SOMETIMES WE’LL GET TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PETITIONS ALL AT
ONE TIME AND THEN WE HAVE TO
PROCESS THOSE WITHIN 30 DAYS SO
IT IS REALLY AN EFFORT TO SCALE
UP OUR OPERATIONS AND GET THOSE
PETITIONS PROCESSED IN TIME.
AS I LEWDED TO AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE SEGMENT, THERE ARE, THERE
ARE WAYS THAT THIS CAN BE DONE.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY NOW THAT
THIS CAN BE DONE SECURELY
ONLINE, IT ELIMINATES THIS WHOLE
PROCESS OF HAVING PEOPLE OUT
THERE WITH PAPER AND CLIP BOARDS
GATHERING GROUPS AND GETTING
PEOPLE TO FILL OUT PETITION
FORMS, ALLOW PEOPLE TO GO
ONLINE, DO A SECURE SIGN IN, AND
HAVE THE PETITIONS VERIFIED THAT
WAY.
THAT WOULD BE FAR MORE
EFFICIENT, FAR MORE SECURE THAN
THE PROCESS THAT WE’RE DOING
NOW.
THE PROBLEM, THE THE REASON WE
CAN’T DO THIS IS THAT THE LAW
DOESN’T ALLOW IT, THAT POLITICAL
WILL ISN’T THERE FOR US TO
CHANGE THE LAW IN A WAY THAT
WOULD ALLOW US TO GATHER
PETITIONS DIGITALLY IN A SECURE
DIGITAL WAY THAT WOULD BE FAR,
FAR BETTER THAN THE PROCESS
WE’RE USING RIGHT NOW.
>> SO WHAT YOU ARE RECEIVING NOW
AT YOUR OFFICE AND ELECTION
SUPERVISORS IN SIX OTHER
COUNTIES THAT HAVE REPORTED THIS
PROBLEM, YOU GET AN INDIVIDUAL
SHEET OF PAPER, SUBMITTED BY A
PERSON WHO IS PAID, PAID WELL TO
COLLECT SIGNATURES ON PETITIONS,
IS THAT RIGHT.
>> WELL, SO ONE THING WITH THE
LAW IS THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PAID PER
PETITION THAT THEY GATHER SO
THAT THE PROCESS OF HIRING AND
PAYING PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND
GATHER PETITIONS, IT HAS TO BE
DONE IN A WAY THAT DOESN’T PAY
THEM BY PETITION, SO THAT WAY
YOU DON’T HAVE AN INCENTIVE FOR
PEOPLE TO SUBMIT PETITIONS THAT
MIGHT SB, THAT MIGHT NOT, THAT
MIGHT GET REJECTED.
SO THE LAW ALREADY ADDRESSES
THAT PIECE OF IT.
THAT THEY’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET
HE PAID BY PETITION.
HOWEVER THEY’RE ALSO NOT ALLOWED
TO SCREEN THE PETITIONS AS I
MEKED EARLIER.
SO ONCE THE PETITION GETS FILLED
OUT, THEY HAVE TO TURN IT INTO
US SO IF BAD ACTORS WANTED TO
GIVE THEM BAD PETITIONS TO THEN
TURN INTO US, WE WOULD HAVE TO
ACCEPT THAT.
AND ALL OF THAT COULD BE CLEARED
RIGHT UP BY GIVING, YOU KNOW, BY
HAVING A SECURE DIGITAL ONLINE
VERSION WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO
ONLINE.
SIMILAR TO THE WAY WE DO
VETTER-- VOTER REGISTRATION.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHEN WE HAVE
FOLKS THAT GO OUT AND WANT TO DO
VOTER REGISTRATION ON THE PAPER
FORMS, THEY’RE NOW REQUIRED TO
TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN GO ONLINE
AND REGISTER TO VOTE ONLINE.
SO YOU KNOW, APPLYING THAT SAME
PROCESS TO PETITIONS WOULD OF
COURSE MAKE THIS SO THAT THIS
WHOLE PROBLEM THAT WE’RE
EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW GETS
COMPLETELY ELIMINATED BY
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LOG IN AND
SECURELY DO IT IT ONLINE SO WE
KNOW WHO THE PERSON IS AT THE
MOMENT THAT THEY ARE FILLING OUT
THE PETITION.
>> JOE SCOTT, BROWARD’S ELECTION
SUPERVISOR ALWAYS GOOD IT TO
HAVE YOU WITH US, AND THANKS FOR
EXPLAINING THIS AND GOOD LUCK IT
TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, DEALING
WITH THIS MOUNTAIN OF PETITIONS,
MANY OF WHICH APPEAR TO BE
FRAUDULENT, JOE, THANKS VERY
MUCH.