Is Rick Scott Less Wealthy Since Becoming Governor?
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- Category: Politics
- Published: Wednesday, 10 July 2013 13:48
Governor Scott is the richest governor in Florida’s history, and he accepts no salary and he travels in own personal jet. This year he purchased a new jet and there are no financial records, because it is not in his name. The legislature was extremely happy about the new ethics law that Scott signed, but no one feels there should be a financial disclosure, when the governor rides around in a new plane.
Governor Scotts owns a web of businesses and most of his finances are in blind trust. The new ethics law includes a mechanism for disclosure of blind trust, but the lawmakers gave Scott a pass. Many of the lawmakers are also wealthy and they do not want the Commission on Ethics investigating their businesses. In 2010, Governor Scott reported a net wealth of $218 million, and last year he reported a net worth of $71 million.
In his most recent report he reported a net worth of $72 million and based on his numbers he is losing money since he became governor. So Scott has lost $146 million to become governor, and he wants to run again as governor and lose more money. This does not make sense if you trust the numbers that Scott is giving the ethics commission and the public.
Governor Scott is a billionaire and billionaires get in to politics to make more money. “The financial disclosure is just one of the ways we maintain transparency and how taxpayers can hold public officials accountable,” says Scott. When Scott is talking this new ethics law sounds good but in practice Scott has most of his companies in his wife’s name and numerous trusts, and his assets are hidden.
Scott is a study in polarizing contrast, because he spends time with the public talking about how poor his parents were when he was growing up. He never talks about how rich he is now, and he plays down his wealth. Scott is extremely aggressive, but when he talks in public he appears reserved and soft.
But there is nothing soft about Scott and he is determined to win. At the Republican Party of Florida’s quarterly board meeting Governor Scott estimates that it takes 2.6 million votes to win a statewide election. At this time the Republicans are taking in $6 for every dollar that the Democrats collect. The Republicans are better organized than the Democrats, and Scott’s wealthy friends are supporting him.
I think the Republicans will raise $140 million for the governor’s race in 2014. Scott will be on television so much telling the state that his polices are working, that he will fool independents to vote for him and he may win as a result of their votes.
Scott wants Floridians to trust him, because he is just one of the guys. He has made some mistakes along the way, but he was never charged with a crime.