OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Newly released police body-camera footage shows how Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ voter fraud arrests unfolded in August and liberals are not happy about it.
The body-camera footage from several police officers was obtained by the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald. Both websites published lengthy pieces defending several individuals in Florida who were arrested back in August for illegally voting.
In August, DeSantis announced that 20 people had been arrested after he said they were barred from voting due to their criminal records. The governor said at the time that the arrested individuals were disqualified from voting “after they were convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.”
DeSantis said that individuals charged with voter fraud can face up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Speaking with Local 10 News, Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd addressed the arrests of 20 ex-felons and media claims that they were “mistakenly urged to register to vote.”
“On the voter registration card, the person swears that the information they’re providing is the truth,” Byrd said. “So I understand that they’re saying they didn’t have intent, but I think when all of the cases are adjudicated that that may not bear out exactly.”
“We count our votes early and get them on election night, so the voters have confidence,” he said. “So I can never say never on a recount, but that’s up for the candidates to make sure they win big if they’re gonna win.”
Liberals and their allies in the media have been trying to attack DeSantis for a while.
DeSantis received a standing ovation at a rally in Kansas City, Missouri, after he mentioned that he transported 50 illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
During a rally in Kansas for state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, DeSantis spoke about the country where we see virtually no law and order at the southern border. And this is a crisis,” DeSantis said. “It’s now getting a little more attention.”
DeSantis pointed out, “You’re talking about 50 people. Did they get them employed? Did they get them set up? No. They called out the National Guard and they deported those people off the island the very next day.”
In a Kansas stop on his national blitz, Republican Florida Gov. DeSantis got an ovation from GOP voters days after flying migrants to Martha's Vineyard. https://t.co/LIM3dDGSDI
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 19, 2022
DeSantis suggested last week that he will continue sending more flights full of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard and possibly other locations.
“Now we see, in New York and D.C., they used to beat their chests when Trump was in office, saying they are sanctuary jurisdictions,” DeSantis said.
“Then the minute Texas starts busing there, they get very bent out of shape about it. These are just the beginning efforts. We got an infrastructure in place now. There is going to be a lot more that’s happening,” he added.
Former President Barack Obama and other Democrats who own homes on Martha’s Vineyard have remained silent after Republican governors sent roughly 50 illegal immigrants to the wealthy, liberal island.
Fox News reported that it made several requests to representatives for Obama for comment and did not receive any comment.
“The former president did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital on whether he has considered opening up his sprawling 29-acre estate on Martha’s Vineyard to illegal immigrants who have been sent to the island or maybe in the future,” Fox News reported.
“In addition, Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of prominent public supporters of President Biden who own homes on Martha’s Vineyard but did not receive a response. Those Martha’s Vineyard residents include singer James Taylor, director Spike Lee and comedian David Letterman, who all reportedly have homes on the island,” the outlet added.
Despite most on the wealthy island supporting and voting overwhelmingly for Democrats, many freaked out when just 50 illegal immigrants arrived late last week.
The 50 migrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard represent less than one-tenth of 1% of the nearly 5 million illegal immigrants believed to have crossed the southern border since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
Two days later, the 50 migrants were loaded onto buses to be transported off of Martha’s Vineyard to military housing on the Cape Cod mainland.