“My goal for the CRC (the commission) is to fight for policies that will ensure a strong future for Florida, and I know Carlos also shares this vision. As we undertake this historic review, I am hopeful that this commission will propose policies that build a legacy upon which the families and businesses in our great state will thrive for generations to come,” Scott, considering a run for U.S. Senate next year, said in a statement Wednesday announcing Beruff’s appointment.
Scott has the legal authority to appoint 15 members to the commission, including its chairman. House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron each have the power to appoint nine commissioners. Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga named his three appointees, and Attorney General Pam Bondi is automatically included in the 37-member panel.
While Republicans who share Scott’s ideology — or were hand-picked by him for other posts — dominated the governor’s selections, Negron’s picks included former Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who frequently butted heads with GOP leaders before leaving office in 2016 due to term limits.
