Lauren Brenzel, the Yes on 4 campaign director, speaking in St. Petersburg on Nov. 5, 2024 (photo by Mitch Perry/ Florida Phoenix)
After a loss at the polls, the group behind the amendment that would have enshrined abortion access in the state constitution is contesting a $328,000 fine from the state after fraud accusations in the petition-gathering process.
The Division of Administrative Hearings will oversee the dispute between Floridians Protecting Freedom and the Department of State, filings in the case show.
DOS issued the fine against the sponsor of Amendment 4 on Oct. 11, along with a preliminary report claiming the group’s efforts amounted to “widespread election fraud.” Although FPF’s campaign director Lauren Brenzel denied any wrongdoing and criticized the timing of the report, the request for a hearing is the first formal action against the fine, first reported by the News Service of Florida.
In the letter issuing the $328,000 fine, DOS stated that the owner of a local petition circulator business suspected more than 600 petitions from eight of his employees were fraudulent because of inconsistencies in handwriting and incorrect birth dates. The state claims that FPF didn’t submit 328 of the fraudulent petitions, as required by law.
The Amendment 4 sponsor is disputing the facts DOS presented including whether electors had signed those petitions, if they could have been submitted before the 30 days of when they were signed, and that the sponsor willfully failed to deliver the petitions.
Administrative law judge G.W. Chisenhall has been assigned the case. ALJs issue recommended orders but agencies don’t have to adhere to the recommendations.
FPF still has $1.1 million left in its coffers, according to campaign finance records. Anti-abortion advocates dropped other suits last week surrounding the DOS accusations of fraud against FPF.
DOS released the report less than a month before the election and three months before it had to submit the finalized version to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Legislature leaders. FPF labeled the report another tactic from the DeSantis administration to move state resources against Amendment 4, which fell short of the 60% approval rate it needed to pass.
The attorney representing the group did not immediately respond to Florida Phoenix’s request for comment.
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