Rick Scott beefs with Joe Biden campaign about abortion ‘lying’

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is attempting to correct what he charges is a misrepresentation of his views on reproductive rights by the President’s re-election campaign.

“They’re lying,” he posted to X about an excerpted video of an interview with Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Tuesday.

The Joe Biden campaign spotlighted a question to Scott about the Arizona Supreme Court ruling that a total ban on abortion passed in 1864 is in effect with a selective quote.

“That’s what’s going to happen as a result of the overturning of Roe. I’m pro-life. This is exactly what ought to be happening,” the quote went.

However, the full quote was longer, though its clarity is debatable.

“This is what’s going to happen as a result of the overturned Roe versus Wade. And as you know, I’m pro-life,” Scott said. “We’re going to decide this at the state level, state by state is going to figure this out. I’m sure Arizona will figure this out.”

“In Florida, we’ve got a constitutional amendment that’s going to help us figure out where we are on (this issue). So this is exactly what ought to be happening, ought to be going through a legislative process,” Scott said before the clip was cut off.

Scott, running for his second term in the U.S. Senate, has found the abortion issue to be an inconvenient running mate on the November ballot thus far, even after saying, per the Washington Post, to “vote against a November ballot initiative in Florida that would overturn the state’s new ban …”

As the Tampa Bay Times reported, he advocated for “reasonable limitations,”  “reasonable restrictions,” and the need for “a conversation about how do we work to make sure this is the state where we respect women and also we take care of our babies.”

Regarding the abortion ban after the sixth week of gestation that takes effect in Florida next month, Scott said in 2023 he would have signed the bill, even though he offered a more nuanced take in an interview before the endorsement of one of the harshest abortion laws in the country.

“And probably most people are about 15 weeks with all the exceptions. And they ought to have exceptions for rape and incest and the life of the mother. And so I think that’s where the population is. And that’s I think that’s our state. You know, our state legislation ought to represent that.”

Scott’s likely General Election opponent is running with abortion rights as a central issue, meanwhile.

“Rick Scott will do and say ANYTHING to avoid answering for his proud support of Florida’s draconian near-total abortion ban — but this November, he won’t have a choice,” said Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

“Despite his desperate attempts to hide his toxic record, Floridians won’t forget Rick Scott’s lengthy history of trying to sign away women’s rights and control their bodies. The nearly 70% of Floridians who support protecting abortion access know that Rick Scott has no place representing them in the Senate, and they’re coming together to reject him and his authoritarian laws this November.”

Mucarsel-Powell is beginning a “Florida Freedom Tour” this week designed to spotlight Scott’s record on the issue. What’s clear based on the Battle of X posts Tuesday afternoon, meanwhile, is the Biden campaign is willing to help.