One of Rick Scott’s biggest mistakes as eight years of governor was never firing the corrupt Broward County supervisor Brenda Snipes. Now, all of a sudden Scott and Ron DeSantis, the next governor of Florida are talking about dumping the corrupt old hag after years of destroying ballots and pulling crap like she is today in the Governor and Senate elections. BTW, guess who appointed Snipes to her job in the first place? It was non other than Jeb Bush when he was governor of Florida. Kind seem fittings.
| Brenda Snipes finally about to be fired? |
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So many controversies have bedeviled Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes — culminating in her office’s troubles in the aftermath of Florida’s chaotic 2018 elections — that her days in office are now numbered, insiders and lawmakers say.
She’s losing support from fellow Democrats and faces the increasing likelihood of an embarrassing suspension from office at the hands of either Gov. Rick Scott or his likely successor, Ron DeSantis.
Suspending Snipes from office would put a final exclamation point on one of the most contested midterms in recent Florida history, which has resulted in three statewide recounts — for U.S. Senate, governor and agriculture commissioner — as well as recounts in three local legislative races. Removal proceedings in the GOP-led Florida Senate could also cause a possible rift among Florida state Senate Democrats if the black caucus rallies around Snipes in the same way it did around her predecessor, who was also African-American, more than a decade ago.
“This is not just the most troubled elections office in the state, it’s the most troubled elections office in the nation,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, who contends that Snipes needs to be removed from office once the recounts that began Sunday in the races for governor and U.S. Senate are over.
“She has shown she’s incapable of conducting a large and important election in a way that inspires public confidence and trust,” Rubio said. “She’s been found to have destroyed ballots, in violation of the law. Opened absentee ballots early, in violation of the law. Misprinted ballots that have gone out.”
Snipes’ attorney, Burnadette Norris-Weeks, said Snipes is being unfairly attacked, along with Palm Beach County’s supervisor, Susan Bucher.
“Political gamesmanship at its best,” Norris-Weeks said via email. “The Broward County and Palm Beach County Supervisors of Elections (and the canvassing boards for both counties) have done nothing more than count all votes as required by law. Ridiculous!”
If Snipes is suspended by the governor, incoming Florida state Senate President Bill Galvano said it’s time to have his chamber investigate and prepare to strike the final blow by removing her from office — just as the chamber did to her predecessor, Miriam Oliphant, for mismanaging the 2002 Democratic gubernatorial primary.
“What she’s demonstrated over the years is a series of mistakes that rise above the level of negligence and into incompetence,” Galvano said. “We can’t continue to keep ignoring this and every option should be on the table.”
Under Florida’s constitution, “incompetence” is a specific cause that a governor can invoke in suspending a constitutional officer such as Snipes.