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Florida Democrats Attack Rick Scott With Ignorance Of Blind Trusts

May 11, 2018 - 9:45am
Rick Scott
Rick Scott

With the campaign of Gov. Rick Scott just a few weeks old, the Florida Democratic Party has already begun its counter-offensive, and it looks to be rooted in the party's lack of knowledge concerning campaign law. 

Scott is looking to unseat Bill Nelson, a 40-year fixture in Congress, and the incumbent must be in a vulnerable position based on the early flailing of his party.

The Dems apparently are focusing on Scott’s personal finances -- specifically, that they rest in a blind trust. This is where Democratic ignorance rises to a mirthful level. It's presented in ominous tones with accusatory language, despite one stark reality: the trust was legally set up to avoid impropriety.

The FlaDems sent out an accusatory tweet declaring,  “It’s been 28 days since Rick Scott announced his Senate run, and he still hasn’t revealed how he became $46 million dollars richer while serving as our governor. Floridians deserve to know.” There is even a countdown timer provided to display the governor’s supposed avoidance. This sets the table for how oblivious the Democrats appear to be.

When Scott became governor, after running for office using his own money, he placed his remaining assets in a blind trust. This was done in accordance with Florida law, and it was also done for the purpose of keeping Scott from making policy decisions perceived to have been done to benefit his own self-interests. Scott has no knowledge of his holdings, and the call for him to explain how his wealth grew is pointless. He has no way of knowing.

Attorney Don Hinkle has been one activist constantly going after Scott’s finances, and having little success. In November Hinkle filed a lawsuit, and as the Governor’s office noted, “An identical complaint has already been rejected by a court of law, and the Florida Ethics Commission has also repeatedly rejected Mr. Hinkle’s arguments. He should quit wasting everyone’s time.” 

George Sheldon, a Democratic candidate for attorney general, filed a lawsuit during Scott's 2014 race, but the court found that the governor could not be compelled to disclose more information. Hinkle was the lawyer in that case as well. Hinkle also filed three complaints with the ethics commission, but that panel concluded Scott was following the law.

The Dems take their charge to a farcical level in one of their attack ads. In the spot, entitled “Blind,” the party presents a number of details meant to be controversial, yet they only manage to discredit themselves with their own information. See the ad on this page.

Starting with the loaded question, “Is Rick Scott using the Governor’s Office to enrich himself?” it details some of the trust holdings. This manages both to explain how his wealth grew, and excuses the governor from any wrongdoing. A graphic shows that since the trust was created in 2010, one of the stocks in the holding -- Schlumberger -- rose in value from $83.50 to $106.39. No explanation is made why or how this is improper. Another benefit was his cut in the sale of a company, “but he won’t tell how much he made personally,” says the narrative.

Ummm, he can't say how much he made -- because he doesn't know. In hilarious fashion, the Democrats completely undercut their own charges with one other graphic in the spot. It posts a basic definition of what a Blind Trust is, and this unravels ALL of their accusations:

"Blind Trust" noun. A financial arrangement in which a person in public office gives the administration of private business interests to an independent trust in order to prevent conflict of interest. Under the trust the owner does not know how the assets are managed."

Why won’t Scott tell us his financial details? Oh, right -- he’s unable, because of the trust that is designed to avoid the very accusations being made. It is not often when a party manages to completely invalidate its own charges within a 30-second hit piece.

Either the Dems know how and why a blind trust works, and present its appearance here as an intentionally hysterical accusation, or they are oblivious as to how and why blind trusts operate. Whichever the case, the Florida Democrats come off appearing as either inept or desperate. And utterly hilarious in the process.

Brad Slager, a Fort Lauderdale freelance writer, wrote this story exclusively for Sunshine State News. He writes on politics and the entertainment industry and his stories appear in such publications as RedState and The Federalist.

 


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Comments

I think your headline should have been "Florida Democrats Attack Rick Scott With Ignorance". This explains most of what they do.

