Self-Serving Scott's Week in Review: Making Florida Sicker, Deepening the Swamp and Ignoring Painful Realities in Puerto Rico

Rick Scott’s self-serving politics have made Floridians sicker, deepened the swamp with his cronyism and catering to special interests, and exposed how he will not dare criticize his friend Donald Trump for the failed recovery from Hurricane Maria.

Not Draining the Swamp – Deepening It.

Rick Scott’s effort to portray himself as an outsider clashes with reality, according to an analysis by the Tampa Bay Times.

• “He came in as an outsider, but he will leave with the status quo intact and insiders still in control.”
• “Scott has pulled in special interest cash like no governor before him, stocked state government with friends, drawing charges of cronyism, and regularly socializes with top lobbyists, including Brian Ballard and Bill Rubin, who sat at Scott’s table at a recent leadership dinner at the Governor’s Mansion.”
• “Even allies struggle to find ways that he changed the culture in a capital where he is by far the best-known politician.”
• “After spending more than $70 million of his own money to win his first term, he welcomed the help of special interest dollars to win a second term and inspired a trend in others.”

“I don’t know what I would do differently” in Puerto Rico

This is what Rick Scott said when asked about the weak Trump administration response to Hurricane Maria. Scott has been hiding from Donald Trump – obviously not real proud of his pal – but doesn’t have the spine to call him out for the wretched response to Hurricane Maria. Scott doesn’t “know what I would do differently” even though thousands died, tens of thousands of people have evacuated the island and many remain without power or clean water.

Tampa Bay Times: Rick Scott: ‘I don’t know what I would do differently’ in Puerto Rico

• President Donald Trump and the federal government have faced intense criticism for the U.S. response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. But in a visit to the island Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott told reporters: “I don’t know what I would do differently.”

Orlando Sentinel: Rick Scott: ‘I don’t know what I’d do differently’ than federal government in Puerto Rico

• Democrats and liberal groups hit Gov. Rick Scott over his comments in Puerto Rico Thursday that “I don’t know what I’d do differently” from the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria.

“Florida is a sicker state because of Gov. Rick Scott’s partisanship.”

Scott’s results in health care as governor “stink” with the rate of uninsured Floridians going up, according to this Sun Sentinel column.

• “Since Scott took office in 2011, Florida has ranked near the bottom on access to basic health coverage.”
• “It gets worse. The Commonwealth Fund just ranked Florida above only Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi, based on a study of 43 health care metrics. Commonwealth ranked Florida below average in the South, which was by far the worst region.”
• “Education isn’t a Scott priority. Nor is health care for the man whose hospital company paid a $1.7 billion fine for defrauding the federal government.”
• “Unlike Scott, other Republican governors and legislatures have looked past their party’s opposition to the Affordable Care Act and focused on helping their states.”
• “Yet the governor who stresses “results” has chosen politics and ideology — he opposed the ACA as a private citizen — over policy.”

Scott’s Negligence Again Endangering Nursing Home Residents.

Even after 12 senior citizens died last year due to Scott’s inaction and negligence, most nursing facilities are not ready with generators for this hurricane season, according to the Miami Herald.

• “But only 48 nursing homes and 91 ALFs have reported they have installed equipment and had state site inspections as of May 25, according to the most recent data available by the Agency of Health Care Administration.”
• “So the nightmare scenario could happen again.”
• “The delays mean that as Florida enters another hurricane season, many of the state’s long-term care facilities either don’t have equipment installed and operational or haven’t undergone a state inspection.”
• “Though the changes were touted as one of the most visible reforms post-Irma, 254 nursing homes and 313 assisted living facilities have already been approved for extensions up to Dec. 31, long after this hurricane season will be over.”

Scott’s already started “bogus displays of stormy weather leadership.”

Scott is “using his office on the campaign trail to the U.S. Senate” with his “hysterical” response to “rain and squalls,” according to a Miami Herald column.

• “The losers of Scott’s overkill, however, were businesses, particularly in tourism, who depend on holiday weekends for a big chunk of their sales — and lost out to the exaggeration of what amounted to sporadic rain showers with some squally weather. That was the only debris left by Alberto for Scott to clean up.”
• “It’s going to be a long summer with campaigning Rick Scott in charge. Hysterical season — I mean, hurricane season — starts on Friday. Brace yourselves for more bogus displays of stormy weather leadership.”

Senator Nelson Calling Scott Out for Supporting Moving Rigs Closer to Florida Beaches.

Scott has refused to sign on to legislation extending the moratorium on drilling near Florida’s shores and beaches, and is OK with moving rigs closer, according to Politico.

• “Scott campaign spokesman Ryan Patmintra has not answered questions seeking to further define the area where the governor opposes drilling, though Patmintra says his answers are responsive.”

Scott Exacerbating Opioid Crisis.

Scott slashing $28 million from programs will “escalate” the state’s opioid crisis and likely lead to more children being removed from homes and placed into the system, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Scott Cronies He Appointed to Top Positions Funding His Campaign.

Fellow shady businessman Carlos Beruff, who also referred to President Obama as an “animal,” and Darlene Jordan are among those giving tens of thousands of dollars to fund Scott’s Senate campaign after he appointed them to prominent state boards, according to a Politico report.

Scott Still Terrible at Following the Rules.

Facebook removed three of Scott’s campaign ads because his campaign, despite boasting about all their money and staff, apparently couldn’t quite keep up with those new rules, according to the Tampa Bay Times.