Miami Police Officer Daniel Ubeda will be disciplined after he was photographed at a polling site in full uniform while wearing a mask supporting President Donald Trump.
Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Steve Simeonidis spotted Ubeda at a polling place in Government Center, located in downtown Miami. State law bars police officers, activists and others who are not actively voting from coming within 150 feet of a voting station.
“This is city funded voter intimidation,” Simeonidis alleged on social media. “Ubeda should be suspended immediately.”
Here is @CityofMiami Police Officer Daniel Ubeda, in full uniform with badge and gun wearing his Trump mask inside of the polling location in government center.
This is city funded voter intimidation.
Ubeda should be suspended immediately. pic.twitter.com/TbJxu6mcem
— Steve Simeonidis (@stevesimeonidis) October 20, 2020
It’s unclear whether Ubeda was on his way to vote at the time. Regardless, his department plans to discipline the officer, though no official type of discipline has yet been announced.
“We are aware of the photograph being circulated of a Miami Police officer wearing a political mask in uniform,” read a post from Miami PD on Twitter. “This behavior is unacceptable, a violation of departmental policy, and is being addressed immediately.”
We are aware of the photograph being circulated of a Miami Police officer wearing a political mask in uniform. This behavior is unacceptable, a violation of departmental policy, and is being addressed immediately. pic.twitter.com/E3eO0IQh0f
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) October 20, 2020
Aside from appearing in uniform sporting pro-Trump paraphernalia, the mask also featured an obscenity. Under “Trump 2020,” the mask read “No more bull—-.”
Democratic Rep. Michael Grieco also called out Ubeda’s actions on social media.
“This is not ok,” Grieco wrote. “Right in the middle of my district too. If you witness any voter intimidation please call 833-VOTE-FLA.”
This is not ok. Right in the middle of my district too. If you witness any voter intimidation please call 833-VOTE-FLA. #IWillVote pic.twitter.com/WwnVaelvrH
— Michael Grieco (@Mike_Grieco) October 20, 2020
Miami officials have announced plain-clothes officers would be deployed to voting sites in response to voters who feared intimidation during an especially tense election cycle.
Ubeda’s appearance was not in accordance with that policy, however. Simeonidis said he just happened to be in the same area at the time and was able to snap a photo of the officer. In comments to the Miami Herald, Simeonidis stood by his assertion that Ubeda’s actions could spook voters, intentional or not.
“He may have been going to vote,” Simeonidis said. “But he was in full uniform with the mask and a gun. That’s voter intimidation.”
This article first appeared at Florida Politics.
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This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2020.
