Rick Scott Disavows Role In Controversial Early Voting Law: ‘It Was Not My Bill’
Source: TPM
TOM KLUDT 3:16 PM EST, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16, 2013
Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) on Tuesday sought to assuage concerns voiced by black lawmakers regarding an election law that reduced the number of days for early voting by insisting that he had nothing to do with the legislation, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
In 2011, Scott signed a bill into law that cut the number of early voting days from 14 to 8, resulting in long lines and mayhem at many Florida voting locations in the days leading up to Election Day in 2012. But on Tuesday, Scott concurred that changes to the state's election laws are in order and offered a message to concerned black elected officials: don't look at me.
"It was not my bill," Scott said. "We've got to make changes, I agree.
The Legislature passed it. I didn't have anything to do with passing it."
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Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/rick-scott-disavows-role-in-controversial-election-law
Don't blame me for election law, Rick Scott tells black lawmakers
By Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In Print: Wednesday, January 16, 2013
TALLAHASSEE Facing a highly critical group of black legislators, Gov. Rick Scott largely defended his record Tuesday but distanced himself from a controversial election law that led to fewer early-voting days and long lines.
Scott agreed with black lawmakers that the 2011 election law contributed to the chaos at the polls in November, including long lines all over the state and up to seven-hour waits in Miami-Dade. But Scott, who is seeking re-election in 2014, said it was largely a decision of the Legislature.
"It was not my bill," Scott said. "We've got to make changes, I agree. The Legislature passed it. I didn't have anything to do with passing it."
Scott signed the bill into law in 2011. His administration spent more than $500,000 in legal fees in a largely successful defense of the law, though a federal judge struck down new restrictions on groups that register voters.
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Full Tampa Bay Times article here:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/dont-blame-me-for-election-law-rick-scott-tells-black-lawmakers/1270600
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)brucefan
(1,549 posts)reverend_tim
(105 posts)calimary
(81,512 posts)Glad you're here! Yep, you make a very valid point. He signed the damn thing. So YES. It's his. Got his fingerprints all over it. He could just as easily have vetoed, but he didn't.
LaPera
(6,486 posts)JustAnotherGen
(31,907 posts)He's a Republican.
He knows if he tells a lie over and over it becomes truth. There are people in Florida that will vote for him again because by the time he comes up for re-election he will have convinced him (along with the folks at Faux News) that it was actually the Black Panthers that signed it into law to keep white people from voting.
That's how Rick Scott rolls. That's how Priebus (sp?) rolls. Rove. Cheney. Lyin' Ryan. Romney. Sister Sarah Palinstan. Etc. Etc. and so on and so forth.
They can no more help it than I can help breathing today.
secondvariety
(1,245 posts)but I got a woody signing it."
EC
(12,287 posts)Shouldn't the Governor know if it is Constitutional or not? He and his crew cost the state.
wilt the stilt
(4,528 posts)two criminals who were lucky.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)judesedit
(4,443 posts)calimary
(81,512 posts)Pass the buck like all cowards like to do, soon-to-be-EX-governor scott. 'Cause I can't imagine him possibly being reelected!
muntrv
(14,505 posts)John2
(2,730 posts)something about Constitutions in this country. The only Constitution worth it's salt is if the people agree to it. The South should have learned that after the U.S. Civil War. You piss the Electorate off enough, then the Kochs or no amount of money can help you. Governor Scott will find that out soon enough because his time is coming. What ever happens to Governor Scott should be a warning of things to come in 2016 and Scott is feeling the heat. Two can play at this game the Republicans are playing. The U.S. Supreme Court want be able to help him either. You can only push the Electorate so far. The people have the power to confiscate everything he owns if they choose to do so and Scott can't do anything about it but cry.
Stuart G
(38,449 posts)Scott is an asshole..
"Oh..it was the legislature.." sure, and I am the first astronaut...who went to Mars........
MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)And, like a good boy who does what his vast network of right wing handlers tell him to do, he acknowledged how fast it would move through the FL legislature, so there was nothing he could do.
He does nothing anyway but pass laws like this when he isn't breaking laws.
JCMach1
(27,574 posts)and not only that he has the LINE ITEM VETO...