Sometimes it can be hard for journalists, political observers, and yes, even his Republican allies to understand how Gov. Rick Scott ticks.
Scott almost never lets his guard down - especially when dealing with the press. He can seem like a robot when he delivers the same message and talking points over and over again.
Scott is a former lawyer who dealt with mergers and acquisitions before he helped set up what would be the nation's largest hospital chain before its steep fall amid federal investigations into fraud.
Looking at his history in the private sector and even in the public arena now for nearly five years it's clear that Scott views himself as a dealmaker. (Which is why he may ultimately endorse Donald Trump for president, but that's for another day.)
And that's how you have to view what's going on with the protracted negotiations with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
The Associated Press was the first to report that the state of Florida late Friday filed a federal lawsuit asking a judge to immediately shut down the blackjack tables operated at the tribe's casinos across the state.
The wording is stark and simple in the lawsuit. The part of the compact between the tribe and the state that covered blackjack tables expired this summer. The tribe had a 90 day grace period that ended Friday to remove the tables and they didn't. Therefore the state argues that the tribe is now operating in violation of state and federal law. They want a judge to place an injunction on the tribe.
Here's a copy of the lawsuit: Download Complaint_10_30_2015
As one Florida gambling expert noted - now it's about to get real.
From a tactical move it makes sense for Florida to sue the tribe - especially since earlier in the week the Seminoles made their own preemptive strike by filing their own lawsuit that contends that the state violated the compact. A tribe spokesman made it clear the Seminoles would keep their blackjack tables at the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa and Hollywood until their lawsuit got resolved.
Still it's a bit of swerve for the Scott administration and for a governor whose own political committee in 2013 got a $500,000 check from the tribe. When point blank asked about suing the tribe this past Tuesday Scott got a tad testy and promised only that he "do the right thing for our state."
Remember back in 2014 Scott was negotiating a new deal with the Seminoles that would have created a big splash. The overarching goal was simple: Get a better deal than his opponent Charlie Crist did. And the final numbers would have been bigger. A $2 billion pay day for the state and the tribe would have gotten craps, roulette and a new casino location in return.
But Scott didn't get that deal because an effort to push it through the Legislature imploded. Scott's team - which included then Chief of Staff Adam Hollingsworth - brought it to legislative leaders late in the 2014 session.
They floated the idea of holding a special session in May to ratify it. Initially the gambling lobbyists were caught flat-footed and didn't realize how close Scott and the tribe were to reaching a new compact. Those representing the Las Vegas casinos and the dog and horse tracks furiously rallied against it. Legislative leaders quickly realized they would have a hard time getting enough votes to pass it.
After that the deal was put on ice while Scott marched toward re-election and the deadline for the tribe loomed closer.
Legislators in charge of gambling issues began talking themselves with the tribe earlier this year - and then Scott reengaged. He personally reached out to legislators such as Sen. Rob Bradley and talked about working in concert to get a deal.
One key point to remember: Scott may be considered agnostic when it comes to gambling.
He didn't get elected or re-elected based on making promises to the anti-gambling crowd, the Vegas casino crowd or the pari-mutuels. At point he got backing from the Vegas casinos but as first reported by Florida Politics - the Las Vegas Sands and Sheldon Adelson have given up for now trying to get a casino in the Sunshine State.
For Scott the main problem is that the Legislature, however, is rife with competing gambling factions.
Those involved have said the issue isn't just getting a deal with the tribe - it's getting a deal that can win enough votes in the House or Senate. There's also the significant rift that has developed between Scott and GOP legislators - especially those in the Senate - in the last year.
Tribal leaders said there had been "significant progress" in recent talks but conceded earlier this week that they had to go to court to protect their interests.
So in other words they wanted to keep their leverage to say to the state we can maybe achieve our goals without having to give up too much.
Scott, however, decided to call their bluff. He brought in an outside law firm and put together a lawsuit that goes after the tribe. It shows that the state of Florida is serious too. Both sides now have something to lose. This isn't the first time that Scott has tried this brinkmanship (high speed rail, Medicaid funding) and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
But for Scott - the dealmaker - gets a chance to show off his skills again, and maybe, win a big jackpot and turn around his recent string of bad luck with the Florida Legislature.
Gary Fineout nails it.
Posted by: Jimloftus58 | October 31, 2015 at 10:55 AM