Democrats never did read, study, nor research much, before "firing their cannons" for "maximum overkill"..!

Quit wrapping your *** grabbing lips around the meth pipe, get out out of the trailer and get back to scrubbing the crappers at Lowe’s you freakin worthless republican voting sheep drone. Can’t wait to see that bald feces face lose the election Ali g with every traitor republican in the nation come November.

spoken like a true philosopher from the porch of your trailer. Now, take your fat can back to NY and get a job byyaattcchh...

This article has numerous errors, the most obvious is that Scott does not have all his assets in a blind trust. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings identify “Richard L. Scott” as the “Reporting Person” and state that he has beneficial ownership with voting, investment power, or control of stock held by the F. Annette Scott Revocable Trust as well as a Family Partnership. None of those assets are disclosed. He is not even blind as to what is in his "blind trust", for example he has filed under oath statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing the sale or acquisition of assets in his allegedly "blind" trust. The law states that assets in a blind trust "must be free of any restrictions with respect to sale of transfer" and capable of transfer "without the pubic officer's knowledge." Do you think he'd notice if the trustee sold his plane? You discuss my lawsuit, but never called, and never wrote. Please do not even pretend this is legitimate journalism.

Don, duh, if your wife is the controlling entity of your blind trust, duh, it is blind and you can't see it, duhhhh... You don't even know what is going on, duh, because you never talk to your wife, duh, it is blind...baahaahaa, idiots...

Don, you cannot try to give the truth to people that don't want to hear it. They will vote for their champion no matter how crooked he is... idiots...

This was because your cases were not central to my column. I was focusing on the Florida Democrats displaying ignorance about Blind Trusts. I only used the judgments and dismissals of your ethics cases to show the validity of the trust, which the FL Dems cast as inherently wrong.

In other words, quit calling me out. It does not matter that you are 100% correct. You were not supposed to invalidate my whole argument in two sentences. That is just not fair. I'm talking to the trailer park idiots who vote for this fool, not you college edumacated types. stop it...

Hinkle's arguments have been heard by courts, and an ethics committee. They were dismissed. So much for "100% correct".

Did you even examine the trust? Have you seen the terms? I didn't think so ... If the "blind trust" was blind, explain how Governor Scott filed, under penalty of perjury, SEC reports that he personally sold stock out of the trust? How could he even do that, if it was a legitimate trust?

Again, wasn't central to the column. The Dems exhibited ignorance of a trust, I merely stated Scott's trust has been vetted by a court, and an ethics committee. You want to argue specifics of the trust, and that was not what I wrote about.

i think you've tried these arguments before without avail. i wouldn't have called or written either--it is pretty clear what you are trying to do on behalf of the democrats.

I've heard 2 separate allegations over the years. 1) Rick Scott's "Blind Trust" is being managed by someone with direct ties to Scott. In fact, my understanding was that it was an employee from a previous endeavor. 2) That there's been a revolving door of assets moving from Scott to his wife, taking them out of the trust, and back into the trust. Either would seem to disqualify the blind trust. Is either true Nancy?

I am sorry to see articles of this quality. Rick Scott's trust is not blind and the whole arrangement, including Florida's "blind" trust law has been manufactured to shield Scott from disclosure. Moreover, as Don Hinkle demonstrates in his pleading, Scott is in control of the assets not being disclosed as Scott attempts to hid behind Ann Scott's skirts and a REVOKABLE trust. Sandy D'Alemberte

Note in the article where I mention judges dismissing the cases, and the ethics committee disregarding the multiple complaints. If you have access to more information than those authorities that may help.

You must be related to "Slager is an idiot" below, because you both are either Liars of the first degree, or incredibly stupid!!!!!

c'mon dude, get Scott's dick out of your jaw...

Why don’t they go after his utter failure/intentional stalling on medical marijuana and his support of Christian Bax. Nelson’s silence in this issue speaks volumes.

