Crowley Political Report

Florida Tribune's Gary Fineout has obtained emails showing that Gov. Rick Scott's own staff questioned whether he had the legal right to sell the state's two airplanes.

Scott’s own staff in the Office of Policy and Budget prepared outlines and documents that said that the sale of the planes needed to be signed off by the Legislature, including possibly requiring that the sale had to be approved by the Legislative Budget Commission,  writes Fineout.

And then Fineout reports this exchange (Alexander is J.D. Alexander, chairman of the Senate budget committee):

When asked about the e-mails, a spokesman for the governor repeated that the transaction had been reviewed by legal staff. But he also questioned whether lawmakers would have gotten rid of the planes on their own.

“If the Legislature were in charge of selling the state airplane, it would still be on the tarmac costing taxpayers $2.4 million a year,’’ said Brian Burgess.

Alexander took issue with the statement, saying that he tried to sell the planes and bid out the service, but that his actions were blocked by former Gov. Charlie Crist.

“It seems like they are trying to pick a fight with the Legislature or it’s sheer arrogance or maybe both,’’ Alexander said. “I can’t figure out what it is.”

You can't help but get the feeling that the governor's office considers the Florida Legislature a mere inconvience to doing the thing the intent on doing anyway.

Read Fineout's story.