PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL — Donald Cleveland, author, political scientist, former lobbyist, and businessman, is urging the Florida Legislature to immediately adopt a newly drafted measure titled the “Civil Liberties and Due Process Protection Act.” The proposed legislation is designed to strengthen constitutional safeguards, enhance transparency in law enforcement, and impose criminal and civil penalties for abuses of power committed under color of law. Simply put, Cleveland says, “No Masks, No Arrests without Warrants, no person detained without appearing before a judge!”
The bill is grounded in the principles of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the enforcement authority established under Section 1983 of the federal Civil Rights Act, which provides remedies for individuals whose civil rights are violated by government officials. According to Cleveland, the proposal reinforces these long-standing federal protections by establishing clear and enforceable standards at the state level.
“The foundation of civil rights law is clear,” Cleveland said. “Congress specifically exempted judges from Section 1983 liability, and no other blanket exemption exists. This means that officials acting under color of law are accountable when they deprive any person of their constitutional rights.”
Among its key provisions, the proposed Act would:
- Prohibit law enforcement personnel or others acting under color of law from concealing their identities by wearing masks while exercising governmental authority and require highly visible identification at all times.
- Bar arrests, detentions, or restraints of liberty unless the individual poses a grave and imminent threat or is subject to a lawful arrest warrant.
- Require that any person taken into custody be brought before a judge of competent jurisdiction within 72 hours for a judicial determination of the legality of the detention.
- Preserve all federal and state civil rights remedies and explicitly reject the use of qualified or sovereign immunity as a defense where constitutionally permitted.
- Impose felony penalties, mandatory fines, imprisonment, and full restitution for violations.
Cleveland emphasized that transparency and due process are essential to public trust in law enforcement and government authority.
“We should never fear law enforcement if we aren’t a criminal,” Cleveland said. “Unless a person is in the process of committing a crime, they should never be arrested without a warrant. Masked law enforcement personnel quickly become the feared enemy instead of a saving force in society.”
The bill also mandates restitution for individuals harmed by unlawful actions, including compensation for:
- Medical costs;
- Lost wages;
- Legal expenses;
- Emotional distress; and
- Other damages.
Cleveland is calling on Florida lawmakers and other state legislatures to act swiftly, arguing that the legislation provides clear, constitutional boundaries that protect both citizens and legitimate law enforcement efforts.
“This bill is not anti-police,” Cleveland said. “It is pro‑Constitution, pro‑accountability, and pro‑liberty. It embodies the reasons we fought and won both the Revolution and the Civil War!”
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