Concerns of voter intimidation

[struggle4progress]

By: Lisette Lopez , Ryan SmithPosted at 8:20 PM, Oct 21, 2020 and last updated 6:48 PM, Oct 22, 2020

... two people suspected of voter intimidation were wearing security uniforms at the downtown St. Petersburg early voting location ...

... the pair told a responding law enforcement officer that they are with a private security company. She says a concerned staff member reported at least one of them was armed ...

...The pair set up a tent and claimed to be working for the Trump campaign ...

The Deputy National Press Secretary for the Trump campaign issued a statement to ABC Action News denying the campaign hired the pair ...

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pinellas/sheriffs-office-investigates-report-of-possible-voter-intimidation-at-st-pete-voting-location-pinellas-soe-says

[struggle4progress]

1. The armed security guards

WFLA 8 On Your Side Staff
Posted: Oct 22, 2020 / 07:28 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 22, 2020 / 07:28 PM EDT

... “We found out that they are security people from a company called Syotos,” Sheriff Gualtieri said Thursday ...

Investigative Reporter Mahsa Saeidi spoke with Trei McMullen – a veteran who owns the security company. He claims the incident was taken out of context and told us, “we do not have any employees engaging in poll watching.”

According to McMullen, only the female guard works for his company. He says she was off-duty and picking up a relative – the male security officer – when she stopped to have a chat.

“We had an off-duty employee who was picking up a family member who happened to be in the vicinity of a polling location. The employee saw someone they knew near the polling location and had a short conversation,” McMullen said in a statement. “Again, this employee was off duty and was in no way engaging in poll watching” ...

https://www.wfla.com/election/who-are-the-armed-security-guards-spotted-outside-the-early-voting-in-st-petersburg/

[struggle4progress]

2. Armed security guards

Jeff Patterson

... Mallory, the Democratic candidate running to become Pinellas County’s property appraiser, saw two uniformed security guards with weapons in holsters next to a tent for the Trump campaign outside the polling place ...

... Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says the two security guards did nothing wrong and violated no laws ...

Kriseman disagrees.

“I can’t say I agree with him on that,” the mayor said. “There is zero reason for anyone to be armed, openly armed, in front of a polling place” ...

https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/armed-security-guards-create-stir-at-early-voting-site-in-st-petersburg/