Florida State Representative Anna V. Eskamani has been serving her 42nd district — which includes her hometown of Orlando — since 2018, when she made history by becoming the first Iranian-American elected to any public office in Florida.
Eskamani is encouraging Floridians to vote in favor of Amendment 4, which would overturn the state’s six-week abortion ban (signed by Governor Ron DeSantis) by enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution. She is also amplifying a story of voter intimidation told by a Floridian who signed a petition to get Amendment 4 on the ballot this election year.
Isaac Menasche reported (see below) that a detective, a plainclothes officer, who said he was investigating petition fraud, visited him in his home and “had a folder on me containing my personal information – about 10 pages.”
Menasche said “the experience left me shaken” and he thought it was “troubling that so much resources were devoted to this.” He added, “I wonder if the same could be said if the petition were for some innocuous issue.”
This is unhinged and undemocratic behavior being pushed by DeSantis and his cronies in an effort to continue our state’s near total abortion ban. It’s clear voter intimidation and plain corruption — continue to call it out and fight back. Vote @yes4florida and spread the word. pic.twitter.com/vE37PP29pQ
— Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, PhD (@AnnaForFlorida) September 6, 2024
Rep. Eskamani responded: “This is unhinged and undemocratic behavior being pushed by DeSantis and his cronies in an effort to continue our state’s near total abortion ban. It’s clear voter intimidation and plain corruption — continue to call it out and fight back.”
New: Florida residents felt shaken after DeSantis’ election crime police knocked on their doors to question the validity of their signatures on petitions that helped get the abortion amendment on the ballot. w/@romyellenbogen @lmower3 https://t.co/5Cya6SBXbz
— Justin Garcia (@JustinGarciaFL) September 6, 2024
Justin Garcia of the Tampa Bay Times reports that he interviewed another Lee County resident, Becky Castellanos, who also said she “felt shaken after DeSantis’ election crime police” knocked on her door to question the validity of her signatures on a petition to get the abortion amendment on the ballot.
ACLU of Florida spokesperson Keisha Mulfort told Garcia: “This is very clearly a fishing expedition.” She added: “It is more important than ever for Floridians to reject these authoritarian tactics and vote yes on Amendment 4 in November.””