Gov. Scott has no business seeking money from oil, coal execs in Oklahoma, Florida Democrats say

Florida Democrats blasted Gov. Rick Scott for flying off to Oklahoma City today to solicit campaign donations from prominent American fracking, oil, and coal company executives.

Scott’s appearance at a luncheon at a restaurant in the headquarters of Devon Energy Corp. was first reported last week by the media outlet Energy & Environment News.

Scott’s out-of-state trip to fundraise for his U.S. Senate race against Democratic U.S. Sen.  Bill Nelson “is another piece of evidence that demonstrates the lack of concern for our environment here in Florida,” St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said during a media conference call organized by the Florida Democratic Party.

With low-lying Florida at ground zero for the rising seas that come with climate change, Kriseman said it’s particularly galling that Scott is cozying up to the very corporate interests that make their money burning the coal and petroleum products that fuel global warming.

“He knows it’s not good for Florida,” said Kriseman, who was joined on the call with representatives from the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club and the group 350 South Florida. “Climate change is an issue people in this state care deeply about.”

E&E News got a copy of the Oklahoma fundraiser invitation. Devon Energy’s founder, Larry Nichols,  “invites attendees to ‘consider contributing the maximum of $5,400 (or $10,800/couple) to Rick’s campaign,’ noting Scott’s “strong pro-business record in Florida,”  E&E reports.

Invitees to the executive luncheon fundraiser included Devon Energy’s Nichols, E&E reported, and “Republican mega-donor Harold Hamm, the founder and CEO of Continental Resources Inc.; Rick Muncrief, chairman and CEO of WPX Energy Inc.; and Mike Cantrell, former president of Oklahoma Basic Economy Corp. and chairman of Cantrell Investments LLC, an oil and gas firm.

Also on the list, E&E reported, was Joe Craft, president and CEO of Alliance Resource Partners LP, one of the nation’s largest coal companies.