MIAMI – A Miami man appeared in court on Friday defending himself after facing charges of election fraud.
Ronald Lee Miller, 57, was one of 20 people arrested by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Election Crimes and Security task force in mid-August, and spoke to Local 10 News, saying he was led to believe that he was legally allowed to vote when he, in fact, wasn’t.
Miller, who had served time in prison on a murder conviction, said he had even gotten a state-issued voter ID in 2020.
Miller asked, “How can you send me a card and turn around and arrest me for a card you sent me?”
Miller didn’t know that the voter registration volunteer at the grocery store, who told him he could sign up to vote, was wrong.
Miller’s attorney Robert Barrar told Local 10 that he feels like his client is being wrongfully accused.
“I think this whole process is draconian,” said Barrar. “What’s next? Are they going to send him to Martha’s Vineyard?”
State elections officials, who determine voter eligibility, stand behind the arrests, though they now have felons’ accounts to law enforcement, that they were “approached by voter advocates,” and “assumed it was all legit” and “signed the forms the volunteer filled out.”
“We seek only the truth,” said Miller. “The truth is, I’m not guilty of anything -- I didn’t commit no fraud.”
“That’s exactly right -- and that’s why we are going to win the case,” said Barrar.