The minority Party is consistently hateful, just for the singular purpose of obstructionism; and it has become unacceptably abhorrent to America and its Taxpaying Citizens ! (Be very careful "dems"; you "shall reap what you sow" for decades to come..! )

Florida started the “8 is enough” initiative in the 90’s aimed at Congress. Supreme Court aid it was unconstitutional. BUT we dont need a law to effect term limits. It’s called Vote Them Out. Bill Nelson has been in Congress for over 30 years and is now claiming he should continue because he’s FINALLY worked his way closer to leadership. Offers no list of accomplishments because there are none. Time to go Bill.

Term limits was a key part of Newt Gingrich's "Contract on America." Once the Republicans won a majority, that was the LAST we heard about term limits at the federal level. More hypocrisy from those best at it. As for "do nothing" Bill, maybe you have a point, after all, Nelson has not enriched himself at the public trough, Nelson did not push for drug testing of state employers to benefit a company with a family member on the board, Nelson did not fleece Medicare....do we really need to send another scoundrel to Washington?

LISTEN UP FLORIDIANS YOUR LIVES ARE NOT IN DANGER OF GOV. RICK SCOTT, AND YES YOUR LIVES ARE IN CRITICAL, GRAVE, AND FATAL DANGER OF THIS SPECIMEN. IF YOU CAN NOT CLICK ON DIRECTLY COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER. YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE OVER THROWN AND THEN SOME: https://nworeport.me/2018/05/10/soros-assault-on-fla-election-continues/

You need a chill pill. Stop listening to right-wing media. Soros is not even that Rich not that dangerous. The Koch brothers in the other hand...

"..on the other hand",.. ("she wore a glove") [George Soros IS extremely rich,..AND IS extremely dangerous.. to you, your country, and your freedoms]... (Research his abominable history..)

Just because something is in a blind trust, and its legal, does not mean that its the right thing to do, or that someone does not know where there money is, what the trust is doing with it, and why. Just look at Trump's personal attorney, took 500k from the Russians, took 500k from AT&T, took $500k from Mickey Mouse in hopes that they could get a voice with Trump. Any idiot can tell that Trump will talk with his attorney and they will discuss the pay for play payoffs. The same holds true here, those managing the trust will advise Scott of what the investments are. If any of those have anything to do with state investment, deals or contracts, then it is fair game for fraud just like everything else, but he has found a legal loophole not to have to disclose it. Bottom line, the guy is dirty. He was dirty in business and paid for it (while taking the 5th a million times to avoid jail time) and he has been the greasiest Gov. I can ever remember with anything, take your pick. "Scott takes great lengths to avoid the Sunshine Laws". "Scott and his Cabinet play God with voting rights", "Scott sinks to new low on cronyism at the FL Dept. of Revenue". There is a new, greasy headline everyday. This guy is a snake oil salesman, but a professional one. He knows how to stay greasy, lawyer up, plead the 5th, move money. He is everything that is wrong with politics and this country today. He is the epitome of corruption and greed, except he has figured out every legal loophole imaginable to avoid "legal" culpability. Either way, at the end of the day, he is still just another dirty, rich scumbag politician with no ethics, nor integrity...and its party platform idiots like you who will do or say anything to get him elected for your party politic.

You post is unbelievably stupid, and also loaded with lies. By very definition, the person with a blind trust DOES NOT KNOW HOW HIS MONEY IS BEING HANDLED. And yes, Scott does have his money in a blind trust, and you can deny it all day long, but it is still true. Secondly, Trump did NOT take the monies you listed. All lies!!! You are either one of the biggest liars ever, or too stupid to even be writing here. I vote for STUPIDm Go Scott! Go Trump!!

Why is it lies or stupid? because you said so... Open your eyes lady... Get some facts in your life. If not, you'll make a fine cheerleader... wow, liar and stupid? Go, Go, Go...too funny....idiot.

WOW !.. such hatred !.. (there must be spittle all over your computer screen). [I suggest "anger management" counselling for you...immediately ! ]

I suggest you get on the treadmill fatty and head back where you came from to NY and get a job...

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