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Florida Bulldog

Gov. Scott’s undisclosed interest – via First Lady – in Zika mosquito control company

By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org 

Gov. Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott
Gov. Rick Scott and First Lady Ann Scott

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has an undisclosed financial interest in a Zika mosquito control company in which his wife, Florida First Lady Ann Scott, owns a multi-million dollar stake through a private investment firm she co-owns.

The company is Mosquito Control Services LLC of Metairie, LA. According to its web site, MCS “is a fully-certified team of mosquito control experts – licensed throughout the Gulf Coast, including Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.”

On June 23, Gov. Scott signed an executive order allocating $26.2 million in state emergency funds for Zika preparedness, including “mosquito surveillance and abatement, training for mosquito control technicians and enhanced laboratory capacity.”

It is not known whether MCS, whose services include monitoring and aerial spraying, stands to benefit from Florida government funds. Company manager Steven Pavlovich holds an active Florida “public health applicator” license with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services through April 2019, but MCS is not a registered state vendor. The Department of Health contracts with two other two mosquito control vendors.

MCS did not respond to two requests for comment.

Ann Scott’s large stake in MCS is via G. Scott Capital Partners, an investment firm that boasts $291 million of client assets. The firm manages several private equity funds and various “family accounts primarily comprised of trusts and family entities,” according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission records.

The Florida Bulldog reported in 2014 that Scott Capital, as it is known online, is operated by a trio of men who once worked at Richard L. Scott Investments, the private equity firm where Gov. Scott made millions for himself and his family putting together big-money investment deals when he was in the private sector.

Scott Capital posts its portfolio online. All nine listed companies are current and former investments of the governor and/or Mrs. Scott, including Mosquito Control Services, described as providing “mosquito abatement services primarily to municipalities.”

The SEC requires investment companies like G. Scott Capital Partners to file periodic disclosure reports. The firm’s most recent report, filed in March, shows that the three-employee, Connecticut-based firm caters to a handful of high net worth individuals – less than 25 – who invest directly and through various pooled investment funds.

A mosquito control investment

The firm’s latest fund is GS MCS, LLC, a Delaware company formed two years ago this month to recapitalize and take control of Mosquito Control Services. The current value of the fund is just under $10 million and the fund has nine beneficial owners, SEC records say. The owners’ names were not disclosed.

The managing director of G. Scott Capital Partners is Gregory D. Scott – no relation to Gov. Scott. He directs the firm’s investments, as he did when he led the private equity group at Richard L. Scott Investments from 2000 to 2012.

A screenshot from the web site of Mosquito Control Services LLC.
A screenshot from the web site of Mosquito Control Services LLC.

Gregory Scott owns 50 to 75 percent of the Delaware holding company that owns 100 percent of G. Scott Capital, according to the SEC. The First Lady owns the rest through the Frances Annette Scott Revocable Trust, which owns Tally 1, a Delaware company that in turn owns 25 to 50 percent of G. Scott Holdings LLC.

Gregory Scott has described Ann Scott, an interior decorator and owner of AS Interiors LLC, as a “passive investor” in G. Scott Capital.

Gov. Scott has not disclosed his ownership interest in his wife’s investments. Florida law, unlike federal law, does not require state public officers to disclose the assets or income of a spouse or minor child.

The governor’s office on Tuesday declined to discuss the matter or make Gov. Scott or the First Lady available for an interview.

The Republican governor, a multimillionaire, puts his personal investments in a “qualified blind trust” that his office has described as being overseen by “an independent financial professional.” Florida public officers who use such a trust to “blind” themselves to the nature of their holdings get in exchange immunity from prohibited conflicts of interest under a law that Gov. Scott signed in 2013.

FloridaBulldog.org has reported, however, that the person overseeing Gov. Scott’s trust is yet another former employee at Richard L. Scott Investments and that the trust has been ineffective in keeping the governor’s assets secret.

