Welcome to

When Governor Rick Scott signed the state budget in The Villages last Thursday, several people with signs critical of Scott were escorted from the event by police at the direction of a Governor’s staff person. Protestors were told the event was private, but now, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, that explanation is raising questions.

This video of protestors being ejected from the Scott Budget Celebration in the Villages was posted on YouTube.

Deputies are heard saying the event is private. The Villages’ square had been rented by the Republican Party of Florida.

But the Villages wasn’t rented by the Republican Party, it was made available to the Governor’s office free of charge, who then said, bill any extra expenses to the GOP.

At least one Scott staffer reportedly participated in the decision to remove the Democrats.

At a news conference, Scott says he was told after the fact about the incident.

“I heard about some issues, but that was before I got there,” Scott said.

Palm Beach Democratic State Representative Mark Pafford has written the Governor asking whether the event was public or private and who ordered the attendees removed. Spokesman Mark Hollis says there are still more questions than answers.

“Representative Pafford is simply asking the Governor to offer up some explanations. He thinks it’s a simple thing to do,” Hollis said.

When pressed on the issue Thursday, Scott said he would look into it.

“I wasn’t aware of it,” Scott said. “It happened before I got there. So, yeah, clearly I’ll look into it.”

A call to the Governor’s office asking how Scott would go about the investigation and when he might have more to say was not returned.

This is the first time in recent history a Florida governor has signed the budget outside the state capitol.