Miami Herald Logo

Judge rejects Florida House primary challenge | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Politics

Judge rejects Florida House primary challenge

By Tia Mitchell

    ORDER REPRINT →

October 17, 2012 08:19 PM

Both key witnesses at the center of the contested House District 107 race denied collecting fraudulent absentee ballots on behalf of the Miami Gardens Democrat who narrowly won the primary.

Wednesday’s testimony prompted Leon County Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis to rule against Rep. John Patrick Julien, a North Miami candidate who had alleged fraud in trying to overturn his primary election loss to Rep. Barbara Watson.

“I do not think from what I’ve heard today there is sufficient evidence to go further,” Francis said.

Julien, who lost the Aug. 14 primary by just 13 votes, had hoped testimony from Carline Paul, 54, the host of a Haitian Creole-language radio show, and Noucelie Josna, the self-described “Queen of Absentee Ballots,” would help prove his case.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

But both women testified that their work for Watson — she paid Paul $1,000 and Josna roughly $4,000 — was within the law.

Paul, who traveled from Miami to testify, said she charged Watson to appear on her show like she does all political candidates. But that it was separate from her work as “Teacher Carline,” where she offers to assist people with the voting process, she told the court.

As “Teacher Carline,” Paul said she helps people understand what they need to do to ensure their vote counts but doesn’t back certain candidates.

“What I do on my radio show doesn’t have anything to do with the education that I’m giving the people,” she said. “The people of the community are confused, so I’m telling them all the steps that they have to do to ensure they are voting properly.”

Getting Josna’s testimony took more effort. Initially, she ignored a court-ordered subpoena. But once she got word that the judge had authorized police to haul her into court, she reached out and agreed to testify via Skype.

Josna did so from the office of Julien’s attorney Wednesday afternoon, saying she spent the morning in an area hospital for a medical procedure.

Josna, 28, told the court that she was hired by Watson to help coordinate her canvassing team in the mostly Haitian-American district and to keep up with voters who requested absentee ballots.

“What I do myself is I track the absentee ballots list through the website, follow it with a phone call,” Josna said.

Julien beat Watson on Election Day, but lost badly in absentee ballots. He has focused his complaint on two districts where he says fraudulent ballots were cast by nursing home residents.

Julien testified Wednesday that he had decided not to actively court absentee voters and parted ways with Paul, who had helped him previously.

Watson told the court she appeared on Paul’s show a few times because she knew the host was respected in the Haitian-American community. She said she hired Josna to reach voters by knocking on doors and distributing literature.

Francis said he did not believe any fraud had taken place. “There was not any evidence of paying for a vote,” he said. “I was listening and looking for that.”

After the case was dismissed, Watson, who faces write-ins for the Nov. 6 general election, said she was relieved at the judge’s decision. Julien and his attorney indicated that they would continue to pursue their claims that the primary was won through fraudulent activity.

Herald/Times writer Toluse Olorunnipa contributed to this report.

  Comments  

Videos

Bernie Sanders set the agenda. But can he win on it?

Congress members tour Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

View More Video

Trending Stories

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is among the hundreds charged in Florida sex traffic sting

February 22, 2019 12:23 PM

Trump threatens to deport Venezuelan military officials’ families that have fled to Miami

February 22, 2019 07:21 PM

It’s about to get easier for legal immigrants in Miami to get their papers. Faster, too.

February 22, 2019 03:14 PM

Florida man forced 5-year-old to perform sex acts on him, deputies say

February 21, 2019 08:16 PM

Judge in Acosta/Epstein case gets it right. Now what?

February 21, 2019 10:39 PM

Read Next

The Latest: Top presidential challenger votes in Nigeria

Nation & World

The Latest: Top presidential challenger votes in Nigeria

The Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 23, 2019 04:15 AM

The Latest: Top presidential challenger votes in Nigeria, expects a 'successful transition'.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE POLITICS

R. Kelly due in Chicago court to face sex abuse charges

People

R. Kelly due in Chicago court to face sex abuse charges

February 23, 2019 06:07 AM

Nation & World

3 UK Cabinet ministers may break with PM May over Brexit

February 23, 2019 06:01 AM

Nation & World

Yellow vest protesters try to keep up momentum on week 15

February 23, 2019 05:50 AM
Gunfire heard in cities as Nigerians finally go to the polls

Nation & World

Gunfire heard in cities as Nigerians finally go to the polls

February 23, 2019 05:08 AM
Moldova parliamentary ballot: what’s at stake?

Nation & World

Moldova parliamentary ballot: what’s at stake?

February 23, 2019 05:03 AM
Bangladesh’s leader visits injured in deadly Dhaka fire

Nation & World

Bangladesh’s leader visits injured in deadly Dhaka fire

February 23, 2019 04:36 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story