Only in Florida, Felon qualifies as a candidate
Jose N. Vazquez was able to qualify as a candidate for a state house of representative’s seat.
Vazquez is serving time on a felony conviction. How can someone qualify when they list a prison address as a home address?
Granted I have not looked this case up and the media has only reported the he is serving time for driving with a revoked or suspended license.
State law requires the candidate to live in the district they represent and prohibits felons from running for office until their rights are restored. Is the prison in the area he is running for?
So how does one still incarcerated qualify? Could he have his rights restored while he is still serving time?
This whole restoring rights to felons is ridiculous. Some one running for office needed more vote and figured out that if they restore the felon’s rights they would get more votes.
How pathetic is this? How sad is it to think that we could now have ex-felon’s voting on new laws to effect us.
Of course I wonder how comfortable some House of Representatives members will be with a convicted, rights restored, felon sitting beside them.
He will be a write in candidate. So his name will not be on the ballot.
Now the really funny part of the story is:
Vazquez could not be reached for comment Wednesday since he is in prison.
4 comments:
George, As I said before I will not allow any more comments about Harlow and Joe.
Your comment has been deleted for that reason.
I have emailed you and certainly have no problems with meeting you or talking to you.
Unlike many blogging about this case, I have nothing to hide.
i have been reading your blogs the last few nights, and have realy enjoyed. But tonight the comment about a felon having thier rights restored being ridiculous, is uncalled for. I was 21 came to florida to visit my parents, caught up with some old friends and partied, as i had been living in the middle of nowhere for 5 years. Ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Anyhow I caught a felony charge. Finally after 10 years I can vote. That makes me very proud, to know that now I have a great job, making good money and raising my 2 kids. I can now go on the field trips with my kids and thier classes, I can be an active parent on the football field, because my rights have been restored. You also need to consider that at one time the application for clemency was a 10 or 15 page application, and Gov. Bush turned it into a 1 page application. I don't belive that it is fair to discredit the restoration of rights, as many of us have taken it seriously.
Workingmomof2
First, I wanted to say thanks for reading my blog.
I’m glad you have enjoyed it up until this point.
Sadly we will share very different opinions of this topic.
Now I must say that your case is nothing like the one I posted about.
You paid your due to society so to speak and now have your rights back..
That is awesome to hear. Keep up the good work and enjoy every precious moment you have with your children.
Maybe we can do a post on you and your struggles to get your rights back if you are interested in the blog world knowing about your case. Just a thought, I’m always looking for new topics to post on.
My blog was meant to primarily touch on an actual prisoner that qualified to run for office. This man was still in jail and could not be reached for comment…
I do have a problem with that. This should have never happened. Rights restored or not his is still a prisoner.
Unlike you, he is still serving time and has not repaid his debt to society.
Of course I realize there are different levels of felony charges but at the same time from years and years of research and working the street as a cop, most felons will always be a felon.
Very seldom do we see cases like yours and even more seldom is a case like yours presented in mainstream media.
I will never agree with having a convicted felon in a position to make laws to pertain to how I live.
Thanks again for your comment and even though we disagree on this topic, I hope you can continue to enjoy my blog as it is a place for everyone.
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