A fully-armed and uniformed Miami police officer made no bones Tuesday about who he wanted voters to cast their ballots for: he wore a TRUMP 2020: NO MORE BULLSHIT mask while prowling the building.
The Miami Herald reports that a photo circulating on social media was taken by Steve Simeonidis, a Democratic Party official at the polling site. The officer's badge and ID, visible in the photo, identified him as Daniel Ubeda.
Simeonidis, an attorney who works downtown, said he was passing through Government Center when he spotted Ubeda "well within" the 150-foot barrier that police and non-voters are not permitted under state statute during an election. … Simeonidis said Ubeda "laughed it off' after he was questioned about the mask.
One twitter user described it as "fascistic voter intimidation on proud display."
"His mask telling voters who to vote for and "no more bullshit" is backed up by a uniform with a badge, a flag & a gun," Scott Linnen wrote.
The Miami Police Department put out a statement saying it was taking immediate action.
"We are aware of the photograph being circulated of a Miami Police officer wearing a political mask in uniform," the statement read. "This behavior is unacceptable, a violation of departmental policy, and is being addressed immediately."
"Chief [Jorge] Colina and we agree that the officer's behavior is unacceptable," wrote Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, promising that disciplinary action would be taken.
While Colina and Suarez said Ubeda's action were against "policy," Florida law also forbids electioneering within polling sites outright— let alone while armed and in police uniform.
