Appeals Court Rejects Lawsuit Sparked by Florida Gov. Scott

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida appeals court is throwing out a lawsuit challenging a law that lets elected officials place their assets in a blind trust.

The court did not rule on whether the law is constitutional. Instead the three judges with the 1st District Court of Appeal concluded that there was no "controversy" that required a ruling now.

Jim Apthorp, a former aide to the late Democratic Gov. Reubin Askew, filed the lawsuit. He says letting politicians use a blind trust violates constitutional requirements of full financial disclosure.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has used a blind trust. He dissolved it last summer and disclosed his finances before qualifying for the ballot.

The appeals court said since no one had a blind trust, there was no legal reason to consider the lawsuit.

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