NextGen Climate and Progress Florida Call on Rick Scott to Give Back Duke Energy Campaign Contributions

Today, NextGen Climate Florida State Director Jackie Lee and Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo called on Governor Rick Scott to stop putting the powerful few before the people of Florida and give back, within the next 48 hours, the $1.2 million Duke Energy has contributed to his re-election campaign.

Today, NextGen Climate Florida State Director Jackie Lee and Progress Florida Executive Director Mark Ferrulo called on Governor Rick Scott to stop putting the powerful few before the people of Florida and give back, within the next 48 hours, the $1.2 million Duke Energy has contributed to his re-election campaign.

The full text of the letter is below:


October 8, 2014

Governor Rick Scott
Tampa Victory Center 
3802 Ehrlich Rd. Suite 301
Tampa, FL 33624 

Dear Governor Scott, 

It is disheartening and disappointing that you continue to let Duke Energy gouge customers for failed power plants that will never generate electricity and that you stood idly by while Duke messed with meters and bilked ratepayers. Even your fellow Republican elected officials have called for changes, yet you refuse to tell Floridians where you stand. Your actions make it clear that you stand with the powerful few, not hardworking Floridians. 

Duke Energy has contributed $1.2 million toward your re-election. Simply put, this is $1.2 million of dirty money that rightfully belongs to your customers in Tampa Bay. When will Florida consumers get their money back? You can begin that process by returning the campaign contributions back to Duke Energy and making clear it rightfully belongs to ratepayers of Tampa Bay.

Today, we are issuing the Duke Energy Dirty Money Challenge, whereby we are calling on you to stop putting the powerful few before the people of Florida and give Duke Energy’s campaign contributions back.  

NextGen Climate and Progress Florida are requesting that you give back the money within the next 48 hours—by high noon on Friday. 

If you refuse to give Duke Energy’s dirty money back and not come clean by releasing a plan to provide ratepayers a full refund for the $3.2 billion that Duke is charging them for failed power plants, your true priorities will be clear to the public.

Recently, a prominent Florida Republican said he might consider legislation that would ban political contributions from for-profit utility companies like Duke Energy. This suggestion underscores the fact that there are serious concerns about contributions, such as the $1.2 million Duke Energy has made to support your re-election, passing the smell test.  

The people of Florida deserve a leader who is honest and open about who is influencing their decisions—and they deserve to know the truth before they head to the polls this November.

Sincerely,

Jackie Lee
State Director
NextGen Climate

Mark Ferrulo
Executive Director
Progress Florida