When Gov. Scott opened his current blind trust in 2014 – the second of his administration – he was required to disclose the assets he put into it. His current mix of assets is not known, but the Florida Bulldog reported last year that the blind trust has in the past coordinated stock transactions with the First Lady’s trust a family partnership.

The Solantic transfer

When Gov. Scott took office in 2011, he transferred tens of millions of dollars in assets to his wife, including a $62-million investment in the walk-in clinic chain Solantic. Mrs. Scott reportedly sold the family’s stake in Solantic that same year.

Gov. Scott’s transfer of his Solantic shares came amid an uproar about perceived conflicts of interest. Florida ethics laws generally prohibit public officials from having an ownership interest in companies that do business with the state or are subject to state regulation.

In 2013, Gov. Scott had an undisclosed ownership stake in Houston-based Spectra Energy when Florida’s Public Service Commission – five members appointed by Gov. Scott – unanimously approved construction of the controversial $3-billion Sabal Trail natural gas pipeline by a joint venture of Spectra and NextEra Energy, parent of Florida Power & Light.

The governor’s investment in Spectra became known about a year later when he filed a lengthy list of his assets as of Dec. 31, 2013 when he closed his original blind trust and opened a new one while qualifying to run for re-election.

FloridaBulldog.org reported in July 2014 that Gov. Scott’s list included a $53,000 stake in Spectra Energy and a $55,000 stake in DCP Midstream Partners, a natural-gas limited partnership 50 percent owned by Spectra Energy.

The governor’s investments included numerous other oil and gas assets, including a $712,000 stake in Texas-based Energy Transfer and its affiliates and subsidiaries. Through other subsidiaries, giant Energy Transfer owns a 50 percent interest in the Florida Gas Transmission pipeline, which delivers nearly 65 percent of the natural gas consumed in Florida.

Gov. Scott has had other conflicting investments.

FloridaBulldog.org reported in February that in 2012 Scott owned a $210,000 stake in the private equity firm that owned 21st Century Oncology when the all-Republican governing board of taxpayer-supported Broward Health awarded the company an unprecedented 25-year, no-bid contract to supply radiation oncology services. The governor appoints Broward Health’s board members.

A Scott spokeswoman has said the governor wasn’t aware that 21st Century had sought the Broward Health contract prior to its award in January 2012 and that no one at the private equity firm, Vestar Capital Partners, or 21st Century had asked him to try to influence the hospital district’s selection process.

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Comments

31 responses to “Gov. Scott’s undisclosed interest – via First Lady – in Zika mosquito control company”

  1. I certainly hope South Floridians learn a value lesson about not showing up at the polls. Unfortunately its going to be a few more years before we can vote for an environmentally responsible governor. As a charter fishing boat captain in South Florida I certainly see and feel the negative effects of this disaster.

  2. FRANK DADDARIO Avatar

    .

    and if Scott arranges to get BIG SUGAR to sell Florida Crystals owned land for $4,ooo,ooo,ooo to the state Scott stands to get a “commission” of around $200,ooo,ooo which is why they got him elected in the first place

    HCA was how Scott broadcast to the fraudsters and big money interests what a slick operator he was – capable of the biggest scams against MEDICAID and MEDICARE and now the people of Florida

    Gov Scott is another Scott Rothstein – only better at the END game

    of course Scott isn’t dumb enough to have a conflict – Scott arranges to get contracts over in those other states WHILE Scott arranges a reciprocal transaction with pest control company owners to contract with FLORIDA – the olde you scratch MY back and i’ll scratch YOUR back

    notice none of these business are HIS idea or are a product of HIS work – he just gets to “invest” while government funds are transacted so his risk is he has to lie and cheat and fail to provide honest representation to his electorate

  3. FRANK DADDARIO Avatar

    .

    now if SCOTT would only start-up a plumbing company to help drain our “nuisance flooding” here in Hollywood and much of South Florida…….maybe we wouldn’t have so many mosquitos…………AHA !! so that’s why he wants flooding !

  4. Victoria Olson Avatar

    Everything Scott touches in Florida he profits from including making people sick, since he owns or has stock in hospital chains & medical Labs. Scott’s motive for allowing more cancer causing chemicals to our drinking water & waterways is NOT to help Floridians, Gov, RIck Scott will PROFIT FROM PEOPLE’S ILLNESS. He is one SICK SOCIOPATH………..He has to be stopped, 2 more years he’ll DESTROY this state and we will become the next Flint.

  5. How many times will the honest tax paying citizens of Florida find that their governor Scott is such a dishonest and greedy person? I couldn’t believe that he got elected in the first place with his record.How many times did he take the fifth? There’s only one word to define him best and that is shameful.

  6. Rick Scott made his money when HCA bought him out–Hospial Corp of America in the 1980’s That is when he legally started up his various Holding Companies which led to Blind Trusts which led to putting assets in that female version of himself (The Mrs.) She has no idea of her own net worth, much less his. What happened to our Sunshine State Law? He is a crook. Always has been, always will be.Folks, mark my words–Big Sugar has him in their pocket causing a huge jam here in our waterways. Since tourism and property taxes are our biggest sources of income, Scott is the very person who will bring us down with Big Sugar. You watch. Coupled with the biggest mass murder in history in bum fuck central Florida and children getting eaten at Disney PLUS people going full zombie eating people’s faces off on our SE Florida’s Gold Coast, who wants to visit? Check out the Atlantic Ocean, and our intercostal AND the intracoastal waterways images in Martin, Broward and Dade counties bc of Big Sugar diverting our canal systems from the endangered Everglades. Do not forget that our intracoastal waterways run clear up the Eastern Coastal Waterway. I mean clear literally not figuratively. People are dying of eating shellfish especially raw oysters. Zika threatens our lives with death and birth defects by mosquito. Scott has a direct and indirect interest in ALL of these issues. He won’t win with Big Sugar. Nobody will. The Bicardies of Cuba, now of Florida, are our Koch Brothers. Just the tip of the iceberg. The USA put Cuba out of the sugar business. Florida is next. I sure hope I am wrong.

  7. FRANK DADDARIO Avatar

    i guess i just expect anyone as FLORA-DUH governor to be corrupt……………GOV SCOTT has hand-picked by BIG SUGAR and if not HIM they would have found some other crook and had THAT criminal elected…………Here in Broward, for example, we have County Judges and County Commissioners and high-ranking County Law Enforcement administrators that have been convicted as criminals – YES indeed even two County Sheriffs (Navarro and Jenne) and the internal affaris inspector, former Broward Sheriff’s Office lieutenant who pleaded guilty (Benjamin David )…………..it goes ALL the way to the Governor – whoever it is

  8. craig cordary Avatar

    Scott also has huge share of oil and natural gas stock this is why he is trying to change fla water restriction so the can start fracking in fla .

  9. CIVIL DIOBEDIENCE, IT IS YOUR DUTY!!

  10. It’s a waste..u cannot control mosquitos.

    Especially in Florida..now come on and the stuff kills the good stuff around to including honey bee’s
    It’s like climate change or whatever they decide to call it next it’s bull and these chemical companies need to pay back what they are destroying

  11. Thanks for the dead bees and butterflies, “Governor” $cott. As if the rest of your “legacy” wasn’t enough destruction.

  12. Now if only we had a better solution… oh wait, we DO… but so many of you are terrified of GMOs, that we can’t use it.

