Former Gov. Bob Graham avoided taking a direct swipe at Gov. Rick Scott during a visit to Tallahassee on Monday, but the former Democratic governor said he has some qualms about where Florida’s ruling Republicans are steering the state.
Graham said he has a policy of not commenting on successors.
“But beyond that, I’m concerned about the direction that the state is taking in a number of areas, particularly education, the environment and economic development,” Graham said.
Graham hesitated when asked about the legislation he found “most outrageous” from the last session.
“Well, it’s a target-rich environment,” he said, before focusing on the changes to environmental and growth-management laws. “Without those management structures, I’m afraid we may revert back to the ’50s and ’60s,” Graham said.
Graham, also a former U.S. senator, stopped by the Governor’s Club in Tallahassee on Monday to promote his new book, Keys to the Kingdom.
Based on his work on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Graham’s novel revolves around a conspiracy between Saudi Arabia and al Qaeda that Graham believes is in some ways real.
Graham told reporters part of what motivated him to write the book was anger about his belief that the truth about the kingdom’s involvement in attacks against America has been hidden.
“My anger is directed at anyone who has made the decision that the American people should not understand the full extent of Saudi involvement in 9/11, and with that information, take the steps to protect us from a future such action by the Saudis,” Graham said.
