Scott campaign files recount lawsuits against Broward, Palm Beach counties

'Governor is seeking to throw out lawful votes,' Nelson campaign says

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – Gov. Rick Scott filed several lawsuit against Broward and Palm Beach counties Sunday as the state undergoes recounts in three key races, including U.S. Senate and Florida governor.

Scott, a Republican, is narrowly leading Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson by 12,562 votes, a margin of 0.15 percentage points.

The Scott campaign accused Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Buchner and Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes of "continued antics, failures and willful disregard of the law."

"We've filed emergency motions and complaints in Broward and Palm Beach counties to ensure that we continue to do everything possible to prevent fraud and ensure this recount is operated responsibly," Scott said.

In one complaint against Snipes, the Scott campaign is suing to prevent votes counted by Broward County after the noon Saturday deadline from being part of the recount. Broward County officials filed their final unofficial tally just after the deadline.

The campaign announced it is filing two other lawsuits against Snipes and Buchner, requesting voting equipment be impounded after the machine recount is completed. The lawsuits also request both supervisors be required to preserve all ballots and records connected with the 2018 election.

The Nelson campaign called the lawsuits a "stunt."

"Let's be clear about what we are witnessing in Florida: The sitting governor is seeking to throw out lawful votes and seize the voting equipment in order to win an election," said Marc Elias, a lawyer for the Nelson campaign.

Scott has repeatedly said, without evidence, that the elections may have been affected by voter fraud in Broward and Palm Beach counties, two of biggest Democratic counties in the state.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has said the agency is not investigating any cases of voter fraud. State election monitors assigned to Broward and Miami-Dade counties also said they have found no evidence of voter fraud.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote to Rick Swearingen, the commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, on Sunday that agency's lack of any voter fraud investigation in Broward and Palm Beach counties was "deeply troubling."

Bondi, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump and Scott, also wrote to Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, asking his agency to report any "criminal activity" in the two counties.