Controversy over Amendment 4 signatures as Florida accuses group of fraud

Florida’s newly established Office of Election Crimes and Security has accused Floridians Protecting Freedom, the group behind Amendment 4, of widespread fraud in its petition-gathering efforts. According to a recently released 350-page report, the state claims the organization violated election laws while collecting signatures for the amendment, which seeks to overturn Florida’s six-week abortion ban.

The report alleges that petition circulators were illegally paid per signature, signed petitions for deceased individuals, forged or misrepresented signatures, and committed perjury. Lauren Brenzel, the campaign director for “Yes on 4,” denied these allegations, calling the accusations politically motivated.

“Ask yourself why this is happening now?” Brenzel said. “It’s because our campaign is winning, and the government is doing everything it can to stop Floridians from gaining the rights they deserve.”

Dr. Cecilia Grande, an OBGYN who helped gather signatures, echoed Brenzel’s sentiment, stating that the accusations are merely attempts to confuse the public. “These latest tactics are just about creating negative press. Everything else they’ve tried hasn’t worked.”

In Broward County, Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott reported that his office received 149,896 signatures for Amendment 4, validating 99,946 of them. Scott expressed concern that the state’s report could unduly influence voters, stating, “There are bad actors, sure, but that doesn’t mean the petition or amendment is invalid. I hope people don’t jump to that conclusion.”

Brenzel emphasized that the campaign has followed state law throughout the process and called the allegations “dishonest distractions” aimed at silencing voters.