Posted on 06/14/2007 2:05:06 AM PDT by Man50D
The state has automatically restored voting rights to nearly 16,000 felons in the two months since a rules change that Republican Gov. Charlie Crist sought to help parolees re-establish themselves, his office said Wednesday.
That compares to fewer than 14,000 former offenders that had their rights restored without a hearing in the year before the changes, which allow the Florida Parole Commission to restore those rights without a hearing.
"They're having great success and it will only get better as we move along," Crist said. "I'd always rather have more, but I'm pleased with the progress and look forward to it accelerating."
Crist pushed the clemency board, which is made up of him and the state's three Cabinet members, to allow the commission to give voting rights back to more felons who have completed their sentences. Murderers and sex offenders are ineligible.
The state estimates that about 515,000 people could be eligible for automatic restoration. Since early April, the Department of Corrections has sent the parole commission the names of 105,000 people it believes meet the criteria.
The commission has reviewed just over 21,000 cases and restored the rights of 15,500 people. Reasons for not restoring rights include that the person has died, has moved from Florida or has been arrested again.
The Department of Corrections is loaning 100 employees a week to the commission to speed up the process, said Rob Wheeler, an attorney in the governor's office. The effort has drawn praise from state Republicans and Democrats.
"I'd like to see it completed as soon as possible," Crist said. "If we can get it done before the presidential primary, that would be tremendous."
Lazaro Arribas, a Miami resident convicted of bank robbery and other charges, said he will finish probation next year with the goal of voting in a presidential election for the first time in 12 years.
Rino, nice going. Who needs hanging chads anymore?
Does this also mean they can serve on a JURY?
Another puke-o-meter max-out for our gov.
Walking around money.
Sometimes ya just gotta wonder how these folks deduce logic.
I always thought losing ones voting rights was just one more reason to not break laws.
Here’s a public example (like immigration) of the dhimmicrats attempting to rig the results of an election before it happens.
Just like Venezuela.
There are restriction on who is eligible
THE RIGHTS THAT CAN BE RESTORED:
- To vote
- To serve on a jury
- To run for and hold public office
- To hold a state-issued license
RIGHTS THAT CANNOT BE RESTORED:
- To own a firearm
- To request a full pardon
- To request a commutation of sentence
WHO’S NOT ELIGIBLE
A person convicted of any of the following crimes is not eligible for automatic restoration of civil rights:
- murder, attempted murder, attempted felony murder, manslaughter
- DUI manslaughter
- sexual battery, attempted sexual battery
- lewd or lascivious battery, molestation, conduct or exhibition, or upon or in the presence of an elderly or disabled person
- sexual performance by a child
- aggravated child abuse
- failure to register as sexual predator
- transmission of computer pornography
- buying or selling of minors
-kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, false imprisonment, luring or enticing a child
-aggravated battery, attempted aggravated battery
- armed robbery, attempted armed robbery, carjacking, attempted carjacking, home invasion, attempted home invasion
- poisoning of food or water
- abuse of a dead human body
- first-degree burglary, attempted first-degree burglary
- arson or attempted arson
- aggravated assault, aggravated stalking
- aggravated battery or aggravated assault on law enforcement officer
- first-degree trafficking in illegal substances
- aircraft piracy
- unlawful throwing, placing or discharging of destructive device or bomb
- facilitating terrorism
- treason
ALSO INELIGIBLE:
- habitual violent felony offender
- prison release reoffender
- sexual predator
- three-time violent felony offender
- violent career criminal
Yes. Hard to believe we elected him. He's already declared himself a "governor for all the people of Florida". Which means he'll stab the Republican Party and its constituents in the back on a regular basis.
Then the example subject of this story must have been a rare unarmed bank robber. Or something doesn’t add up.
If we haven’t lost florida’s electoral votes with all the immigrants that have taken over, this surely clinches the deal. Thanks you teacher union loving RINO Crist.
But Crist was electable. At least Florida didn’t get some democrat who’d probably work to restore felons’ voting rights.
Oh, wait...
nevermind.
If amnesty passes, we need to get used to seeing headlines like this every day as Democrats take over America for the next 100 years....if America can last that long....
Know what else he did? He made it so we have to revise the voting machines so that each vote have a paper trail (costs us millions). Now the libs will pay all the sheeple to get on that free bus ride to the polls— with promises of free pizza, etc. for each paper trail vote that shows they voted Democrat.
I guess that means Florida is now a Blue State.
Don’t know but this could apply
https://fpc.state.fl.us/Clemency.htm
Rule 10B:
15-year arrest and crime-free review without a hearing for all offenses
New Process (Level II)
1. Complete sentence.
2. Complete supervision.
3. Pay victim restitution.
4. 15 years crime and arrest free.
5. Parole Commission verifies eligibility and no pending charges/detainers.
6. Parole Commission conducts mid-level investigation.
7. Placement on Clemency Board preliminary review list with investigation attached.
8. 30 days for approval – requires signature of approval of Governor plus two members.
9. If not approved, full hearing and investigation.
10. If approved, restoration of rights certificate issued.
“Is Crist a complete idiot”?
If Scooter Libby serves his time, completes his parole, why shouldn't he then be allowed to resume voting?
I didn’t vote for him, but he won anyway.
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