Rick Scott got ‘bad advice’ on open government law, lawyer says

A Tallahassee attorney says Florida Gov. Rick Scott was a “novice politician” who got “bad advice” that led him to ignore the state’s public records law.

State officials on Friday paid $700,000 to Steven Andrews to settle seven lawsuits that contended that Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials flouted Florida’s public records law.

It’s believed to be one of the larger payments ever approved in an open government case in Florida.

Andrews and other officials finalized the deal at a Tallahassee law office.

Andrews also closed on the purchase of a piece of property near the governor’s mansion. It was a dispute over the property that led to the public records lawsuits.

The Scott administration wanted the land as part of a project to create a “legacy park” around the mansion.

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.