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Tampa Bay Times: Sen. Rick Scott disgraces himself and embarrasses Florida
https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2021/01/07/sen-rick-scott-disgraces-himself-and-embarrasses-florida-editorial/By Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board
Published Jan 7
Sen. Rick Scott embarrassed Florida (again) by attaching his vote and the state’s good name to one of the darkest episodes in American history. In a disgusting though unsurprising move, Scott was one of only seven senators Thursday to vote against certifying Pennsylvania’s election results. It was a craven, self-serving exercise by Republican extremists. Coming only hours after an armed, pro-Trump mob stormed and ransacked the Capitol, it showed how far out of whack Scott is with mainstream America and its democratic ideals.
Congressional Republicans had no legitimate reason or legal grounds to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and certainly no constitutional role in stealing the election after-the-fact. In that sense, the objections that Republicans manufactured in advance of Wednesday’s joint session of Congress were as dangerous as they were dubious. Many Republicans who had said they would join the other extremists in their party to participate in this coup were at least scared-straight by the outbreak of violence that erupted as Congress met. Egged on by the president at a rally blocks away, the mob laid siege to the Capitol, breaking into offices, smashing windows, stealing art and furniture and forcing America’s elected representatives to run in fear for their lives. One woman was shot and killed on the Capitol grounds, and at least two dozen police officers were injured.
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio had enough integrity to vote against decertifying the results, becoming one of 93 senators to uphold Arizona and 92 to affirm Pennsylvania. But Scott split his vote, upholding Arizona while objecting to Pennsylvania. Scott announced in advance that he would “likely vote” to object on Pennsylvania, saying the steps Pennsylvania took to ease mail-in voting during the pandemic were “absurd and cannot be tolerated.”
Since the Nov. 3 election, Republicans and the Trump campaign mounted several legal challenges in Pennsylvania, most of which were thrown out. Pennsylvania’s top court dismissed the mail-in voting challenge, and the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three Trump
appointees, later declined to weigh in.
Congressional Republicans had no legitimate reason or legal grounds to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory and certainly no constitutional role in stealing the election after-the-fact. In that sense, the objections that Republicans manufactured in advance of Wednesday’s joint session of Congress were as dangerous as they were dubious. Many Republicans who had said they would join the other extremists in their party to participate in this coup were at least scared-straight by the outbreak of violence that erupted as Congress met. Egged on by the president at a rally blocks away, the mob laid siege to the Capitol, breaking into offices, smashing windows, stealing art and furniture and forcing America’s elected representatives to run in fear for their lives. One woman was shot and killed on the Capitol grounds, and at least two dozen police officers were injured.
Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio had enough integrity to vote against decertifying the results, becoming one of 93 senators to uphold Arizona and 92 to affirm Pennsylvania. But Scott split his vote, upholding Arizona while objecting to Pennsylvania. Scott announced in advance that he would “likely vote” to object on Pennsylvania, saying the steps Pennsylvania took to ease mail-in voting during the pandemic were “absurd and cannot be tolerated.”
Since the Nov. 3 election, Republicans and the Trump campaign mounted several legal challenges in Pennsylvania, most of which were thrown out. Pennsylvania’s top court dismissed the mail-in voting challenge, and the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, including three Trump
appointees, later declined to weigh in.
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