Rick Scott on Government Reform

Political donations exercise the right to free speech

Nelson: Yes. Backed 2017 DISCLOSE ACT requiring ads to disclose funders & major funders to reveal donations.

Scott: No position found.

Support Citizens United decision, allowing unlimited political donations from corporations & unions?

Nelson: No. The decision "opened the floodgates to dark money in campaigns."

Scott: Probable yes. Considers political donations part of exercising the right to free speech.

Reduce early voting; stricter third party registration

Analysis by Greenberg Traurig LLP: Proponents say the measure generally is meant to crack down on voter fraud. Opponents say it simply makes it harder to vote. HB 1355:

• reduces the time for early voting from two weeks to 8 days;
• Cuts the "life" of petition drive signatures for citizen petitions to place constitutional amendments on the ballot from four to two years; and
• Requires third-party voter registration groups to submit voter-registration cards within 48 hours.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 79-37-0 on Apr/21/11; Passed Senate 25-13-2 on May/5/11; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on May/19/11

Free speech includes financially supporting candidates

• Q: Do you support limits on the number of terms for Florida governors?
  A: Yes.
• Q: Do you support limits on the number of terms for Florida state legislators?
  A: Yes.
• Scott adds, "I believe that individuals should be able to exercise their right to free speech by financially supporting the candidates they believe in."

Reducing Tallahassee's unnecessary costs

Reducing unnecessary costs that Tallahassee places on Florida businesses will result in creating 240,000 jobs.
• Make unemployment benefits more affordable
• Limit frivolous lawsuits by implementing tort reform
• Impose a regulatory freeze and implement a comprehensive review of existing and proposed regulations
• Review state development regulations and expedite permits for job-creating businesses, such as Enterprise Florida targeted industries
• Reform Public Service Commission (PSC) processes to allow reasonable energy production and expansion
• Lower workers' compensation costs; a 35% reduction in workers' compensation costs would save businesses approximately $2.46 billion
• Bring our health insurance costs and mandates in line with the U.S. average
• Address Florida's relatively expensive electricity costs so businesses could save approximately $3.25 billion

Identify constitutionality in every new congressional bill.

The Contract from America, clause 1. Protect the Constitution:

Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does.

Audit federal agencies, to reform or eliminate them.

The Contract from America, clause 5. Restore Fiscal Responsibility & Constitutionally Limited Government in Washington:

Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that engages in a complete audit of federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality,

Moratorium on all earmarks until budget is balanced.

The Contract from America, clause 9. Stop the Pork:

Place a moratorium on all earmarks until the budget is balanced, and then require a 2/3 majority to pass any earmark.

President Trump not guilty of inciting insurrection.

GovTrack.us summary of H.Res.24: Article of Impeachment Against Former President Donald John Trump:

The House impeached President Trump for the second time, charging him with incitement of insurrection. The impeachment resolution accused the President of inciting the violent riot that occurred on January 6, when his supporters invaded the United States Capitol injuring and killing Capitol Police and endangering the safety of members of Congress. It cites statements from President Trump to the rioters such as `if you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore,` as well as persistent lies that he won the 2020 Presidential election.

Legislative Outcome:

Bill introduced Jan 11, 2021, with 217 co-sponsors; House rollcall vote #117 passed 232-197-4 on Jan. 13th (a YES vote in the House was to impeach President Trump for inciting insurrection); Senate rollcall vote #59 rejected 57-43-0 on Feb. 13th (2/3 required in Senate to pass; a YES vote in the Senate would have found President Trump guilty, but since he had already left office at that time, a guilty verdict would have barred Trump from running for President in the future)

Voted NO on two articles of impeachment against Trump.

RESOLUTION: Impeaching Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.

ARTICLE I: ABUSE OF POWER: Using the powers of his high office, Pres. Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 US Presidential election. He did so through a course of conduct that included
1. Pres. Trump--acting both directly and through his agents--corruptly solicited the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations into a political opponent, former Vice President Joseph Biden; and a discredited theory promoted by Russia alleging that Ukraine--rather than Russia--interfered in the 2016 US Presidential election.
2. With the same corrupt motives, Pres. Trump conditioned two official acts on the public announcements that he had requested: (A) the release of $391 million that Congress had appropriated for the purpose of providing vital military and security assistance to Ukraine to oppose Russian aggression; and (B) a head of state meeting at the White House, which the President of Ukraine sought.
3. Faced with the public revelation of his actions, Pres. Trump ultimately released the [funds] to the Government of Ukraine, but has persisted in openly soliciting Ukraine to undertake investigations for his personal political benefit.

ARTICLE II: OBSTRUCTION OF CONGRESS:
1. Pres. Trump defied a lawful subpoena by withholding the production of documents sought [by Congress];
2. defied lawful subpoenas [for] the production of documents and records;
3. and directed current and former Executive Branch officials not to cooperate with the Committees.