Tallahassee–Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer released the following letter today upon receiving a letter from Florida Democrat Party Chairman Karen Thurman that accused the Republican Party of Florida of attempting to disenfranchise voters facing home foreclosure.
Dear Chairman Thurman:
I received your letter and appreciate your concern for Floridians suffering through a home foreclosure. I share both your empathy for our fellow Floridians and concern for maintaining the integrity of Florida’s election process; therefore, I thoroughly reject any and all insinuations that the Republican Party of Florida is engaging in any type of voter suppression effort. Your allegations are in no way grounded in fact.
With all due respect, I find it deplorable that you would engage in this type of blatant scare tactic designed to cast doubts in the minds of Florida voters, especially given the fact that there is still an injunction in effect against the Florida Democrat Party and the Democrat National Committee for scare tactics used to threaten Republican poll watchers in 2004.
Before you deploy another political stunt aimed at discrediting the Republican Party of Florida’s ballot integrity program, I wonder if FDP lawyers are still instructing poll watchers to “assist” voters at the polls, a clear violation of Fl. Stat. § 101.131 which strictly prohibits poll watchers from “interact[ing] with voters.”
The Republican Party of Florida has received reports from several counties noting that Democrat lawyers from across the county have descended on Florida polling places, under the guise of Democrat poll watchers, wearing paraphernalia that distinguishes these attorneys, who are unlicensed in the state of Florida, as Florida Elections Counselors. I kindly remind you that “counseling” voters is no different from “assisting” voters and both are prohibited by Florida law.
In favor of a free and fair election process, I implore you to use your authority as the leader of your party to not only encourage those affiliated with the Florida Democrat Party to act within the constraints of the law, but first and foremost to immediately cease from precipitating these unfounded and completely inaccurate accusations against the Republican Party of Florida. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss this matter at your earliest convenience. Please contact me at (850) 222-7920 and I will gladly work with you to set a time and location for this important discussion.
Respectfully,
James A. Greer
Chairman
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