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FDLE: No active elections-fraud investigation

Posted at 4:23 PM, Nov 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-09 16:23:24-05

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) --  A spokeswoman says state law enforcement officials in Florida have not launched any elections-fraud allegations. The statement came a day after Republican Gov. Rick Scott said he would ask the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate elections offices in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

That's where votes are being tallied in the U.S. Senate race between Scott and incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson.

Department spokeswoman Gretl Pelssinger said Friday that the agency is working with the Department of State and will investigate any allegations of elections fraud, but right now there are no such allegations.

Scott announced his intention to have law enforcement look into Broward and Palm Beach counties at a news conference Thursday night. Shortly after, President Donald Trump tweeted that law enforcement was looking into another big corruption scandal, claiming "Florida voted for Rick Scott!"

Scott holds a razor-thin lead over Nelson. Under Florida law, a recount is mandatory if the winning candidate's margin is less than 0.5 percentage points.

Scott says "unethical liberals" are trying to steal the election.