After playing it off fails, Florida Democrats lawyer up over 'irregularities

Florida Democrats -- along with CNN news anchors, reporters, and chyrons -- have made the case for the last 10 days or so that President Trump and Gov. Rick Scott are lying when they make claims about ballot issues, malfeasance, or fraud in Florida's election results tallying. When Florida's Department of State asked federeral prosecutors to look into "irregularities" in official documents, the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) tried to play it off.

"The courts have already forced Rick Scott to drop a lawsuit after false claims of fraud, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement rejected his desperate attempts to interfere with the important work of counting ballots,” said spokesperson Caroline Rowland, in an emai to Politico. “Now, Scott is once again trying to divert attention and resources from a smooth and successful recount."

That sentiment has been thematic in Florida and in CNN coverage of Florida, despite actual evidence, court findings, and an accountable record of serious problems and more than questionable decisions made by Democrats in the state. That tune changed on Friday, though, at least as far as the FDP is concerned. They lawyered up.

Politico reports:

“Upon receiving notice of the allegations that the form was incorrect, FDP took immediate steps, including hiring an independent investigator to review the issues at hand,” attorney Mark Herron said in a statement provided by a party spokeswoman. “As soon as we know the results of the investigation we will advise you.”

Herron went to CNN to break the news Friday morning, one week after the vote-by-mail “cure affidavits” were sent to U.S. Attorneys Christopher P. Canova of the Northern District of Florida, Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida and Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida.

To put in simplest terms, so there can be no confusion for any CNN contributors or analysts, the fact that Democrats in the State altered the date on forms mailed to voters is a “fraudulent practice" under Florida law.

Remember, nearly every day since the election the media has been on flatly stating there is no evidence or allegation of fraud in the state, and that everyone claiming otherwise is a liar. Borrowing from FDP, the media has used the word "false" relentlessly.

But Politico notes that it’s a third-degree felony to “knowingly and willfully ... make or use any false document, knowing the same to contain any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry." Note the word "fraudulent" there.

Another cherry line from Politico's article: "The use of altered documents to reach out to voters whose mail ballots were initially rejected is the cherry on top of a disastrous election cycle for Florida Democrats."

There are more details here, or at the Naples Daily Newshere.

Politico's article parses, arguing that accusations of fraud from Republicans have centered on Broward and Palm Beach Counties -- where, one should note, the fact that no fraud investigation is currently underway is not a definitive case that none took place -- and that because this fraud investigation is at the state level, it is not evidence that the GOP was correct to say there were problems in Florida. The reader may judge whether that stands to reason.

The facts in Florida are that, in addition to rejected ballots being mixed with accepted ones, missed deadlines that cost the Republican votes which would increase his lead, boxes of ballots showing up late, attempts to accept non-citizen ballots, and more, Democrats in Florida also literally tampered with official documents in their effort to alter the outcome of the election.

The Florida Democratic Party is lawyering up because they have a lot to answer for, and are now rightly on defense.