With Its Challenge to Campaign Finance Law Denied, Rick Scott's Team Rips Into Bill McCollum

A judge in Tallahassee denied gubernatorial candidate Rick Scotts injunction, looking to deny Attorney General Bill McCollum -- Scotts main rival for the Republican nomination -- access to public funds for his campaign. Arguing that the measure was an impediment to his free speech, Scott attempted to change campaign finance laws which give traditional candidates matching funds if a self-financed candidate, like Scott, spends over $24.9 million from his own fortune in the race.

We are disappointed with todays result but we intend to seek appeal of the courts ruling on an expedited basis to the 11th circuit to defend Rick Scotts First Amendment rights, said Jen Baker, a spokeswoman for Scott. Todays ruling is unfortunate and a setback for the First Amendment and Florida taxpayers.

Baker turned her fire on McCollum.

Bill McCollum has been a career politician for over two decades, she said. He has raised and spent tens of millions of dollars in campaigns to tell voters who he is and what he believes in. He has enjoyed the bully pulpit of elective office, earning millions more in free media.

It is not right to force Florida citizens to foot the bill for career politicians like Bill McCollum, just because Rick Scott is exercising his First Amendment right and has decided to spend his personal life-earnings on communicating his conservative outsider message to Florida voters, continued Baker. Florida taxpayers should not be required to pay for the election campaigns of career politicians. We encourage our Republican colleagues to keep up the fight in defense of the First Amendment and to stop taxpayer financing of campaigns. As governor, Rick Scott will sign any law that stops forcing Florida taxpayers to pay for political campaigns.