With Rick Scott and the Cabinet still under the microscope in the wake of the governor’s ouster of a top law enforcement official, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater on Thursday turned to the media for help.
Atwater said he wants the state-financed Florida Channel to televise Cabinet aides meetings, the gatherings that precede by a week the formal meetings of Scott, Atwater, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“The Florida Channel agreed and has committed to live stream and archive each meeting’s video footage,” said Ashley Carr, an Atwater spokeswoman.
Cabinet meetings can be pretty dull. And aides meetings are likely to make even less compelling television. But the TV lights may help Scott and Cabinet members blunt criticism that they communicate through deputies in violation of the state’s Sunshine Law.
A lawsuit and ethics complaints have already been filed accusing the state leaders of doing just that leading to the December forced resignation of Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey.
Original article here.