Appeals Court Rejects Lawsuit Sparked By Florida Gov. Scott
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBSMiami/AP) — A Florida appeals court has thrown out a lawsuit, filed by a former aide to the late Governor Reubin Askew, challenging a law that allows elected officials to place their assets in a blind trust.
The court did not rule on whether the law is constitutional, instead three judges with the 1st District Court of Appeal concluded that there was no "controversy" that required a ruling now.
Jim Apthorp, former aide to the late Democratic Gov. Askew, filed the lawsuit. He says letting politicians use a blind trust violates constitutional requirements of full financial disclosure.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has used a blind trust. He dissolved it last summer and disclosed his finances before qualifying for the ballot.
The appeals court said since no one had a blind trust, there was no legal reason to consider the lawsuit.
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