Here’s what we know so far about the developing scandal involving Congressman Southerland and his ties to lobbyists for Big Sugar:
- Congressman Southerland held a press conference touting his support for a bill, supported by the Sugar Industry, that would target Florida’s wetlands.
- Congressman Southerland has accepted $2,000 in campaign cash from U.S. Sugar and more than $25,000 from sugar interests. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 8/19/14; FEC, accessed 8/19/14]
- According to the Tampa Bay Times, Congressman Southerland said that he visited King Ranch – where sugar lobbyists hosted at least one secret hunting vacation for leading Florida Republicans. Congressman Southerland has not denied this report yet today.
Here’s are the questions Congressman Southerland still needs to answer:
- Did you visit the Sugar Lobbyist compound on King Ranch?
- Were you invited to attend King Ranch by lobbyists?
- When you visited King Ranch, did you interact with any lobbyists?
- Did any sugar lobbyist urge you to support specific legislation or other agenda?
- Will you disclose all of your expenses for this trip, including: food, drink, lodging and transportation?
- When did you visit King Ranch?
- Where did you stay?
- How many times have you been to King Ranch?
- Did you miss any votes to attend King Ranch?
“If Congressman Southerland wants Floridians to believe that he happened to be stopping by the same location in Texas where sugar lobbyists held their secret trip with lawmakers – after accepting thousands of dollars from the Sugar Industry and pushing their bill in Congress – then he should just come out and say so,” said David Bergstein of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “But what this really sounds like is more of the same Washington politics from Congressman Southerland that North Floridians hate about Congress.”