Gov. Rick Scott and his drug-testing policy became the unwitting target of Jon Stewart’s Daily Show on Wednesday as a reporter for the show broke into budget news conference and asked the governor to “pee in a cup.’’
“You’ve benefited from hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars over the years, so would you be willing to pee into this cup to prove to Florida taxpayers that you’re not on drugs?’’ Comedy Central reporter Aasif Mandvi asked. It was a reference to the governor’s drug-testing requirement imposed on all state employees and welfare recipients.
Scott didn’t miss a beat and said: “I’ve done it plenty of times.”
Mandvi, a former Tampa resident and University of South Florida student, then attempted to hand the sealed, official-looking collection cup to the governor. “We could all turn around, that’s fine,’’ he said. Scott ignored him.
Mandvi persuaded a reporter to hand the cup to the front row: “I hate to keep harping on this, would you pee in a cup?”
Scott shot back: “You don’t get to run this.”
Last session, Scott persuaded the Legislature to pass a law requiring all welfare recipients to pass a drug test, but the measure was challenged by the Florida chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and put on hold by an Orlando court. Scott is appealing the ruling.
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