Florida Dems Assail Scott, McCollum and Gingrich

As health-care executive Rick Scott and Attorney General Bill McCollum continue to battle for the Republican nomination, the Florida Democratic Party fired away at both of them.

"Rick Scott tries to avoid taking responsibility for his dirty deeds, while Bill McCollum spends his time sweeping other people's dirt under the rug," said Democratic spokesman Eric Jotkoff. "Whether it's shady business practices or efforts to keep Republican scandals in the shadows, Rick Scott and Bill McCollum couldn't be more ethically challenged."

Jotkoff also brought attention to a House vote on ethics in 1995 where McCollum voted in favor of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Gingrich, a possible presidential candidate who served almost two decades in the House with McCollum, backed the attorney general over Scott for the Republican nomination on Monday.

"Just like Bill McCollum may have tried to cover up the scandals at the Republican Party of Florida, in Congress he voted to protect Newt Gingrich from greater public scrutiny and stronger ethics investigations -- no wonder Newt Gingrich returned the favor today," said Jotkoff.