Pensacola News Journal Editorial

June 6, 2017

So much for the righteous fight for transparency of Gov. Rick Scott. As the Legislature reconvenes in special session this week, they are doing so to formalize deal-making that’s already been done in secret.

The governor announced last week that he had reached agreeable terms with House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron that would allow him to sign the state budget. The governor would get more money for his personal priorities by selectively vetoing other parts of the budget. And the Legislature would meet in special session to make the governor’s edits official. A grand bargain between top politicians. No public discussion. Done deal.

And to think that just a few weeks ago, the governor was crusading the state to condemn the same sort of secretive deal-making between Corcoran and Negron. He blasted the lack of transparency. He ripped the absence of public input. He defended taxpayers’ right to know.

Until now.

Apparently, as soon as they promised Scott that he could have what he really wanted — more cash for Visit Florida and the Department of Economic Opportunity — he scrapped all that transparency talk and promptly shook hands. So much for principle. [READ MORE]