MIAMI – A male has been billed with forgery and fraud right after authorities say he solid a ballot in Florida for his deceased father in the 2020 election, even though the suspect says the rates had been motivated by a regional, internal GOP political rivalry between former President Donald Trump advocates and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis supporters.
Elections officers in Sumter County did not depend the ballot for the reason that it was postmarked four days immediately after the father died in mid-Oct 2020, according to a legal complaint brought by William Eager, the Sumter County elections supervisor. An evaluation of the father’s ballot confirmed the signature on it resembled that of his son’s and not any of the father’s past ballot signatures, the complaint explained.
Robert Rivernider was arrested and billed past 7 days with felony forgery of a general public report and fraud, according to court paperwork. He has given that been launched from custody.
Attained by phone Wednesday, Rivernider stated he prepared to plead not responsible. He blamed the costs on a area political rivalry amongst himself, an energetic Trump supporter, and regional officials supporting DeSantis, who also is a candidate for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. He pointed out that rates ended up submitted nearly a few a long time right after the election.
“There is a good deal of politics that goes on right here in Sumter County and they will not like the simple fact that I do not stick to their method,” Rivernider reported.
An e-mail was sent to Keen seeking comment.
Rivernider lives around The Villages, a large retirement community the place at the very least four people have been arrested considering that the 2020 election on voter fraud rates.
Final yr, DeSantis and the Republican-dominated Florida Legislature established a law enforcement agency to investigate election crimes, in spite of there becoming tiny proof of electoral malfeasance by voters in the Sunshine State. The unit’s 1st general public actions ended up the arrests of 20 men and women for illegally voting in 2020. DeSantis has mentioned the individuals were not qualified to vote underneath a 2018 constitutional modification that restores voting legal rights to some felons mainly because they had been convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.
Rivernider was convicted a ten years ago in federal court in Connecticut of orchestrating a $20 million genuine estate flipping plan and has however been having to pay restitution to dozens of victims. In Florida, felons must fork out all fines, restitution and legal fees right before they can get back their proper to vote.
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