Test
Test >> RIGHT TO VOTE, A PANEL OF JUDGES SAY FORMER FELONS SHOULD
BE ABLE TO VOTE IN FLOOR DARKS
THE GOVERNOR WILL APPEAL THAT.
WILL FORMER FELONS WHO STILL OWE
FINES AND FEES BE ABLE TO VOTE
THIS YEAR?
>> ROGER IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE
OF EXONERATION IN MY OPINION.
>> SOME ON THE SCALE, TWEET, AND
COME TAITION, THE PRESIDENT
MOVES TO MITIGATE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR, TWO PROSECUTORS WEIGH
IN.
>> AND ACCORDING TO THREE
NETWORKS ON THE AP WE HAVE NOW
WON THE NEVADA CAUCUS.
(APPLAUSE)
>> BIG WIN FOR BERNIE.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS TAKES THE
NEVADA SAW KUSES BY A
LANDSLIDE-- CAUCUSES BY A
LANDSLIDE.
IS HE NOW UNSTOPPABLE.
WE’LL TAKE THE STATE OF THE RACE
TO THE ROUND TABLE.
GOOD MORNING, GLAD YOU COULD
JOIN US, I’M MICHAEL PUTNEY.
>> WE BEGIN TODAY WITH A COURT
DECISION THIS WEEK INVOLVING
FORMER FELON’S RIGHT TO VOTE AND
A FIGHT THAT COULD ADD A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF VOTERS TO
THE ROLES THIS ELECTION YEAR.
>> ON WEDNESDAY A FEDERAL
APPEALS COURT RULED THAT FORMER
FELONS WHO CANNOT PAY THEIR
FINES AND FEES CANNOT BE DENIED
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS ASKED THE
ENTIRE COURT TO KEEP THAT BAN IN
PLACE WHILE HE GOES AHEAD WITH
HIS APPEAL.
>> EITHER WAY THE WIN FOR THE 17
FORMER FELONS WHO BROUGHT THE
CASE GIVES HOPE TO SOME MILLION
AND A HALF OTHERS AND RAISES
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO WILL BE ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NOVEMBER
ELECTION.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE BEGIN WITH
NEIL VOLT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
THE FLORIDA RIGHTS RESTORATION
COALITION, THE GROUP BEHIND THE
PASS AJTS OF AMENDMENT FOUR TWO
YEARS AGO AND NOW LEADING THE
CHARGE AGAINST THE FINANCIAL
RULES THAT BIND IT.
SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE AND A
LITTLE BIT OF TRAVELING TO GET
HERE.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
>> FIRST TIME ON THIS ISSUE.
>> IT A HUGE ISSUE AND ONLY A
MILLION AND A HALF FORMER FELONS
ARE WAITING TO SEE HOW IT IS
GOING TO BE DECIDED.
SO THIS THREE PANEL JUDGES IN
THE 11th CIRCUIT IN ATLANTA,
THIS RULING IS IN YOUR FAVOR AND
AGAINST THE GOVERNOR AND THE
LEGISLATURE.
BUT BEYOND THE 17 PLAINTIFFS IN
THE CASE, WHO IS AFFECTED.
>> WELL, IT REALLY IMPACTS THE
17 PLAINTIFFS.
AND IF I COULD JUST LET YOU
KNOW, I’M A RETURNING CITIZEN,
SO I AM SOMEBODY WHO GOT MY
VOTING RIGHTS RESTORED.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS NOT A PARTY
TO THE CASE BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY
WORKING WITH RETURNING CITIZENS
ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND WE CAN
TELL YOU THAT WE ARE CAUTIOUSLY
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS CASE.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A LONG
WAY TO GO.
AND WE’VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A
ROLLER COASTER TAKE PLACE IN
TERMS OF HOW RETURNING CITIZENS
ARE PROCESSING THIS INFORMATION.
>> VERY INTERESTING THAT YOU ARE
NOT A PARTY TO THE CASE.
AND THAT BRINGS UP SOMETHING
THAT I FIND REALLY FASCINATING
IS THAT THIS HAS BECOME SUCH A
POLITICIZED ISSUE.
WHY IS IT SO POLITICIZED WHEN IT
REALLY AFFECTS DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICAN FORMER FELONS IN THE
VERY SAME WAY?
>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT RETURNING
CITIZENS, REPRESENT ALL WALKS OF
LIFE, REPRESENT ALL COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS
MOVEMENT THAT WE’VE BEEN ON, I
THINK ABOUT WHERE IT STARTED.
IT REALLY STARTED FROM THE
BOTTOM UP WITH FAMILY MEMBERS OF
RETURNING CITIZENS SIGNING
PETITIONS.
AND NOBODY, YOU KNOW, IN THAT
MOMENT WAS THINKING ABOUT
PARTISAN POLITICS.
BUT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT
ELECTIONS AND YOU START MOVING
THIS THING FORWARD, IT BECOMES A
BIPOD.
AND IT MAKES US-- BY PRODUCT
BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF AMENDMENT
FOUR TRANSCENDED RIGHT OR LEFT T
WAS REALLY ABOUT PEOPLE BEING
PEOPLE AND LOVING THEIR
NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
>> 65% OF FLORIDIANS SAID YES,
WE BELIEVE THOSE WHO SCERVE
THEIR SENTENCES WANT TO REJOIN
SOCIETY FULLY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
VOTE.
SO THERE WERE REPUBLICANS,
DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS WHO
VOTED FOR THIS.
>> EXACTLY RIGHT.
THIS WAS A GRASS ROOTS MOVEMENT
THAT ENJOYED SUPPORT FROM THE
RIGHT, THE LEFT, FROM ALL OVER
THE STATE AND WAS REALLY FOUNDED
ON A SIMPLE PREMISE THAT YOU
KNOW WHEN A DEBT IS PAID IT’S
PAID.
AND THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE
NOT ON THE BALLOT WITH AMENDMENT
FOUR.
IT WAS REALLY OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR
FRIENDS, OUR LOVED ONES AND WE
SAW THIS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT.
>> THE THE AMENDMENT FOUR
HAS-- WAS IMPLEMENTED BY A
STATUTE CREATED BY LAWMAKERS.
AND THAT IS KIND OF WHAT IS SO
CONTROVERSY.
BUT THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT OF
THE SENTENCE THAT NEEDS TO BE
SATISFIED INCLUDES THE COURT
COSTS AND FEES WHICH NOW MANY
COUNTY INJURES DICTIONS ARE
TRYING TO FIND A WAY AROUND BUT
IT ALSO INVOLVES RESTITUTION.
AND RESTITUTION IS NOT PART OF
THIS CONTROVERSY BECAUSE IF A
FORMER FELON OWES RESTITUTION TO
A VICTIM, THAT IS-- THAT’S GOT
TO BE PAID THAT IS NOT PART OF
THIS.
>> YEAH, I KNOW WHEN I THINK
ABOUT TRAVELING ALL OVER THE
STATE, THOSE OF US WHO ARE OPEN
TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT AMENDMENT
FOUR, WE TALKED ABOUT THE POWER
OF RESTITUTION AND BEING MADE
WHOLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I CREATED A BREACH IN MY
COMMUNITY AND FOR ME TO MOVE
FORWARD IN A HALEY WAY WITH MY
COMMUNITY, I NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT BREACH HAS BEEN
FILLED.
AND SO WHAT WE’RE ENGAGED IN
RIGHT NOW IS A BICK CONVERSATION
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO COMPLETE
YOUR SENTENCE AND THEN HOW
PEOPLE CAN BECOME ELIGIBLE TO
VOTE.
>> NEIL, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL,
THERE IS KIND OF A BIT OF A
CHECKER BOARD EFFECT IN THE
STATE.
THERE ARE COUNTIES LIKE MIAMI
DADE WHERE THE STATE ATTORNEY
AND BROWARD AS WELL MAYBE IN
ORANGE COUNTY AS WELL IS TRIED
TO SAY ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN’T PAY
YOUR FEES, COME IN, WE’LL WORK
OUT A DEAL WHERE YOU CAN DO
COMMUNITY SERVICE.
YOU CAN PAY OFF THAT MONEY OVER
TIME, AS IT WERE.
BUT THIS IS NOT UNIFORM IN THE
STATE.
>> NO, THAT IS RIGHT.
IF THINK ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE,
AMENDMENT FOUR PASSED AND THAT
ENDED THE LIFETIME BAN FOR
PEOPLE WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS.
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW
THAT PROVIDED RELIEF, THAT GAVE
US TOOLS TO USE WITH LOCAL COURT
ROOMS.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE’RE DOING IS
WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT JUDICIAL DISTRICTS TO
SECRETLY FOR RETURNING CITIZENS
WHO WANTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO FULL
PARTICIPATION.
>> AND YOUR GROUP ALSO I HAVE
READ HAS RAISED WHAT, A HALF A
MILLION DOLLARS AND YOU HAVE
GONE AHEAD AND PAID OFF SOME OF
THE FINES AND FEES FOR SOME
FORMER FELONS, DON’T KNOW HOW
MANY.
>> WE HAVE A FINES AND FEES FUND
AND IT IS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE
THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO
HELP PEOPLE.
SO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD
THEIR FINES AND FEES PAID OFF
THROUGH A FINDS AND FEES FUND,
WE BRING IT UP IN CASE SOMEBODY
WANTS TO DONATE.
