Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., the GOP candidate for senator, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee sued Broward County Election Supervisor Brenda Snipes late Thursday for failing to disclose ballot-counting information.
“We have just filed a lawsuit,” Scott said during a press conference Thursday night. “I will not sit idly by while unethical liberals try to steal this election.”
Scott accused incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson’s team of trying to “steal the election” and claimed Broward County’s “mysteriously finding more votes” was evidence of that. The governor’s mansion and one U.S. Senate seat, which Republicans believe they had secured on Tuesday, are up for grabs. Just 17,429 out of 8,165,741 votes cast in the Senate race separate the GOP’s Gov. Rick Scott, who is leading, from Nelson.
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The lawsuit goes after Snipes for not releasing information about how many ballots the county has processed. Scott also said the county was home to “rampant fraud” and ordered law enforcement to immediately begin investigating.
“Voting in the 2018 General Election concluded November 6, 2018. Two days after voting has concluded, the Supervisor Of Elections is unwilling to disclose records revealing how many electors voted, how many ballots have been canvassed, and how many ballots remain to be canvassed,” the suit states.
“The lack of transparency raises substantial concerns about the validity of the election process. An emergency hearing is necessary as the Canvassing Board is obligated to submit the unofficial elections results to the Division of Elections by noon November 10, 2018. A recount in at least two, possibly three, of the statewide races appears likely,” it states.
Broward, a Democratic stronghold that played a pivotal role in the 2000 presidential election Florida recount, is still having major problems counting ballots. Of the Broward County ballots counted, more than 24,700 voted for a gubernatorial candidate but no candidate for U.S. Senate — a fact seized on by Democrats as an indication that a large number of votes for Nelson could be missing.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said his party is sending in the legal cavalry to help Sen. Bill Nelson, who has yet to concede his re-election effort against Rick Scott, the outgoing governor.
“There’s an army of lawyers down there now that are working on the recount,” Perez said Thursday. “And I’m glad they’re doing that.”
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., blasted Broward County election supervisors, alleging they were potentially violating state law and opening the door for Democratic lawyers to “steal” seats.
Rubio, who was not up for re-election this year, singled out Snipes, saying she is not only incompetent at her job, but has a record of breaking the law when it comes to counting people’s votes.
