Huge story by Gary Fineout in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune this morning:
A state legislator claims in a new message to supporters that Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has pledged, if elected, to throw his support behind a bill that would make abortion illegal in Florida in nearly all instances, including rape and incest.
An e-mail sent out by Rep. Charles Van Zant this week urges his supporters to vote for Scott because he personally promised to sign into law the “Florida Right to Life Act.” Van Zant, R-Keystone Heights, added that “Scott pledged that he would assist in advancing the Florida for Life Act through both Florida’s House and Senate.”
On his blog, Fineout posts the entire email from Van Zant, which includes this nugget:
I met Rick Scott during the Primary election and have spent time with him on two occasions and have talked to him on the phone and prayed with him several times. He has taken stands on key issues that define this election for conservatives. Florida’s Governor will affect several neighboring states and the Judeo-Christian community of the entire region will be affected by his passage or veto of certain Bills. [Emphasis added.]
Regarding abortion: Rick Scott pledged that he would assist in advancing the Florida for Life Act through both Florida’s House and Senate. He also promised that, once passed, he will sign it into law on behalf of Florida’s unborn. He also added that “in addition to changing our laws we need a campaign to educate people not to destroy their unborn children.” To that I say – Amen.
During our second meeting, I said, “The second mail piece I received from your campaign carried the message that if you were Governor, you would sign legislation making abortion illegal in Florida. Since that was early during the Primary Campaign in a field of Republican Candidates, do you still intend to make that an issue during the General Campaign?” He immediately said “Yes, that’s what I believe and that’s what I will do.” He telephoned me last week to assure me that he would keep this issue before our state government.
