Two paid petition circulaters in Florida are accused of submitting false signatures to an amendment codifying a purported abortion “right” into the state constitution.
police officer arrested The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has issued arrest warrants for George Edward Andrews III, 30, of Dade City, and Jamey Johnson, 47, also of Dade City. announced on tuesday. The two men are accused of filing 133 invalid constitutional amendment petitions in multiple counties, including Sumter, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties, the agency said.
“The Florida Constitution is a sacred document, and there are legal ways for voters to amend it,” Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd said in a press release. “But when criminals seek to fraudulently circumvent that process, it is an affront to the people of Florida and the sanctity of our laws, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that Floridians and our Constitution are protected.” I will do my best.”
FDLE Secretary Mark Glass added, “Florida will continue to hold elections fairly and honestly.” “FDLE inspectors will investigate every allegation of voter fraud because we must ensure that no one attempts to cheat in our elections at the expense of all voters.”
Andrews was booked into the Hernando County Jail and faces 10 felonies each. Criminal use of personally identifying information and signing petitions under the name of another person or a fictitious name. The arrests were made following an investigation led by FDLE’s Election Crimes Unit (ECU). We work with the Florida Office of Election Crime and Security (OECS) and are assisted by local election supervisors.
FDLE said additional charges may be filed until the investigation is complete. These cases will be prosecuted by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of the Statewide Attorney and the Sixth Judicial Circuit State’s Attorney’s Office.
Floridians protect freedom, union Left-wing groups such as Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida are major sponsors of the amendment. The constitutional amendment, officially titled the “Amendment to Limit Government Interference in Abortion,” has garnered more than 996,000 signatures, more than 100,000 more than the number needed to be on the November ballot. ing. according to in the Florida constituency.
This amendment would require that any law ““Prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the health of the patient, based on the judgment of the patient’s health care provider.” does not alter the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification of parents or guardians before a pregnancy occurs.” “Abortion”, Ballot Summary read.
Moody asked the state Supreme Court to remove the measure from the ballot, citing concerns that the amendment’s language was designed to mislead voters.
Florida Supreme Court heard NBC News reports that debate on the bill will take place on Wednesday morning, and the proposed amendments have until April 1 to either reject or approve the text.
Activists in at least some other states are working to bring abortion legislation to a vote in 2024, after a series of victories for pro-abortion advocates at the state level since the fall of 2024. Roe vs. Wade – The 1973 Supreme Court decision that invented the “right” to abortion for 50 years.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
