During a groundbreaking in Estero Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott announced he thinks U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, who was sentenced to one year probation for cocaine possession last week, should resign.
Calls for Radel, R-Fort Myers, to resign started rolling in Monday night.
The embattled freshman congressman announced a leave of absence last week. Since then, he has checked himself into a rehab center in Naples.
However, local party officials as well as Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry announced Radel should leave his seat in Congress.
In a statement, Curry said: “The people of Florida’s 19th Congressional District need a Congressman who is 100 percent focused on the needs of Southwest Florida. Therefore, Congressman Radel should step down and focus his attention on rehabilitation and his family.”
During a groundbreaking for Hertz’s new headquarters in Radel’s district, Scott said he agrees with Curry.
“Look, Trey is going through a tough time,” Scott said. “My prayers and my wife’s prayers are with his family, but we have to hold all of our elected officials to the highest standards.”
Despite calls for him to step down, a spokesman told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Radel’s “top priority is to complete his rehabilitation.”
The spokesman said Radel is “focusing on rehab and will return to work as soon as possible,” the AP reported.
