Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott argued that President-elect Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan that would distribute emergency bailout funds to state and local governments was “wrong.”
Sen. Scott made his comments on Sunday during “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
Watch the full video below.
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Sen. Scott Accuses Biden Of Doing Political Favors: ‘This Is Just Payback’
Biden released his $1.9 trillion plan last week.
It includes $1,400 individual checks, funds for vaccine distribution and small businesses, unemployment, and more.
$350 billion is slated for state and local governments.
Conservatives have criticized Democratic efforts to direct billions in payments to blue states during debates over COVID relief.
After noting that Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer said that Biden’s bill could give his state of New York $2 billion in FEMA emergency money, Scott responded.
“This is just payback,” Scott said. “This is just Joe Biden saying, ‘Oh Chuck Schumer, you helped me, de Blasio you helped, so here’s $2 billion out of FEMA.’”
“That has been allocated by Congress, Scott continued. “It’s supposed to go for hurricanes and floods and wildfires and other natural disasters.”
During his preliminary budget briefing, Mayor @BilldeBlasio commends @SenSchumer, who announced just hours ago that he had secured a commitment from the incoming Biden Administration that they will deliver $2 billion in additional COVID-19 relief to the city and state. pic.twitter.com/h2CQX9unlN
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) January 14, 2021
Sen. Scott: ‘We Shouldn’t Have Florida Taxpayers Bailing Out New York’
Scott then accused Biden of being reckless with taxpayer dollars.
“What Biden wants to do is give it to de Blasio and give it to Cuomo and say, ‘Here, let me — I know you can’t live within your means,” Sen. Scott said. “I know other states have paid for this, but we’re just going to give you some money because we like you.’”
“I mean, this is wrong,” Scott insisted.
Scott then bashed Biden for penalizing Florida to help another state.
“We shouldn’t have Florida taxpayers bailing out New York,” Scott declared. “New York cannot live within its means.”
“I got elected when Cuomo got elected back in 2010,” the senator continued. “He’s never lived within his means, and neither does de Blasio. We cannot be baling out these states for their prior problems.”
Scott had previously made similar arguments on the Senate floor:
Sen. Rick Scott: "Most of the states with the highest unemployment in the country are controlled by Democrats… Republican-led states are making the hard choices to get on a fiscal, responsible path and reopen their economies safely are succeeding." pic.twitter.com/Dw1ETMby2S
— The Hill (@thehill) December 10, 2020
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‘To Bail Out These Blue States Makes No Sense’
“We have given the states over half a trillion dollars for COVID relief,” Scott added. “We should help on COVID relief.”
Sen. Scott then emphasized that financial help should be more fair and targeted.
“I want targeted help for people but to bail out these blue states makes no sense” the senator said.
Watch Senator Scott’s interview here: