Aramis Ayala

Aramis Ayala with Andrew Gillum

Aramis Ayala was the democrat nominee for Florida attorney general. As State Attorney, she was funded by George Soros. She is married to David Ayala.

Florida Rising

In 2022 Florida Rising supported Aramis Ayala.

Dropped Charges Against Jean R. Macean

In 2019, Aramis Ayala dropped "multiple drug related charges involving cocaine, meth and marijuana" against Haitian illegal alien Jean R. Macean. In March, 2022, Jean R. Macean murdered Terry and Brenda Aultman, a couple from Florida. "Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young described these killings as 'one of the most vicious attacks I’ve ever seen in my 20 years.'" Jean R. Macean evidently chose his victims "at random".

Dispute with Police

In 2017, Aramis Ayala was pulled over for tinted windows and a "hidden" official license plate. From CNN:

"To be clear, I violated no laws. The license plate, while confidential was and remains properly registered. The tint was in no way a violation of Florida law," she said.

"Although the traffic stop appears to be consistent with Florida law (my) goal is to have a constructive and mutually respectful relationship between law enforcement and the community," she said.

Blanket Refusal to Pursue Death Penalty

Dec 31, 2017 Tweet from Helen Prejean

Oregon Justice Resource Center Facebook Post

Color of Change Facebook Post

Aramis Ayala endorsed Andrew Gillum. She also refused to pursue the death penalty in Florida as state attorney, earning her praise from left-wing groups Oregon Justice Resource Center and Color of Change and activist Helen Prejean. Verbatim from local Florida political journal:

Attorney General Pam Bondi called out Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum for appearing at an event Saturday honoring controversial State Attorney Aramis Ayala.

“Andrew Gillum is demonstrating that he will not stand up for our brave law enforcement officers who risk their lives each day to keep us safe,” Bondi said in a statement. “I know [Republican gubernatorial candidate] Ron DeSantis will stand shoulder to shoulder with all our brave first responders.”

Gillum tonight attended the Miami Dade Blue Gala in Coral Gables, where the Miami-Dade Democratic Party honored four individuals including Ayala, the State Attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit in Central Florida.

But Ayala, Florida’s first black state attorney, proved herself controversial since her surprise election, particularly following her decision last year not to pursue the death penalty in any cases. She announced the decision as the office prepared its case against accused cop-killer Markeith Lloyd.

“It is unfathomable to me that Andrew Gillum would participate in honoring State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who refused to even consider the death penalty for the man who brutally murdered a true hero — Lieutenant Debra Clayton,” Bondi said.

Lloyd also faces charges for killing girlfriend Sade Dixon and her unborn child.

Gov. Rick Scott reassigned the Lloyd case to State Attorney Brad King in the neighboring 5th Judicial Circuit.

Ayala fought that move, but the Florida Supreme Court ultimately ruled Scott had the right to reassign the case. Ayala afterward lifted her blanket ban on pursuing the death penalty and set up a panel in her office to consider the appropriateness of capital punishment case by case.

Ayala in July endorsed Gillum, who joined her for a press event in Orlando. Gillum praised Ayala then. “She is a deeply dedicated public servant and a strong advocate for justice and fairness, and the personification of leadership in her community and across the state,” he said then.

Endorsed by Benjamin Crump

Benjamin Crump Tweet in support of Aramis Ayala

Aramis Ayala was endorsed by Benjamin Crump for state attorney in 2016.,

Soros-Funded PAC

As State Attorney, Aramis Ayala was funded by George Soros against her democrat opponent incumbent Jeff Ashton. Verbatim from the Orlando Sentinel:

A political action committee linked to liberal billionaire George Soros is pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into defeating incumbent Jeff Ashton in the democratic primary for Orange-Osceola State Attorney, according to sources and state and federal records.

The PAC, called "Florida Safety & Justice," bought $623,100 worth of air time in the Orlando television market to run ads supporting challenger Aramis Ayala, according to a source who does not want to be identified because he is not authorized to discuss the topic.

The commercials began Monday and will continue through Aug. 29, according to the source.

Ayala, a former prosecutor embarking on her first run for public office, would not acknowledge the source of the money. Before the contribution, as of Wednesday she'd spent just $40,805, according to the Florida Department of State.

"I accept the support of anyone who is dedicated to improving the criminal justice system for families in Orange and Osceola county," she said in an emailed statement.

Ashton countered that his position is not for sale — "even to a billionaire." The contribution dwarfs his spending, which totaled $73,367 as of Aug. 10, records show.

"This money is coming from folks who don't live, work or raise their families here, and voters should worry about why someone would spend so much to win an office that is at the epicenter of law and order," Ashton said in a statement.

Soros has flooded other district attorney races in places where he doesn't have an explicit connection with money in Chicago, St. Louis, Houston and Albuquerque, as well as smaller cities in Louisiana and Mississippi since October, according to various news reports.

In almost every state where he's operated, Soros, a New York-based hedge fund mogul, delivers the money through a PAC titled "Safety & Justice" with the state's name. In each case, the same woman is listed as the chairwoman: attorney Whitney Tymas.

A Florida Safety & Justice Committee has now emerged, according to the Florida Department of State. Tymas is listed as the chairwoman. Paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission links her with the PAC and Soros. Tymas filed documents creating the Florida PAC on Aug. 3, according to state records. Financial records had not been uploaded to the file as of Wednesday.

The Aug. 30 primary effectively determines who will become the top prosecutor in Orange and Osceola counties. There is no Republican candidate, and only a write-in candidate will advance to the general election.

