The Fine Print

The mythology of Gov. Rick Scott

It's been apparent that Gov. Rick Scott - whose poll ratings dropped like a rock in the first part of the year - has undergone a transformation of sorts in the last few months.

Many of the changes have been well documented: Visits to editorial boards, a less formal wardrobe, a willingness to interact more with the media and just as importantly a decision to have Scott stay out of the middle of certain controversies. (Case in point: Scott has struck very neutral-sounding positions on the tug-of-war between Sen. Mike Fasano and the State Board of Administration or the dust-up on the sinkhole insurance rates of Citizens Property Insurance.)

But emails from the governor's office show that another campaign to change Scott's image may soon be coming: "The 10 myths about Rick Scott."

Back in August Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara sent an email to Communications Director Brian Burgess labeled "10 myths" and all it says "let's discuss."

That was followed later that month by this document composed by Amy Graham, who also works in the governor's press office.

Five Myths About Florida Governor Rick Scott Dispelled

 

Myth: Rick Scott has always been wealthy.

Truth: The son of a truck driver and a JCPenny Clerk, Governor Rick Scott started school in public housing in Kansas City, Missouri. Because his family always struggled financially, Governor Scott began working at a young age doing everything from delivering newspapers and cleaning phone booths, to selling groceries and working on a ship in the United States Navy. These jobs taught him the value of working hard for every dollar and the impact every penny has on a family’s ability to put food on the table.

 

Myth: Rick Scott hasn’t done anything to create jobs

Truth: Since Governor Scott took office in January, Florida’s unemployment rate went down for five straight months and held steady in June. Florida is well on it’s way to reaching 700,000 jobs in seven years because of Governor Scott  passing tax cuts, streamlining state government and beginning the steps necessary to return state government to its core functions and ignite private sector job growth.

 

Myth: Rick Scott is operating his plane at the state taxpayer’s expense.

Truth: Governor Scott covers all costs associated with the operation of his jet out of his own pocket - at no cost to the state. This includes fuel, operation, maintenance and storage costs. It is also important to note that Governor Scott does not accept a salary from the state, with the exception of one penny each month to keep him on the state payroll. 

 

Myth: Rick Scott doesn’t talk to the media

Truth: Governor Scott talks to the media every day and at minimum, one hour of his schedule is set aside for interviews. He often jokes that he speaks to the media more than he speaks to his wife Ann. Governor Scott has done more than 130 radio interviews since March and has already begun participating in editorial board meetings. Governor Scott will meet with all 12 Florida editorial boards.

 

Myth: Rick Scott doesn’t believe in open government

Truth: Governor Scott is a proponent of open government laws and believes the public has a right to know what state government is doing with their hard-earned tax dollars. Since January 4, 2011, the Governor’s Office has received 813 public records requests, of which 97 percent have been completed and three percent are in progress. This is compared to just 960 public record requests the Governor’s Office received during the entire four years of Governor Crist’s term.

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It remains to be seen whether or not Scott's office reaches 10 myths, but even more interesting will be how this campaign is launched and conveyed to the public.

 

 

Angry Republicans lash out at Florida GOP leaders over primary move

Top Republicans in Florida late last month pushed to have the state move up its presidential primary to Jan. 31.

The argument this year - as it was in 2008 - is that this would ensure that presidential candidates would pay attention to Florida.

The latest news is that the Republican National Committee has signed off on a plan to allow the primary to be a winner-take-all contest. This means even though Florida is still losing half of its delegates to the 2012 Republican National Convention the 50 delegates up for grabs remains a valuable prize to the GOP presidential contenders.

More on that here.

But it is also clear that many of the "grassroots" Republicans aren't happy about the decision by top Republicans to buck RNC rules.

It has already been reported that National Committeeman Paul Senft loudly protested the move shortly before the vote.

But emails obtained on behalf of the Associated Press show that Senate President Mike Haridopolos was hit up with lots of angry messages about the potential primary move, which some saw as a way to help some of the candidates, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, although House Speaker Dean Cannon is backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Take this email from Lakeland Tea Party leader Mark LaMons and his wife Alison:

"We do not appreciate living in a state, that on more than one occasion, has become a laughing stock as it pertains to elections," their email says. "But that is minor compared to the outright subversion of the will of the people. It is one thing to have the Democrats try to steal an election but to have our own party manipulate the system to advantage a particular candidate is unconscionable."

Here's some of the other sentiments:

Rebecca Walker of Fernandina Beach wrote Haridopolos and ticked off many reasons, including that it was "plain rude" to break RNC rules after the convention was awarded to the state.

"It is breaking the rules and that is just wrong,'' Walker wrote. "I feel like doing this will give the RPOF a black eye in the eyes of the nation. It is wrong, and if the RPOF does this, I for one will be embarrassed and ashamed of our party."

