Why Florida Will Get Shafted Out Of BP Compensation Money

Attorney Steve Yerrid was a special council for Gov. Lawton Chiles and got a settlement from tobacco companies. Yerrid was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to get a legal settlement from BP. Getting that settlement would involve filing a lawsuit. Yerrid's term ended Dec. 31, 2010. Yerrid sent three letters to Gov. Rick Scott. Yerrid never received a response.

"I received zero response," the Tampa attorney said. "Not a thank you, not a note telling me where to put the materials."

Scott announced receiving $30 million grant from BP. Yerrid says that Florida could get $1 billion from a lawsuit.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has counciled Gov. Rick Scott not to sue BP. Bondi claims that BP will not pay if Florida if litigation is fired against the oil company. How Bondi thinks BP will pay for environmental or tourism damage without legal pressure is beside the point. The truth is Bondi has no desire to sue BP. Bondi has gotten on the same page as Gov. Rick Scott.

"My goal is to try to work with BP and make sure we don't end up in litigation," Scott told the media.

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Rick Scott Hearts BP

Tampa attorney Steve Yerrid was appointed last year by then Gov. Charlie Crist to get a financial settlement from BP. Florida's tourism and environment was damaged from the Deep Horizon oil spill. Yerrid said Florida could financially gain from a settlement with BP.

"I think it would be in the billions of dollars," Yerrid said. "It would have a substantial, if not a mitigating effect on our deficit. The money is there, there's a $20 billion fund that isn't close to being exhausted, and my question is, what are we doing about it?".

Yerrid has noted been reappointed by Gov. Rick Scott. Yerrid has repeatedly tried to contact Scott.

"I received zero response," the Tampa attorney said. "Not a thank you, not a note telling me where to put the materials."

Yerrid and others worry that Scott may be turning his back on what could be billions of dollars at a time when the state is crunched for cash.

"Anytime wrongdoing occurs and you have a couple of billion dollars in damages that would greatly benefit our state and citizens, we should be getting that," Yerrid said. "There should be an urgency to collect money that is due to us to lighten our load."

Florida is facing a $3.5 billion deficit. Yerrid estimates the state could receive $2 billion from a financial settlement. Even the conservative Tampa Tribune editorial board has come to the conclusion that Scott cares more about protecting BP than Florida's beaches or the deficit. Scott is governing like the ideologue and corporate cut throat he has always been. The media should stop acting shocked.