Anonymous Declares War On Florida Gov. Rick Scott

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Gov. Rick Scott might not want to serve as Donald Trump’s running mate in November, but it seems the two Republicans have more than party affiliation and business backgrounds in common.

Anonymous, the hacktivist group that made headlines recently by declaring war on Trump, reportedly has a new target in its sights. That target is none other than Florida’s own Rick Scott.

Demanding immediate impeachment proceedings against the state’s top politician and his resignation, the group posted a video to Facebook recently outlining the many bones it has to pick with Scott. In that video, a supposed Anonymous member, wearing a signature Guy Fawkes’ mask, calls Scott out on his alleged complacency in allowing polluted water from Lake Okeechobee to flow into the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

“As the rainy season is fast approaching, we direct the polluted waters be redirected into the state Capitol’s front doors,” the speaker on the video said, using the computer-generated voice also signature in the Anonymous movement. The speaker also accuses Scott of “collusion of corruption,” of making a “mockery of the judicial process” and protecting “corrupt politicians.”

The group also seems to think Florida’s tourism numbers have suffered under Scott’s leadership.

“Tourists are seeking elsewhere to plan their vacations,” the mask-wearing speaker said.

That claim is disputed by a recent release of tourist data from the state. According to Tallahassee, Florida welcomed an estimated 29.8 million tourists in the first quarter of 2016 alone. The number, the state reported, is a record-breaker.

Just what repercussions might result if the request for impeachment isn’t heeded by the citizens of Florida wasn’t made clear by the speaker. The video ended simply with this warning: “We do not forgive and we do not forget. Expect us.”

Back in 2014, Anonymous targeted the city of Fort Lauderdale over its alleged unfair treatment of homeless people. In that case, the city’s website was taken down as a preventative measure after a reported Anonymous threat video hit YouTube. The video has since been taken down.

In addition to its reported threats on Trump, Scott and Fort Lauderdale, Anonymous has been connected with a number of high-profile hacking cases in recent years. The group has threatened the Chinese government, the Ferguson Police Department, ISIS and others.

Scott's office isn't commenting directly on the video's release, but officials say the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been made aware of the threat.

Photo of Rick Scott from the Rick Scott Facebook page