Legislator says Scott will help make abortion nearly illegal in Florida

A state legislator claims in a new message to supporters that Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has pledged, if elected, to throw his support behind a bill that would make abortion illegal in Florida in nearly all instances, including rape and incest.

An e-mail sent out by Rep. Charles Van Zant this week urges his supporters to vote for Scott because he personally promised to sign into law the "Florida Right to Life Act." Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights, added that "Scott pledged that he would assist in advancing the Florida for Life Act through both Florida's House and Senate."

Van Zant, a minister and an architect, added in his e-mail that he had a follow-up conversation with Scott about whether the Naples businessman would make abortion illegal in Florida: "He immediately said 'Yes, that's what I believe and that's what I will do.' He telephoned me last week to assure me that he would keep this issue before our state government," Van Zant added.

Asked directly whether Van Zant's e-mail was accurate, Scott campaign spokesman Travis Burk said that "Rick Scott's pro-life position has not changed." Scott has in the past said he is opposed to abortion but does support it for the life of the mother as well as victims of rape and incest.

The Scott campaign refused to answer other questions about the e-mail. Repeated attempts to reach Van Zant were unsuccessful.

Legal experts say that if such a ban on abortion is approved in Florida, it will trigger a legal war that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court and have national implications.

Here's the entire story at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

And here's the entire text of Van Zant's e-mail regarding the governor's race:

Dear friends,

Thank you for the many concerned phone calls and e-mails regarding who to vote for in this election cycle. Many of the races before us have become so controversial due to negative campaigning that the lines for voters are blurred unless you really know the candidates and the issues. Below please find my opinion and recommendation regarding various state level races and issues, including candidates to vote for, ballot amendments and Supreme Court Judges. Some have been difficult decisions but have been made with prayer and some based on conversations with the candidates themselves. Local races for State Legislature, County governments and School Board are not included.

Although you will now have my opinion and recommendation before you, please pray and ask God who to vote for so that ultimately your vote is cast with personal conviction. Another good thing to do is to look up the Supervisor of Elections website for your county and print out the sample ballot provided. This will have additional candidates and issues that are not included in this e-mail. Fill it in and take it with you to the voting booth. This way you won't be making such important decisions at the moment of voting but will have them well thought out before you get there.

Florida Governor: Rick Scott / Jennifer Carroll

Please read all the information regarding this recommendation as it is critical for you to be informed about this race. First, I've known Jennifer Carroll for years. She is a remarkably devoted conservative who consistently has stood for lower taxes, smaller government, and our free enterprise system while maintaining her allegiance to God and country.

I met Rick Scott during the Primary election and have spent time with him on two occasions and have talked to him on the phone and prayed with him several times. He has taken stands on key issues that define this election for conservatives. Florida's Governor will affect several neighboring states and the Judeo-Christian community of the entire region will be affected by his passage or veto of certain Bills.

Regarding abortion: Rick Scott pledged that he would assist in advancing the Florida for Life Act through both Florida's House and Senate. He also promised that, once passed, he will sign it into law on behalf of Florida's unborn. He also added that "in addition to changing our laws we need a campaign to educate people not to destroy their unborn children." To that I say - Amen.

During our second meeting, I said, "The second mail piece I received from your campaign carried the message that if you were Governor, you would sign legislation making abortion illegal in Florida. Since that was early during the Primary Campaign in a field of Republican Candidates, do you still intend to make that an issue during the General Campaign?" He immediately said "Yes, that's what I believe and that's what I will do." He telephoned me last week to assure me that he would keep this issue before our state government.

Regarding the issue of state spending, Rick Scott promised that he would budget state spending down and "outsource" state jobs where possible. This does not mean that he would send state jobs overseas. Quite the contrary, it means that lucrative jobs within Florida's state government would be bid out to competitive bidders that exist within Florida's business community. This would create jobs for Floridians in the private sector and reduce state spending (and necessary tax dollars) dramatically. In short, this means state spending and taxes would both decrease and jobs for Floridians would increase.

Regarding property tax reform, his plan calls for a reduction of property taxes by 19 percent. We desperately need that.

Regarding our Second Amendment rights: according to past NRA president Marion Hammer, Rick Scott has an A rating from the NRA. His opponent, Alex Sink, has an F rating. To the extent that our citizens' right to keep and bear arms is ever infringed upon, our freedom is diminished. The National Rifle Association does more to protect our Second Amendment Rights than any other organization in the country. One main reason that we enjoy the freedom we have today is because our right to keep and bear arms has been protected without infringement. We must have a governor with an A rating from the NRA.

Also, I wanted to check out opposition claims that Rick Scott was linked to a great Medicaid fraud scandal. So, I contacted a Prosecutor with the State Attorney's office. The reply to my request says:

"Mr. Scott was never a target of the investigation. I have read all the materials I can find on Rick Scott and the HCA investigations. I have not found any documents that suggest that Rick Scott was ever considered a target of an investigation. He was not charged with any crime, he was not interviewed about any wrong doing."