John Oliver is not a fan of taxation without representation — especially the way Florida does it.
The England native broke down felon disenfranchisement during Sunday’s episode of “Last Week Tonight,” explaining to his viewers the exclusion from voting of people otherwise eligible to vote due to conviction for a criminal offense.
And he argued that the Sunshine State’s clemency board — led by Republican Gov. Rick Scott — is the worst when it comes to assessing whether a felon can regain his or her voting rights.
“In most states, people with felony convictions automatically regain their voting rights at some point,” Oliver said. “But there are a few where they do not. And the worst state of all concerning this — and arguably everything else — is Florida.”
Oliver says that one and a half million Floridians — nearly 10 percent of the state’s adult population — have completed sentences for felony convictions, but still can’t vote. And one in five of the state’s African American adults can’t vote.
“That is staggering. It may be the dumbest thing about Florida, which is frankly impressive, considering stories like these,” Oliver said, before playing clips from some ridiculous local news stories.
Oliver then explained why the clemency board’s process for evaluating candidates, led by Scott, makes this situation even worse. Oh, and he strapped on a really horrible visor in hopes he could appeal to Florida’s (eligible) voters ahead of the midterms — when this issue is on the ballot.
Watch the video above.