The lingering piles of debris that lined roadsides after Hurricane Irma are making an appearance in the race for U.S. Senate.
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson’s campaign has released an ad called “Gouge” blaming his Republican opponent Gov. Rick Scott for driving up removal costs following the storm that hit in September.
The ad is based on WFOR-Ch. 4 reporter Jim DeFede’s reporting that Scott awarded oversized emergency contracts for debris removal in the Keys that cost taxpayers as much as $30 million more than if contractors that had negotiated rates before the storm had been used.
The ad, which can be viewed here, accuses Scott of “price gouging” taxpayers and adding millions of dollars in extra costs to Florida’s hurricane cleanup bill.
Scott’s campaign has defended his decisions following the storm, saying he was focused on expediting debris removal instead of catering to unnamed “special interests.”
In mid-July, Florida’s Democratic members of Congress asked the Department of Homeland Security to investigate “exorbitant price gouging” and “inept and possibly corrupt” contracting for debris removal after Hurricane Irma.
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