Some Orange County residents may have already received an anti-Ashton mailer sponsored by Florida Safety & Justice group, featuring him making the scales of justice uneven.

Before winning election for the first time in 2012, Ashton earned fame as the lead prosecutor in the case against Casey Anthony, an Orlando mother acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter.

The PAC money could be a game changer, said Dick Batchelor, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives who now runs a consulting group in Orlando.

The influx of cash could have a large effect in the race that isn't as visible as a legislative or congressional one because it can encourage voters to participate who ordinarily wouldn't.

Ashton campaign manager Eric Foglesong said he learned the group paid $819,734 for political ad buys at local stations, including purchases from non-cable TV and Bright House networks.

Bright House did not provide its data to the Sentinel by Wednesday afternoon. The Federal Communication Commission requires stations to keep written records of who's paying for political advertisements. They are posted online, but only races deemed to be of federal importance also include the payment amounts.

Soros appears to be be targeting local races where politically charged issues are in play. For example, Soros gave $708,000 to an opponent of Chicago's incumbent state's attorney after the controversial shooting of an unarmed black man. His candidate won.

And in Caddo Parish, a remote portion of northwest Louisiana, Soros injected $916,000 into the race to elect the first African American District Attorney and keep out a prosecutor who secured a third of the state's death penalty convictions, including at least one that was overturned, according to the New York Times.

Soros, according to The New York Times, donated $18.5 million to help oust George Bush and elect Democrats in 2004. He's receded into the shadows since then but is making a comeback with gifts of more than than $25 million to Hillary Clinton and other liberal causes, Politico reports.

Adding to the perplexity in Orlando, Soros chose a race that pits two Democrats against each other instead of one with a Republican opponent, said Aubrey Jewett, an associate professor of political science at the University of Central Florida.

It's possible that Soros, a progressive liberal, is backing a candidate whom he feels aligns with his philosophy, Jewett said.

Ashton characterizes himself as a seasoned prosecutor who's put 12 criminals on death row over the past three decades. Ayala strikes a softer tone and has made domestic violence prosecution and racial equality the cornerstone of her campaign.

"If big money from outside groups is being spent, it can certainly be used to sway public opinion on local issues, and some people might look at that and think it's unfair," Jewett said. "But this is modern politics ... on the other side of the coin, it's a way to even the playing field and allow an underfunded candidate to get the message out so voters actually have a choice."

Aramis Ayala's Husband Illegally Voted

Aramis Ayala's husband David Ayala, a convicted felon, voted illegally. Excerpt from local report:

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Two months ago, David Ayala, standing next to his wife and District 9 State Attorney Aramis Ayala, was in tears after he registered to vote at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office after Amendment 4 was passed.

The amendment, passed by voters in 2018, allows for felons not convicted of murder or sex offenses to vote.

"I feel free, like a full citizen," he said that day.

However, state records obtained through the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office on Friday show Ayala did vote in the 2012 and 2014 elections, even though he was a convicted felon.

Those records also show on David Ayala's voter registration forms in 2012, 2014 and 2016, he checked the box "I affirm I am not a convicted felon, or if I am, my right to vote has been restored."

According to the state attorney's campaign website, which has since been removed, Aramis Ayala said her husband was arrested in New York and Pennsylvania and served seven years in prison for drug conspiracy and counterfeiting checks.

Oregon Justice Resource Center

Aramis Ayala was the guest at a fundraiser hosted by the Oregon Justice Resource Center for the Women's Justice Project.

"In Conversation with Aramis Ayala: Race, Gender and Justice.

Tickets: General admission sliding scale $20-$30-$40. $10 students. Free for formerly incarcerated people. Scholarships available - please contact Amie Wexler awexler@ojrc.info.

This event is a fundraiser for our Women's Justice Project

We're bringing progressive prosecutor Aramis Ayala to Portland in January to talk race, gender and justice. She'll be joining us to share her experiences and ideas as a prosecutor. Ayala was elected to the post of State Attorney (equivalent of an Oregon district attorney) for Orange-Osceola, Florida, in 2016.

Prior to becoming a State Attorney, Aramis Ayala had worked as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. Before running for office, she was a Homicide and Major Crimes Assistant State Attorney. She has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Florida A&M University School of Law and at University of Central Florida in the Legal Studies Department.

State Attorney Ayala currently serves on the Judicial Administration Committee of the Florida Bar. She has served as Regional Director for the National Bar Association, covering Florida, Georgia and Alabama and was appointed to chair the Pro Bono and Public Service Committee of the National Bar Association.

Aramis Ayala was only elected state attorney for Orange-Osceola a little over a year ago, yet she's already achieved a national profile, and not only because she is the state's first elected black state attorney. Ayala announced that she would not seek the death penalty in any case. Following that decision, Florida Governor Rick Scott reassigned all death penalty-eligible cases to other prosecutors. After an unsuccessful legal fight against the governor's decision, State

Attorney Ayala has now created a panel of assistant state attorneys to review first-degree murder cases and decide whether to seek the death penalty.

Aramis Ayala also had the experience of a video of her being stopped by police in 2017 going viral. Ayala was pulled over by Orlando police. The officers said it was due to her car windows being "really dark" and the license plate of her official car not coming up in their system. State Attorney Ayala concluded the stop was lawful, as did the Orlando Police Department. But the video raised questions in many viewers' minds about racial profiling, as did Ayala herself, saying she wanted to use the incident to open a dialog about the issue.