Scott Powers
Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott blasted Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist on Wednesday over the latter’s newly disclosed April junket to Cuba, blasting it as an “absolute disgrace” at a time when Cuba is supporting Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Crist, of St. Petersburg, acknowledged his trip weeks after returning when confronted with travel records obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. According to the Times, Crist took the trip in late April, sponsored by the Center for Democracy in the Americas. He told the Times he is concerned about the Cuban people and the long-term prospects for American relations.
But Scott, whose rivalry with Crist goes back to when the two ran bitter campaigns against each other in the 2014 Governor’s race, which Scott won by 2 percentage points, denounced him for giving any credence to the regime in Cuba.
“Congressman Crist’s secret trip to Cuba is an absolute disgrace,” Scott declared in a press release issued by his office. “He hobnobbed with killers while the money he and any staff spent in Havana was sent to Caracas to keep Maduro and his brutal regime in power. He should immediately tell the people of Florida how much taxpayer money was spent on this trip.”
Crist’s response:
“It’s an unfortunate and uninformed reaction by the Senator. That kind of rhetoric is beneath the dignity of his office and a sad reflection of the toxic political environment we live in. It doesn’t deserve a response beyond that.”
Scott emphasized his point with the strong rhetoric he has been offering for a while about Venezuela.
“Over the last few months, many of us have stood up for the people of Venezuela and supported their fight for freedom and democracy. Nicolás Maduro is carrying out a genocide on his people in large part because of the support he’s receiving from the brutal Castro Regime,” Scott added.
Crist has spoken out against the Maduro regime as well.
But it is Scott who has emerged as probably the biggest anti-Maduro hawk in Congress, attacking anyone willing to associate with either, including European nations, and even calling for military intervention against both Venezuela and Cuba in recent weeks.
“The people of Venezuela are crying out for freedom from the oppression of Maduro and his Cuban puppet-masters. We should be standing with them, not with the people oppressing them.”
6 comments
Edward Harrison
May 15, 2019 at 7:29 pm
pRick, the p is silent, Scott has stolen billions from the sick and the poor, he ruined Florida’s environment and his buddies in the Kremlin have now stolen 3 state-wide elections for this crook. Scott should get the log out of his own eye, before he opens his toxic mouth about a splinter in anyone else’s.
gary
May 16, 2019 at 1:26 pm
Edward, grow up! You sound like a 3rd grader pissy because he did not get his way. Now put your big boy pants on.
Rebecca Jamin
May 15, 2019 at 10:26 pm
Scott is one of the biggest crooks that Florida ha ever been victim to. As Edward Harrison has stated, Scott has stolen billions from so many innocent citizens of Florida, his statement against Crist is ‘calling the kettle black’.
VoteDem2020
May 16, 2019 at 11:11 am
Low-life Scott – who should have been a felon, not a governor – is simply trying to protect his own financial interests in natural gas pipelines in Venezuela. He’s as low a slider (and maybe even worse) as is the Fascist-In-Chief currently occupying the Oval Office.
gary
May 16, 2019 at 1:27 pm
OMG, Hillary, is that you? The never ending cry baby democrats. You lost, simply move on.
BIRGITTA THERESA WILSON
May 16, 2019 at 3:55 pm
American government leaders seem to be absolutely clueless when it comes to Cuba. Why is it America’s business anyway what Cubans want to do, and what kind of government they have? Why does the U.S have to stick its nose into other countries’ affairs so much? It sickens the rest of us to see this kind of overreach. The U.S. has bullied Cuba long enough — and the Cuban people are suffering for it.
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