Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday had lunch with President Donald Trump at a New Jersey golf resort, as the president continued to draw criticism for comments about a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that led to the death of a counter-protester.
Scott’s 1 p.m. lunch with the president at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., was scheduled at the request of Trump last week, according to the governor’s aides.
“Gov. Scott was solely there to promote Florida,” John Tupps, a spokesman for Scott, said in a statement. “They discussed a wide range of topics including the president’s commitment to partner with Florida on needed repairs to the federally operated Herbert Hoover Dike at Lake Okeechobee.”
Tupps said Scott “wants to do all he can to protect Florida’s environment and President Trump is very supportive to help.”
“Additionally, they discussed the terror attack (Thursday) in Barcelona and the efforts President Trump is taking to keep America safe,” Tupps said.
But with Trump embroiled in controversy about the Charlottesville comments, the lunch meeting drew criticism from Democrats.
On Wednesday, Scott, who has been a loyal supporter of the president, condemned the actions by the groups involved in the rally, saying “there is no place in our country for racism, bigotry, the KKK, neo-Nazis (and) white supremacists.”
But Scott did not directly criticize Trump who has said “both sides” were to blame for the weekend violence in Virginia.
“You can ask President Trump what he said. I’ve been clear,” Scott told reporters in Tallahassee.
With Scott expected to run next year against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee used Thursday’s lunch to hammer Scott.
“Instead of condemning President Trump’s heinous remarks, Rick Scott did what he always does: put his own political ambitions and self-interest ahead of what’s right for Florida,” said David Bergstein, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “Instead of sitting down to eat with President Trump, Scott should have stood up to him.”
Hours before the lunch, Trump used Twitter to defend Confederate monuments — further fueling a controversy that has raged in Florida and other states in recent days.
“Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments,” Trump wrote. “You can’t change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson — who’s next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!”
That also led to Democrats trying to tie Scott to the Trump controversies.
“This morning President Trump came out against the removal of Confederate monuments like the one that sits in front of Florida’s Old State Capitol here in Tallahassee,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum said in a statement issued before the Scott-Trump lunch. “Once again, he and I disagree strongly. But today, our governor has a chance to stand up to hate and symbols which divide us and tell President Trump why he is wrong.”
Scott earlier this week said the fate of monuments should be discussed by the government, local, state or federal, that maintains the structures.
“We need to go through a process where everybody has to come together, we have a legitimate conversation, then we go forward,” Scott said.
According to his schedule, Scott also met prior to the lunch with Trump’s chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general who formerly led the United States Southern Command in Miami-Dade County.
–Lloyd Dunkleberger, News Service of Florida
Dave says
Shame, Trump basic owns all of you florida residents, Scott is jus amother one of his pawns.
Veteran says
You libs will bad mouth anything Trump. It’s just a lunch!
Lou says
People socialize with their own kind.
That is not surprising.
RayD says
Trump needs to shut up and sit in a corner without a smartphone or computer. I see they fired Bannon, maybe that will help.
Knightwatch says
Two smiling hateful people. You are who you stand with. Trump’s proven to be a liar a racist and a bigot. Scott has shown his true values. Do not promote him to the Senate. He does not represent our values.
Sw says
Well when the man cant react to any event in a Presidential way, tweeting all night under the influence of who knows what, all the while condoning certain types of behavior in direct conflict with most Americans values and mores theres alot of ammo to go and BAD MOUTH the mouth that is Trump
Stranger in a strange land says
So, according to his spokesman Tupps, Scott “wants to do all he can to protect Florida’s environment and President Trump is very supportive to help.” They must have certainly discussed the threat climate change represents to Florida and the effects that sea level rise is already having…NOT. The only Florida environment that Scott cares about is the business environment and the Scott political environment. Everything else can be sacrificed. I am not surprised he enjoys lunching with the master of big lies.
Brian says
Oh dear me – “Trump’s heinous remarks”. Dunkleberger?? Another left-wing shill going all to pieces!
Anonymous says
Scott is looking to climb the ladder…..can’t wait till his term as FL Governor is up!!!
Anonymous says
Scott is not promoting Florida, who are you kidding? Scott turns his head to the people here in Florida and gives them the bird. He has spent millions defending lawsuits, likes to plead the 5th and never answers a question posed to him by the media….he gives the answer he thinks you want to hear. We don’t need Scott to promote Florida, we need him to get out of Florida.
Sherry says
The latest polls from 3 key states show that over 60% are down right “embarrassed” by trump:
http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/trump-s-approval-rating-stands-below-40-percent-three-key-n794061
Makeitso1701 says
Dumb and dumber!
Sherry says
Annnnnd, now for a little levity to showcase the trump induce twilight zone we now live in. . . this from The New Yorker::
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Attacking the media for its “very unfair” coverage of Monday’s solar eclipse, Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that the sun was equally to blame for blocking the moon.
“The fake news is covering the eclipse from the sun’s side instead of the moon’s side, but if you look at it from the moon’s side the sun is blocking the moon’s side,” he said. “There are so many sides you can’t count all the sides.”
Additionally, Trump tore into the sun itself, calling it a “showboat” for its role in the solar eclipse.
“The sun thinks the world revolves around it,” Trump said. “Sad.”
Trump said the sun was a “big problem” that his predecessor, Barack Obama, did nothing to solve, but that that situation was about to change.
“It will be handled—we handle everything,” Trump said, adding that a preëmptive military strike on the sun was “very much on the table.”
We the People says
Oh boy, just so many SJW /liberal comments here. Trump will fix this nation as best he can while the rest of you sit around complaining of feelings being hurt and crying your liberal tears, watching the cuks @ MSM fill your heads with the spread THEIR hate filled, race baiting PROPAGANDA, and actually believing it. Quit listening to the bs. Seek the truth. I’m sick of them whining about hate then you have AntiFa representing you- you know, with all that hate & violence the left accused the right of having. Get over it. Our country will be fine. You have a long 8 years to go.