Fmr. Florida GOP Party Chair: We Sought to Suppress Black and Latino Voters

In a series of stunning public confirmations regarding the Florida Republican Party, minorities and new voter ID laws, former GOP party Chairman Jim Greer confirmed that party strategists met on voter registration strategies with the intent to suppress Blacks and Latinos from voting in Florida.

The former Florida GOP Chairman said, “There’s no doubt that what the Republican led legislature in Florida and Governor Scott are trying to do is make sure the Republican party has an advantage in this upcoming election by reducing early voting and putting roadblocks up for potential voters, Latinos, African Americans to register and then to exercise their right to vote.  There’s no doubt. I was in the room. It’s part of the strategy.”

Greer made the revealing confirmations last night on live television during an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on his MSNBC show Politics Nation. His revelations were first revealed in a deposition in late July but yesterday was the first time he spoke on the matter on national television.

“It’s very sad what’s going on in the Republican party.  It’s very sad the Republicans Party doesn’t want to win votes by talking about what it stands for.  It wants to ensure that some people can’t get to the polls, can’t register to vote.  Political strategists for the GOP can’t control what voters do in the voting booth but it can certainly try and control them ever getting to the voting booth and that’s what happened in Florida,” said former Republican Party Chair Greer in a stunning and revealing interview regarding Florida’s new voter ID laws.

When Sharpton asked Greer if he was in the room for strategic discussions regarding how Republicans could avoid a repeat of President Obama’s 2008 victory, Greer responded, “Absolutely.”

“In three and a half years as Chairman in Florida, I never had one meeting where voter fraud was discussed as a real issue effecting elections.  Never one time,” Greer told Sharpton.

“It’s simply been created as a marketing tool here in Florida for the right wing that is running the state government now to convince voters that what they’re doing is right.  It’s a marketing tool.  That’s clearly what it is.  There’s no validity to it.  We never had issues with it.  The main purpose behind it is to make sure that what happened in 2008 never happens again,” Greer bluntly said to Sharpton.

“If that includes keeping voters from voting — keeping voters from registering — that’s what the GOP led government here in Florida is gonna do,” Greer added.

Sharpton asked Greer if he was just striking out at old political enemies with his public revelations, Greer indicated that anyone who tells the truth will be retaliated against by political consultants.

“The Republican Party in Florida and unfortunately in other parts of the country, is being run by pitch fork torch bearing mobs looking for a Frankenstein,” Greer said. “That’s not what America’s about,” he added.

“What people don’t realize is that winning elections now has become a multi-million dollar business,” Greer said indicating there is more money at stake in winning than every before.

Fifty-four percent of Blacks voted early in 2008.  Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) is currently suing Florida for limiting the early voting days.

LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE, Politic365 Managing Editor, publishes the blog Crewof42 on the Congressional Black Caucus.  She is heard every Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET on WMCS 1290 in Milwaukee on Earl Ingram’s show The Evening Rush as well as on WPFW every Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Washington DC.  You can e-mail her at LBurke007@gmail.com follow her on twitter at @crewof42.