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.
So we need more violent felons voting exactly why . . . ?
I haven’t been paying attention - is Crist a complete idiot?
The Democrats just got 16,000 more votes.
of=if
Apparently the law provides that the criminals must all have either their true name or an alias be...........
“Chad.”
THANK YOU! I’M HERE ALL NIGHT!
When they pass S1348, the United States of America as it exists today will be gone. I put “when” because it seems to as they are bound and determined to pass it. And they willget it passed by hook or by crook. When it is enacted into law, we have had it.
How much does an unemployed felon’s vote go for in Florida these days?
It’s really sad to see one’s one country commit suicide. Pathetic too.
You can thank the Socialists.
Yes!
Crist is actually a democrat. No one can believe that felons, if they vote, would vote for conservatives or law and order types.
A lot of us have been saying that. If those who are supporting this Bill don't have the sense of urgency NOT to pass it, I can only believe they are willing to suffer the consequences and are aware of the full range of possible consequences this bill will have.
If that is truly the case, we need a law that would prevent a vote on such a measure and to penalize anyone for conspiring to destroy our nation, overtly or covertly.
The Enumerated Powers Act would fit nicely here. Let the proposed Bill contain a 'Constitutional Authority' clause. That alone will stop it dead in its tracks.
Well given that 70 - 80 percent land back in jail, AND in what we would now consider good voter turnout to be around 60 percent. That translates into approx 3500 voters.
Would a ‘Constitutional Authority’ clause in this Bill cause it to self-annihilate?
Is he going to give them their gun rights back too?
“I haven’t been paying attention - is Crist a complete idiot?”
Is this a rhetorical question or a real question? Because if this is a real question, then the answer to your question is: YES, CRIST IS A COMPLETE IDIOT.
3 weeks after his “sweeping insurance reform” to lower our insurance rates, I got a notice indicating that mine went up 50 %.
I can’t believe that I voted for this guy. He sucks.
Real question. The felon thing was for-sure idiocy, but not in and of itself proof of *complete* idiocy.
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