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What Floridians Were Reading While The GOP Sipped Cocktails

Growing scandals, broken promises, discriminatory hiring practices, and GOP infighting — these are just a few of the stories Floridians were reading about Rick Scott this weekend while the governor and his allies were sipping cocktails.

Just 50 days from Election Day, these are not the headlines Rick Scott was looking for coming out of his “victory” dinner.  

Tampa Tribune: Scott’s Columbia/HCA case overshadowed TGH probe“Rick Scott won the Florida governor’s office in 2010 despite his history as head of a hospital chain that paid the biggest health care fraud fine in history…But the 1990s scandal involving Scott’s company, Columbia/HCA, overshadowed another investigation, one into whether Scott and Columbia/HCA sought to rig the purchase of what then was the county-owned Tampa General Hospital.”  

Broward Bulldog: U.S. Sugar seeks OK for huge development after news it paid for GOP leaders’ trips“Weeks after news that Gov. Rick Scott and Florida GOP leaders took secret hunting trips to Texas financed by Florida’s sugar industry, U.S. Sugar and Hilliard Brothers are pushing plans for a massive new development in rural Hendry County near the northwest edge of the Everglades.”

Tampa Bay Times Editorial: Big Sugar aims for big payoff“Big Sugar’s big plans are coming into sharper focus. U.S. Sugar and its allies are not just interested in influencing an upcoming water policy debate in Tallahassee. They are quietly pursuing big development plans on land the state has an option to buy to protect the Everglades. No wonder U.S. Sugar has been organizing secret hunting trips to Texas for Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and top legislators. And no wonder the politicians are reluctant to talk about hunting with sugar interests intent on increasing the value of land that taxpayers could wind up buying at inflated prices. It’s an insider’s game that Republican leaders enabled and Big Sugar exploits, and it’s an outrageous betrayal to Floridians.”  

Tampa Bay Times Editorial: Scott’s inequitable tax plans“In election season, tax break promises are as predictable as campaign signs. But the details of Gov. Rick Scott’s $1 billion tax cut proposal are more piecemeal than most… Voters should not be fooled by vague promises of unrealistic tax cuts that would do more harm than good… Scott would rather increase property tax inequities than fix them.”  

Palm Beach Post: Potential GOP base problem for Scott: ‘Anyone have a non-Common Core question? “Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Juston Johnson visited last week’s Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee meeting…And when Johnson fielded questions from audience members, five of the first six queries included complaints about the Common Core education standards and Scott’s perceived support for them.” 

Tampa Bay Times: Florida Gov. Rick Scott appointing fewer black judges than predecessors“After nearly four years, Gov. Rick Scott has appointed fewer African-Americans to Florida judgeships than either Charlie Crist or Jeb Bush did in the same period of time. ‘He has no interest in diversity,’ said state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, a caucus member and incoming Senate Democratic leader. ‘He wants to stack the courts with people who think like him. It’s that corporate mentality that he brought to the governor’s office.’” 

Context Florida: Energy failures from Adam Putnam and Rick Scott“The failure of Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam to develop and advance energy policies in the public’s best interests should give Floridians ample nonpartisan reason to vote them out of office… Scott, Putnam and crew have made clear with their actions and inaction that they’re on the wrong side, by serving the interests of Florida energy monopolies such as FPL and Duke Energy, at our great expense.”  

Video: Fox 13’s Craig Patrick on Rick Scott’s Failure to Deliver on His 2010 Jobs Promise

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