Ex-GOP State Chairman Says New Voter Laws Were Specifically Designed to Suppress Democratic Votes

Remember that fun time earlier this month when you waited for like four hours in line to vote? Well, that was partially thanks to new Republican-backed voter laws signed by Gov. Rick Scott. Of course, GOP officials say the new laws were to save money and cut back on voter fraud, but former GOP chief Jim Greer has now affirmed what everyone suspected all along: those rules were actually designed with voter suppression in mind.

While Republicans tend to dominate absentee voting, Democrats have had a hefty advantage in early voting. So, back in 2011 Scott signed a law that cut back on early voting by four days, and placed draconian rules on voter registrations organizations (those were later thrown out by a federal judge).

According to The Palm Beach Post, Greer now claims that laws specifically aimed at cutting back on early voting as a way to erase the Democratic Party's edge were being discussed while he was the Republican Party of Florida chairmen in 2009:

"The Republican Party, the strategists, the consultants, they firmly believe that early voting is bad for Republican Party candidates," Greer told The Post. "It's done for one reason and one reason only. ... 'We've got to cut down on early voting because early voting is not good for us,' " Greer said he was told by those staffers and consultants.

"They never came in to see me and tell me we had a (voter) fraud issue," Greer said. "It's all a marketing ploy."

This should be evident to anyone with two brain cells to rub together, but here it is coming directly form the mouth of a former GOP insider.

Of course, Greer, Charlie Crist's handpicked chairman, has long since been excommunicated from the party and is currently faces allegations that he tried to embezzle money the RPOF. Though, similar allegations came up during a deposition he gave to investigators.

"I was upset because the political consultants and staff were talking about voter suppression and keeping blacks from voting. It had been one of those days," Greer said during the deposition.

So the words may seem like those of a man lashes out at those who he feels betrayed him, but The Post adds that two anonymous veteran GOP consultants backed up Greer's claims.

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