Cindy Kucharski of North Fort Myers wrote a lengthy email to Haridopolos where she says that "whoever came up with this lame idea of moving the primary up is not working for the best interest of the party or the current and future candidates....It's almost as though our party has been infiltrated by an element who wishes to destroy the democratic process."

She also wrote this: "I am a political activist. It is a rare day that I do not send a letter to a legislator - not only elected officials from Florida, but from all over the country. I pay attention. I watch CSPAN. I listen to talk radio. I research candidates on the Internet. I go to hear them speak when making my mind who to vote for. However half the people I meet are ignorant of the issues, too lazy to go out to a candidate forum, many too lazy to even request an absentee ballot and send it in.

You know the electorate is alarmingly apathetic and it takes a lot of motivation to get out the vote. By moving the primary date you decrease the time possible the motivate the unwashed masses."

Later she continues: "My disappointment in the Republican Party continues. I basically refuse to financially support RPOF or RNC. However, I work tirelessly for a candidate I support and have been very pleased at the victories of Marco Rubio and Rick Scott - in spite of their initial lack of support from their own parties. I was so disgusted with the Republican Party that I was ready to change my voter registration from Republican - and only stayed in the party because I realized candidates like Marco need the support of conservative primary voters."

Rick Hartley a Republican State Committeeman from Duval County wrote to Haridopolos and said: "Do not hijack the primary for Romney! This stinks."

Bill Landes from Polk County wrote Cannon, Haridopolos and members of the panel that was voting on the primary date: "I personally feel this sounds as a personal political move for self personal gain."

Carole Reid, a state committeewoman from Putnam County, wrote: "The Republican Party and its legislative leaders remind me of children who don't play by the rules but whine when they are penalized. It is time for these leaders to understand that, as adults, we do not pick and choose rules and laws we wish to adhere to, but rather work to change those with disagree with."

 

 

A terrible and horrible anniversary in Tallahassee

This weekend marks the 45th anniversary of one of the darker moments in the history of the city of Tallahassee.

This is what happened on the night of Oct. 22, 1966:

"While while many residents were watching Florida State University and Mississippi State play football, someone attacked Robert Sims, his wife Helen and their daughter in their modest brick house on a cul-de-sac.

All three were bound, their mouths stuffed with stockings. The two adults were blindfolded. Robert Sims, 42, a top official with the state Department of Education, was shot in the head. Helen Sims, 34, was shot twice in the head and once in the leg. Joy, 12, was stabbed six times, then shot in the head. Her panties were found pulled down, and there was evidence that she was molested."

The case still remains officially unsolved and the Leon County Sheriff's Office still has a file on its website asking for anyone with information to call them. The problem in solving the case is that no murder weapon was ever found, nor was there any signs of forced entry or robbery.

The murder remains a pivotal point in Tallahassee history because it in some ways forever changed the town. Panic gripped the small city, Halloween was nearly canceled and soon suspicion for the murders would fall on the charismatic preacher at the head of the First Baptist Church of Tallahassee.

From a story I wrote about the case five years ago for The Miami Herald:

"We just woke up one morning in Tallahassee and we were part of an evil world," said Rocky Bevis, who was 16 at the time and was one of the first at the crime scene because his father ran a funeral home and ambulance service. "It's disturbing to go to sleep knowing someone is still out there."

You can read the full story here.

The Tallahassee Democrat this weekend touched on the case with a piece that columnist Gerald Ensley wrote on Pastor C.A. Roberts and his legacy.

Gov. Rick Scott "freaking emails" and his "freaking phone"

In the last few weeks, it has been disclosed that transition related emails for Gov. Rick Scott and his team may have been lost.

Then it was discovered that emails that had been on Scott's iPad were accidentally deleted.

It also turns out that emails on Scott's Blackberry also may have been lost, although some were recovered.

Newly-released records show that Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents brought in to help after the iPad incident back in April decided to see if Scott's Blackberry still had the emails on them.

The only problem is that the Blackberry was linked to the transition email account that got shut down in late January.

An April 29 email from an agent in FDLE's digital evidence section says that 87 pages of content was recovered off the Blackberry but there was no way to know for sure whether or not all the emails were recovered.

"Everyone involved acted with extreme professionalism and due diligence under non-ideal circumstances," wrote Jennifer Roeder. "I just wish that freaking emails were still on freaking phone."

Here's the rest of the story.

Gov. Rick Scott cranks back up the money machine

There's no "concrete" plan yet, but Gov. Rick Scott is back at work when it comes to gathering money for one of the key political groups that helped Scott win the governor's race last year.

Let's Get to Work has been largely dormant since Scott won his election last November.

But the group's own website shows that this past summer it got a $100,000 check.

Here's a short story about it.