McCollum, Scott trade attacks over illegal immigration debate
The Republican gubernatorial candidates are throwing punches, and immigrants are caught in the middle of this slugfest.
Arizona’s new law requiring police officers who have made stops to inquire into someone’s immigration status has heightened intensity of the debate about illegal immigration in Florida.
Attorney General Bill McCollum and Rick Scott recently fired off competing messages about whose private business practices have been beneficial to illegal immigrants. McCollum’s campaign sent a press release accusing millionaire Scott of investing in a company “that is geared to helping illegal aliens transfer money to family and friends out of the country.” That claim refers to an investment he made in Emida — a company that provides money transfer and prepaid phone services and operates in multiple countries. We rated this True.
The next day, Scott fired back with his own attack accusing McCollum of serving “as a lobbyist whose clients enabled mortgages for illegal immigrants.” That claim referred to lobbying work McCollum did for CitiGroup, AmeriDream and the Mortgage Bankers Association. We rated this one False.
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