Daily Show reporter asks Scott to take drug test during press conference

During the unveiling of his budget recommendations for the upcoming legislative session, Aasif Mandvi of The Daily Show asked Gov. Rick Scott to pee in a cup to prove he is not on drugs.

During the questions portion of the conference, Mandvi asked the governor, “Would you be willing to pee into this cup to prove to Florida taxpayers that you are not on drugs?”

“We can all turn around,” Mandvi continued.

“I have done it plenty of times,” Scott replied.

Mandvi was quickly silenced but continued to ask that reporters pass a plastic cup up to the governor. Mandvi said, “I hate to keep harping on this,” as he continued to ask that the governor heed his request.

The governor has come under a lot of criticism from civil rights advocates for new laws in the state that require welfare beneficiaries and state employees to take drug tests.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has challenged both laws.

A U.S. court in Orlando recently granted Luis Lebron and the ACLU of Florida an injunction against the law requiring welfare applicants to be drug tested. A Navy veteran and single father, Lebron was denied temporary assistance benefits he was otherwise qualified for because he refused to waive his Fourth Amendment rights and submit to a drug test. The state has since filed an appeal.

Scott has repeatedly said he champions the welfare drug testing law, in particular, for the “benefit of children.”