>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE
POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS,
ROUGHLY A MILLION AND A HALF
FORMER FELONS IS THE NUMBER I
HAVE SEEN IN THE NARRATIVE
INVOLVED.
AND THE PUSH AND PULL OF THIS
IS, I MEAN THIS CAME DOWN ONE
DAY TOO LATE FOR ANYONE TO
REGISTER FOR THE PRIMARIES.
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT NOVEMBER IS STILL OUT
THERE.
AND I THINK THE PREVAILING
CONVERSATION IS WELL, HERE IS A
MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE WHO
CAN DRK DSH A FRACTION OF THAT
CAN SWAY A FLORIDA VOTE, WE ALL
KNOW THAT, BUT PRACTICALLY
SPEAKING, HAS YOUR ORGANIZATION
REALLY LOOKED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE
REALLY ARE GOING TO REGISTER TO
VOTE, ISN’T THIS SORT OF
REFLECTIVE OF THE POPULATION
WHERE THERE IS SOME VERY ENGAGED
PEOPLE BUT SOME NOT VERY ENGAGED
PEOPLE WHO WON’T?
>> I THINK THAT SAY REALLY GOOD
QUESTION AND I THINK WE KNOW
THAT TENS OF HOWS OF PAST FELONY
CONVICTIONS REGISTERED TO VOTE
REPRESENT A BROAD BACKGROUND OF
PEOPLE.
AND FOLKS THAT I GET TO SPEND SO
MUCH TIME WITH, WHAT I LIKE TO
SAY IS THERE IS NO ONE WHO IS A
BETTER EVANGELIST OF DEMOCRACY
THAN SOMEBODY WHO LOST THE RIGHT
TO VOTE AND GOT IT BACK.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE REALLY EXCITED
AND WE’RE GOING TO SEE, YOU
KNOW, OVER TIME HOW MANY PEOPLE
COME OUT AND WHAT THE ULTIMATE
IMPACT.
IS ONE THING WE DO KNOW IS THAT
IT SHIFTS THE CONVERSATION
AROUND THE ISSUES.
AND THAT IS BY BRINGING THESE
NEW VOTERS ON, WE ARE STARTING
TO SEE MORE CONVERSATIONS AROUND
PUBLIC SAFETY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM AND WE THINK THAT SAY
REALLY HEALTHY THING FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> NEIL, BRING US UP TO DATE,
THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF FOMPLER
FELONS WHO WHEN AMENDMENT FOUR
PASSED WENT INTO THEIR ELECTIONS
DEPARTMENTS AND SIGNED UP AND
SAID I’M QUAWL FRIED TO VOTE.
AND IT IS ILLEGAL TO CAST A VOTE
IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED
ELECTOR.
AND NOW IT APPEARS THAT MAYBE
SOME OF THEM AREN’T.
SO WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THOSE
PEOPLE STH.
>> WE GET PHONE CALLS EVERY DAY,
AND I GET TEXT MESSAGES, I GOT
ONE FROM YESTERDAY FROM A FRIEND
OF MINE WHO WENT THROUGH THE
PROCESS.
WHO PAID ALL HIS FINDERS FEES
AND REGISTERED TO VOTE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE YOU NEED
TO DO YOUR DUE DILL AGAINST,
GIVE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT, MAKE
SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED IN
THE RIGHT WAY.
AND WE DO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE
BEEN OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE
REGISTERED.
AND OUR JOB IS, IS TO WAIT AND
SEE WHAT ARE PEOPLE GETTING BACK
FROM THEIR SUPERVISORS AND THEN
RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.
>> THAT IS ACTUALLY GOOD ADVICE
FOR EVERYBODY.
>> YEAH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> AND THE FINAL POINT I WOULD
MAKE, OF COURSE, IS IN APRIL,
APRIL IN TALLAHASSEE, FEDERAL
JUDGE ROBERT HENKLE IS GOING TO
HEAR THE TRIAL IN THIS CASE ON
AMENDMENT FOUR.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
WE KNOW THERE ARE QUITE A FEW
STEPS STILL TO GO INCLUDING THE
HINKLE CASE, SOME PEOPLE
MENTIONED IT IS GOING INTO THE
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
FOR US IT TURNS INTO A ROLLER
COASTER BECAUSE YOU GET EXCITED
WHEN YOU SEE THE HEADLINED AND
ARE HEACH FOR THE 17 PLAINTIFFS
BUT YOU KNOW THE FRIENDS AND
NEIGHBORS WHO ARE WAITING AND
HOPING TO BE FULL PARTICIPATES
IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE STILL
WAITING RIGHT NOW.
AND OUR ORGANIZATION IS
COMMITTED TO ANY RETURNING
CITIZEN WHO WANTS TO HAVE ACCESS
TO THE VOTING BOOTH, THAT WE
WILL WALK WITH THEM AND TRY AND
CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.
AND STAY TUNED.