Amid state criminal probe, Dem party staffer says 'plenty of documentation' available to show leaders knew of altered forms

Ana Ceballos | Naples

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TALLAHASSEE – Florida officials confirmed Monday that they have launched a criminal investigation into the use of altered election forms by Florida Democrats to fix absentee ballots after the state deadline, expanding an investigation into potential election fraud that was first referred to federal prosecutors.

One state Democratic party staffer who was instructed to share the altered form with voters said she has “plenty of documentation to prove” several members in party leadership were made aware that the form, which was modified to include the wrong state deadline, was being circulated.

“Once I realized that the form was altered I brought it to the attention of several members in leadership. I have plenty of documentation to prove this,” Eli Logan, a Brevard Democrat, wrote in a private Facebook group message obtained by USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida.

More: FL agency asks U.S. prosecutors to investigate possible election fraud tied to Democrats

Altered forms, which mirror those sent by Florida Democrats in the internal email in question, surfaced in Broward, Santa Rosa, Citrus and Okaloosa counties and were reported to federal prosecutors to review for possible election fraud as Florida counties completed a recount in three top races.

The email sent by a party official on Nov. 7 shows an apparent statewide effort by Florida Democrats to try to fix as many absentee ballots as possible after the state deadline.

The criminal investigation into the use of altered forms is underway in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the attorney general’s office.

“We now have an active criminal investigation into this matter. I cannot provide any additional information at this time,” said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman with the state’s law enforcement agency.

Officials in those departments would not comment further on the scope of the investigation but said it is related to altered forms tied to Democrats.

In their request to federal prosecutors, state officials said “disseminating false information as to the date, timing or location of federal voting activity” is a violation of federal law.

Under state law it is a third-degree felony to “make or use any false document, knowing the same to contain any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry” connected to the state Department of State, including the elections division, which produces the form in question.

Mark Herron, an attorney with the Florida Democratic Party, said in a statement that the party will “fully cooperate and will share the results of the internal investigation” with any external investigators.

Logan, one of the party staffers who was instructed to share the altered form with voters, said she was concerned party leadership was letting them take the fall for following a supervisor’s instructions.

More: Democrats planned to use altered forms to fix mail ballots across Florida after deadline

Logan declined to comment for this story, but in a message posted to the Facebook group “FDP Party leaders” she said she had nothing to do with the “creation of the altered form,” which the party is doing an internal investigation on.

“I am terminally disappointed in the FDP, especially (Executive Director) Juan Penalosa, for not addressing this and for allowing other people like myself to take the fall for it,” Logan wrote.

The effort laid out in the internal party email was promoted by party volunteers, including Pam Keith, a prominent Palm Beach Democrat, who on Facebook urged voters to fix rejected absentee ballots by 5 p.m. Nov. 8, the incorrect deadline circulated in the altered form.

Keith said in an interview that she was aware the deadline to use “cure affidavits” to remedy signature errors in absentee ballots had passed but that she was promoting the effort in anticipation that a judge would allow those forms to be included later.

The effort was perceived as an attempt to mislead voters, said Jake Sanders, a Treasure Coast Democratic consultant who said he warned party officials about the potential legal issues of sharing the modified form. But he said he was ignored and was told the effort was a party exercise “exhausting every possibility” after Election Day left Democrats in three top state races too close to call.

Terrie Rizzo, the head of the party, has assured at least one Democratic state lawmaker that the form was not altered by “party leadership,” but rather that they were looking at individuals, state Rep. Shevrin Jones told USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia said he does not believe the email to be an “isolated incident by a low level staffer.”

“This appears to be a coordinated strategy and now they are just diverting attention away from that with their own ‘internal investigation,’” Ingoglia said in a statement.

More: Democrats hire investigator to identify who altered Florida form used to fix ballots