In a surprising move, the Polk County commissioners recently agreed to a resolution claiming that Florida's 2020 election process was marred by irregularities. The resolution, presented by a local group of conservative activists, collected a 3-2 vote in favor, with Commissioners George Lindsey and Martha Santiago dissenting (USA TODAY). The resolution, submitted by United Sovereign Americans, was not advertised in advance of the meeting nor listed on the agenda.
Instead, it was presented during public comment in three-minute readings by the national group's Polk County volunteers, including the president and other members of the Winter Haven 9-12 club. The group, founded in New York by 2020 election deniers, has spread to other Florida counties, including Lee and Palm Beach (USA TODAY). Commissioners Neil Combee, Rick Wilson, and Chairman Bill Braswell voted in favor of the resolution... while Lindsey and Santiago opposed it. Combee, who was recently elected as the county's property appraiser, requested the vote be taken, "and Wilson seconded the motion." During the discussion, "Lindsey expressed concern about the resolution.".. stating that he was not aware of the representation mentioned in the document and did not want to sign it without reviewing it further.
He requested the opportunity to review the resolution and possibly come back with a revised version. The move has raised questions about the powers of elected boards to respond to public comments and whether the vote was taken in a way that was transparent and open to public scrutiny. The resolution has also drawn attention to the growing trend of election denialism in Florida and elsewhere.
On the spur of the moment, after a presentation by a Winter Haven group of conservative activists, a majority of the Polk County commissioners earlier this month agreed by a 3-2 vote on a resolution claiming that Florida's 2020 election process was full of irregularities. The resolution from United Sovereign Americans was not advertised in advance of the meeting nor listed on the Sept. 3 agenda. It was delivered during public comment in three-minute-long readings of the resolution by the national group's Polk County volunteers, including the president and other members of the Winter Haven 9-12 club.
No comments:
Post a Comment