Rick Scott Puts GOP Hypocrisy Surrounding Pete Hegseth On Full Display

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) stumbled through an interview Wednesday night trying to talk up President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth.

Scott appeared on CNN with host Jake Tapper to defend Hegseth, a former Fox News host, against a sexual assault allegation from 2017 and other claims about his alcohol abuse while working at the network and at two veterans’ groups.

When Tapper questioned why Scott was already ready to vote to confirm Hegseth, before the Senate could further probe those concerns, Scott more or less said Trump’s word on nominees is gospel.

“Well, first off, No. 1, Donald Trump won the election. No. 2, this is his nominee,” Scott said, before praising Hegseth’s military service.

Tapper quickly called him out. “President Biden won in 2020 and you voted against several of his nominees,” he said. “Just because somebody wins the presidency doesn’t mean that everybody in the U.S. Senate should just ignore the advice and consent clause of the Constitution and vote for the person’s nominees. Right?”

Scott agreed but continued saying Hegseth should be confirmed, saying he “will do an unbelievable job” and that people are going to enlist in the military just because he’s in charge.

The senator dug himself in deeper when he demanded Hegseth’s accusers, such as the woman who in 2017 accused him of raping her at a conference, speak out publicly.

“These are anonymous accusations. If these people are credible, Jake, ask them to come on your show. Ask him explain these things,” Scott said.

Tapper pointed out that the woman who accused Hegseth of sexual assault signed a non-disclosure agreement and is not allowed to speak publicly, even though police have confirmed Hegseth was involved in their investigation into the assault.

“Do you think Pete should release her from the NDA so that I can ask her the questions that you want me to?” Tapper asked Scott.

Scott quickly reversed course.

“Absolutely not,” he said, arguing that people agree to NDAs all the time. “I’m not going to suggest to somebody change a contract that they signed.”

Then he circled back to his original argument: that Trump’s nominees cannot be questioned. “This is Trump’s nominee. He won. A lot of people don’t like the fact that he won. He won.”

Scott also tried to make the concerns about Hegseth a matter of disparaging veterans. “Why don’t people respect these people that defend our freedom?” he asked Tapper.

“I respect veterans and soldiers all the time,” Tapper said, “but that’s not really the point. I mean, millions of Americans have served in the military. That doesn’t mean that they should be in charge of the military.”