Hear FDLE interviews with 3 Orange County residents accused of voter fraud

orange county, florida – News 6 hears for the first time the interviews that three Orange County residents had with agents of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before they were arrested and charged with voter fraud.

In August 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis’ newly formed election police arrested 20 people statewide in connection with illegal voting in the 2020 election.

Michelle Stribling, Peter Washington and Jerry Foster have all moved to dismiss the lawsuit. A circuit judge recently dismissed Washington’s case, but the state is appealing.

These early interviews, conducted in their respective homes, have a common thread.

[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]

Jerry Foster, 72, told FDLE agents he knows the Fourth Amendment restored voting rights for some felony convicts.

“We found out on the news that the governor said he was congratulating us,” Foster said in a transcript of the interview.

Agent asked for more.

“But you knew sex offenders and convicted murderers couldn’t vote and you signed it?” the agent asked.

“No, I didn’t know that. I thought it was for everyone,” said Foster.

In 2010, Foster was sentenced to one year and one month in prison after being convicted of a felony sex crime.

“I think I was over-excited. Now I can vote,” said Foster. “So when I got the letter from the Electoral Commission, I found out.”

Foster was allowed to register to vote and had already voted in the November 2020 election, but received state documents from the Orange County Elections Office indicating he had been convicted of felony and civil rights convictions. I received a letter saying It was not restored.

“I felt sick after I found out it was wrong. If I didn’t know it was right, I wouldn’t have even tried,” said Foster.

Foster told officers it was his first time voting.

It was also Peter Washington’s first ballot.

“Like I said, this was my first ballot,” Washington told his agent. “So I’m trying to understand what happened and where I went wrong. ”

Washington told FDLE that he thought his rights were restored after he received three jury subpoenas in the mail, was granted voter registration, and the state sent him his voter ID card.

According to Washington, Washington’s wife asked election officials to verify his identity.

“She said, ‘Is he registered?’ The employee said, ‘Yes.’ She looked at the computer and pulled out my name and everything and it showed up,” Washington said.

Orange County election overseer Bill Cowles later told News 6 that his office was not notified by the state that Washington was ineligible to vote until December 2020.

But the election was in November and Washington had already voted.

Michelle Stribling told officers she believes her rights have been restored.

“Have you verified that you are a convicted felon?” asked the FDLE agent.

“I used to be, but not anymore,” Stribling said.

“Aren’t you a convicted felon?” asked the officer.

“No,” String replied.

“Why not?” the officer asked.

“I was in prison. I did my time,” Stribling said.

“You are still labeled a convicted felon,” the officer said.

Ms Stribling told officers she ticked boxes on a voter registration form that said she was not a convicted felon or that her rights were restored because she didn’t know what it was.

“Do you remember reading that on the application form?” the officer asked.

Stribling said she asked someone in the office to help her apply.

“I can’t read very well,” said Stribling. “I can’t read or write well.”

Both Stribling and Foster are scheduled for hearings later this month.

News 6 will continue to track the case.

See the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case of Michelle Stribling.

Get Today’s Headlines in Minutes Your Florida Daily: