Did Miami Hire Former Proud Boys As Poll Workers?

With this election cycle, there’s been a lot of concern about voter intimidation tactics and the overall safety of election workers. However, there is also cause for alarm about people working these elections and to whom they are affiliated. Three former Proud Boys were hired to work for the Miami-Dade County polls, according to Local 10 News. One has been formally charged with alleged involvement with the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6th.

Ex-Vice City Proud Boys leader Gabriel Garcia is facing six federal charges and has pleaded not guilty. He took to social media to brag about his role after training.

From Local 10 News:

“That’s right, you heard it right, I’m working the poll. Cry some more, liberals. Enjoy your day,” said ex-Vice City Proud Boys leader Gabriel Garcia while wearing a “Fuck Biden” hat in a video shared on the “Floridians FIRST” Telegram channel.

After the news came out, the Miami-Dade County Elections Department told the Miami News Times that Garcia was on the standby list and not scheduled to work on Tuesday.

From Miami Sun Times:

“Gabriel Garcia appears in the Miami-Dade County Elections Department’s poll worker database as scheduled to work on Election Day because he attended poll worker training. On October 11, 2022, the Supervisor of Elections learned about Mr. Garcia’s indictment and decided not to assign him to work on Election Day,” the elections department said.

Two other men, as identified by Local 10 News with Proud Boy ties named Christopher Barcenas and Nowell Salgueiro, are still scheduled to be credentialed poll workers. They have also been having been assigned precincts. Barcenas was also at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. It’s unclear if he entered the building that day.