FEC complaint vs. Rick Scott also names Mori Hosseini

TALLAHASSEE — A day after he jumped into the U.S. Senate race, Republican Gov. Rick Scott was hit Tuesday with a Federal Elections Commission complaint about a political spending committee that he’s been leading.

The Democratic-allied End Citizens United alleges that the New Republican PAC chaired by Scott has violated campaign finance restrictions in advance of his challenge to Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, officially announced Monday in Orlando.

The complaint also names local homebuilding magnate Mori Hosseini, the treasurer of the New Republican PAC.

“Before Scott’s Senate campaign had even formally started, he was already manipulating the law to serve himself,” said Adam Bozzi, a spokesman for End Citizens United.

Ryan Patmintra, a spokesman for the Scott campaign, said Scott "has always, and will continue to, operate his campaign activity transparently" and legally.

“Typical Democrat smear tactics. When they don’t have a candidate with a record of accomplishments to run on, they go negative out of the gate," Patmintra said.

Hosseini did not immediately respond.

Scott already has raised more than $1 million for the New Republican PAC, which he took over to help President Donald Trump in the 2016 campaign, but which is transitioning to assist his Senate run.

Among those now working for the PAC are his longtime fundraiser, Deborah Aleksander and his former chief-of-staff Melissa Stone, the campaign manager for his 2014 re-election campaign as governor.

The FEC complaint calls Hosseini a "top adviser" to Stone, whose firm Cavalry Strategies LLC was paid more than $62,000 in 2017 by the New Republican PAC for political strategy consulting and travel.

While Scott’s fundraising has gotten the attention of Democratic allies, Nelson announced Tuesday that he raised more than $3.2 million during the first three months of the year, bringing his cash-on-hand total to $10.5 million.

The Nelson-Scott race is considered one of the nation’s top toss-up contests and is expected to draw more than $100 million in spending from both sides. Scott also has spent $86 million of his own family’s money on his two governor’s race campaigns.

Scott on Tuesday also announced members of his campaign team for the Senate race, which will be managed by Jackie Schutz Zeckman, most recently chief-of-staff in the governor’s office. Craig Carbone, named political director, is a former governor’s office deputy chief-of-staff.

Others joining Scott’s campaign include Finance Director Caitlin Collins, who has raised money for federal and state campaigns, with a long history in Pennsylvania, and communications director Ryan Patmintra, recently Florida political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and a former state regional director for Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.

Staff Writer Mark Harper contributed to this story.