Scott’s Financial Scandals Dominate TV News In FL

The latest on Rick Scott’s secret financial account and how he’s used his position as governor to enrich himself, from Tuesday:

• Politico uncovered that Scott’s wife had a “direct financial tie” to an employee at a firm managing his so called “blind” trust;
• The Tampa Bay Times detailed how “Scott told Florida not to invest in companies linked to Venezuela, but he did;”
• The Associated Press wrote “new filings also showed that both Scott and his wife have invested in companies that are affected by decisions made by state government” and “a series of news reports in the last few weeks have raised questions about Scott’s investments, including that his wife loaned money to an employee of the firm managing Scott’s blind trust.”

From David Bergstein, DSCC Spokesman: “While Scott was losing jobs, driving health care costs higher and slashing millions of dollars from public schools, he was using his position as governor to spin a web of corruption to make himself even richer. Self-serving and dishonest, Scott keep proving he can’t be trusted to look out for anyone but himself in the Senate.”

The scandal is dominating TV news in Florida:

Fox 35: “Lawmakers calling for the Florida Commission on Ethics to investigate Governor Rick Scott. At issue: the family’s blind trust. Politico reporting that Governor Scott’s wife loaned nearly a quarter of a million dollars to an accountant who was managing that trust.”

WTSP: “The governor recently turned in a financial disclosure to the U.S. Senate that shows he and his wife are affected by decisions made by state government officials, by decisions made by the state government itself.”

WMBB: “Nelson addressed findings from Scott’s federally required financial disclosure. It shows a Japanese company bought a Michigan based plastics firm that the Scott family had a major ownership interest in. The company sold for more than $800 million dollars.  This was after Governor Scott had been on an economic mission trip to Japan. Senator Nelson is accusing Governor Scott of using his position for personal gain.”

WEAR: “Some of Scott’s investments are raising some questions. Documents show holdings in several companies doing business in Florida. That includes NextEra Energy which owns Florida’s biggest electric utility and is getting ready to acquire Gulf Power.”

 

Read more: Miami Herald: In disclosure Q and A, Scott campaign provides its own questions, then avoids some answers; Miami Herald: Rick Scott and family made $550M in one transaction. How ‘blind’ is his blind trust?; Florida Bulldog: Rick Scott paid $200,000 in tax incentives to company in which he had financial interest; Tampa Bay Times:Rick and Ann Scott had stake in shipping giant linked to Putin; GateHouse Media: Gov. Rick Scott profits from Hep C drug tied to state prisons, opioid crisis; Florida Politics: Rick Scott’s blind trust connected to controversial Chinese company ZTE; Orlando Sentinel: Gov. Rick Scott’s net worth soars 56 percent to $232 million, report shows; Tampa Bay Times, Ruth: Is Rick Scott’s blind trust that blind?; News Service of Florida: Rick Scott fights lawsuit demanding he disclose financial assets; Esquire: How ‘Blind’ Is Governor Rick Scott’s Blind Trust, Really?; Florida Bulldog: What did Gov. Rick Scott do with mysterious $120 million in cash?  

 

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