The 527 group running ads for gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott (R), Let’s Get to Work, disclosed its sole contribution today per Florida campaign finance laws — $2 million from a trust held by his wife, the F. Annette Scott Revocable Trust, on June 24. The trust has an address located in the same building as Richard L. Scott Investments, LLC, in Naples. The same day, the group transferred $1,537,066 to Multi-Media Services of Alexandria, Va., a political advertising firm.
Though Scott is worth $218 million, according to his financial disclosure, he said he created a 527 group to stay within the state spending cap of $24.9 million. 527 groups are exempt from spending limits. If he exceeds that amount, his rival, Attorney General Bill McCollum, would then be eligible for taxpayer matching funds. Scott has already spent more than $16 million on television advertising since announcing his candidacy on April 9 and leads McCollum by anywhere from five to 13 points, according to polls.
Multi-Media Services’ website states: ”Through the use of our licensed media buying software, we can manipulate media ratings and costs at the push of a button. Once all the ratings data and spot costs are uploaded onto our office-wide computer network, media plans and buys can be revised and updated in a matter of minutes.” It lists recent clients in politics such as Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.), Bob Dole for President, and former Sen. Al D’Amato (R-N.Y.).
Here is the negative ad against Bill McCollum that Let’s Get to Work ran for a week, ending today:
