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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — An appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit that accused Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott of underreporting his income, saying the judiciary has no authority to investigate such a complaint.
The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday that Florida's constitution gives the state ethics commission sole authority to investigate whether Scott followed the law when he reported a net worth of $232 million this year.
Scott was sued by Tallahassee attorney Don Hinkle, once a top fundraiser for President Barack Obama, after the ethics commission dismissed his complaint.
Florida's governor picks five of the ethics commission's nine members, and four others are chosen by state House and Senate leaders.
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