  13. Judy chamberlain Avatar
    Judy chamberlain

    The sprays are killing the bees in the millions!!!!!!
    Goodness, dont you government officails realize the importance of life “we as humans” have due to the bees?
    100%!
    No more bees, NO MORE NATURAL FOODS!
    You KNOW the zika mosquito has been around for 40 years, but yet our government continues with population control using these sprays for us to breath and kill also.
    I feel like Im waisting my time writing this.
    Any governmental office must listen to higher up commander, be it whomever, this spray is killing our smallest creature of narure that gives us food by pollination. Is it so important to protect an unborn child if the human race is dying also?
    I live in the non tropical state of Colorado, they are spraying for the mosquito here. WHY????
    What are the southern states going to do?
    WIPE OUT THE BEES DUE TO POISON
    WIPE OUT THE ORANGE CROPS THAT FLORIDA GROWS
    SPREAD THAT POISON ALL OVER BECAUSE THE.POISON IS ON OUR FRUIT TO HANDLE.AND EAT
    Hey its the government and they dont care anymore as we all see it go down hill.

  14. What a bunch of crap, with no proof of any mis-doings people are going after the governor, yet the same people are doing nothing about Hilary and her obvious misdeeds….

  15. How typical of the Scotts. Watch that solar panel legislation too. I’m sure slick dick out for blood money there too n

  16. Gee Paul. I’m gonna bet you like Scott for one of 3 reasons: antiabortion (so much go separation of church and state) pro guns (obviously never heard the old saying violence begets violence), or you love money….lots and lots of money, because you think it gives you control through power but control is I tangible my friend. Scott is a crook. He has no morals or values. He plays with you like a toy.

  17. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, mais non? Amazing how this lying, amoral, corrupt devil has not been impeached or arrested for fraud. One day he will pay penance. Perhaps a swarm infected mosquitos will suck him dry of blood.

  18. Smarter than most Avatar
    Smarter than most

    Reach much. But hey MAYBE that company will get a permit in florida.

  19. See also: “Zika Virus and a Strange Case”: https://wipokuli.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/zika-virus-and-a-strange-case/
    &
    „Ebola: Pandora´s Box Opened Since Long?“ http://wipokuli.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/ebola-pandoras-box-opened-since-long/
    Andreas Schlüter
    Sociologist
    Berlin, Germany

  20. Paul –
    Are you serious? No proof of misdoings?
    Have you actually read anything about this POS? Rick Scott is corrupt as they come & you don’t have to look far to see tons of proof! Open your eyes & get real!

  21. He will happily spray cancer inducing chemicals all over Fl. After all, he has so many “blind” investments in healthcare!

  22. Florida and other Southern States have always sprayed for mosquitoes. ‘Pest control’ is always a good and active business. Many have posted that Republicans are blocking a multi-billion $ bill to combat zika, when the States are already doing it. Which way do you want it? Democrats always need more money to squander.

  23. Please tell me the government is NOT going to hand him the billions he is requesting. This is a conflict if interest. Is no one on Capitol hill going to call him out on this? This sounds illegal. By the time he leaves office he will have raped Floridians over the coals for billions. But the a+-&_$ who voted for him are getting what they deserve for voting for a thief in the first place. They were warned.

  24. Answer this Question for yourself.

    Q. Who owns “Zida”?

    Q. What year was it patterned in the USA?

  25. Zika must be addressed at all fronts. If you have tall grass that can’t be mowed, you still can do something to decrease the mosquitos.
    http://www.nurseryenterprises.com/info/help-prevent-zika-virus/

  26. Situations like this are very common – successful business professionals turned politicians. A lot of these individuals don’t seek political office for the pay because they are often paid much less than in their previous business careers. Some seek political positions as a way of giving back to the cities, states, country, etc that gave them so much. Other seek political positions to just grow their pocketbooks through the connections and contracts they can obtain and influence. Let’s just hope Gov Scotts is in it for the right reasons.

  27. It is disgusting how local spraying is killing off the bee population. Buzz On has been decimated by St Lucie county spraying Permethrin. The county states that it is safe but it is a lie the EPA and Cornell Edu website states HIGHLY toxic to bees and fish. We need bees to pollinate our plants no bees no fruits or vegetables.
    .

  28. Zika must be addressed at all fronts. If you have tall grass that can’t be mowed, you still can do something to decrease the mosquitos.

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