Armed guards at St. Pete early voting site told deputies they were hired by Trump campaign

[swag]

Source: WFLA Newschannel 8

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Two armed guards set up in a tent outside an early voting location in downtown St. Petersburg claiming to be with the Trump campaign, according to Julie Marcus, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections.

“The Sheriff [Bob Gualtieri] told me the persons that were dressed in these security uniforms had indicated to sheriff’s deputies that they belonged to a licensed security company and they indicated, and this has not been confirmed yet, that they were hired by the Trump campaign,” said Marcus in a video interview with 8 On Your Side’s Chip Osowski Wednesday night.

8 On Your Side has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment and is awaiting a response.

Marcus, a Republican, is running to keep her seat as supervisor after being appointed in May by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Gualtieri, also a Republican, is running for re-election as well.
Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus spoke to 8 On Your Side’s Chip Osowski in a video interview from home Wednesday night

“The sheriff and I take this very seriously,” Marcus said. “Voter intimidation, deterring voters from voting, impeding a voter’s ability to cast a ballot in this election is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any way shape, or form. So we anticipated many things going into this election. Not only cybersecurity, but physical security and we had a plan in place and executed that plan.”

Read more: https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/armed-guards-at-st-pete-early-voting-site-told-deputies-they-were-hired-by-trump-campaign-election-officials-say/

[machoneman]

1. But no one had them removed? What the hell!

[Thekaspervote]

3. If they were the appropriate distance from the voting site, as per state law and did not directly

Interact with voters, they can’t be removed

[Sherman A1]

7. Unfortunately true

[Zoonart]

2. So...the Trump campaign may be paying for voter intimidation.

PAYING for voter intimidation.
I have no words.

[Acornsouth]

5. I doubt he is paying...he never pays for anything!

[Sherman A1]

6. Agreed

They may find themselves working for free.

[58Sunliner]

4. Maybe they are from the same outfit Atlas Aegis LLC-

that was trying to recruit for Minnesota. The company refused to say who was hiring them. Too bad there is no photo yet. Also another outfit was going to recruit-this one is based in Fla.
https://www.startribune.com/calls-for-armed-guards-army-for-trump-cause-alarm-in-minnesota/572817002/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. More about that:

Tue Oct 20, 2020: Attorney General Keith Ellison probes firm hiring armed guards for Minnesota polling sites

[modrepub]

8. Probably Budgeted Many More Guards

You know how Trump works. Budgets 10 positions, hires half of them, then pockets the the difference as consulting fees. This type of behavior needs to be widely broadcast so Republican donors see where their contributions actually go. If they see that a high percentage goes to overhead instead of actual campaign costs maybe they won't be so enthusiastic about giving in the future.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. They are not "guards". . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. If they have no legal status they are NOT GUARDS! . . . nt

[Randomthought]

12. Public or private property

Private security on public property should be illegal, and if on private property who is the property owner