Scott Jewett

About the candidate

Governor candidate • Libertarian Party • Campaign contact: Nicole Skelly, 813-433-3861 • scottjewett.com

Biography

Scott Jewett is a successful businessman, award-winning innovator, and lifelong problem solver who calls Boca Raton home. Like millions of Floridians, he and his wife Regina live with the daily realities of rising insurance costs, property taxes, and the stubborn question of how to leave a freer, more prosperous Florida for the next generation. He's running for Florida Governor because he believes Florida can do better, with less government overreach, more individual liberty, and practical solutions that put people first.

1. What role should executive clemency play in Florida, and what would you do in your first year on the Board to reduce the backlog of applications from people who have completed their sentences?

Executive clemency should provide a meaningful second chance to Floridians who have paid their debt to society. Government should not continue punishing people indefinitely after they have completed their sentences.

As Governor, I would make reducing the backlog a first-year priority. I would direct a review of pending applications, eliminate unnecessary administrative delays, streamline approvals for eligible applicants, and hold additional Clemency Board meetings when needed.

As a businessman, I believe government should be measured by results. We should publicly report how many applications are pending, how long people have waited, and how much progress we are making. Justice delayed by government bureaucracy is justice denied.

2. Would you support restoring civil rights without an application for people who meet the eligibility requirements?

Yes. Once someone has completed their sentence and meets the legal requirements, their civil rights should be restored without forcing them through an unnecessary government application process.

Florida voters have already supported automatic restoration of voting rights for qualifying individuals. We should extend that principle to other civil rights, including jury service and holding public office.

The burden should be on government to establish a legitimate reason for withholding someone's rights, not on individuals to spend years asking government for permission to exercise them.

3. Would you support a path to restore firearm rights for people with nonviolent felony convictions who have completed their sentences?

Yes. I believe strongly in the Second Amendment and the principle that constitutional rights should not be permanently lost because of a nonviolent felony conviction.

People who have completed their sentences, demonstrated rehabilitation, and do not present a threat to public safety should have a fair and accessible opportunity to restore their firearm rights.

4. Will you commit to holding the Clemency Board accountable for consistently holding its required meetings and re-establishing meaningful partnerships with community-based organizations to educate the public about clemency and provide clear guidance on how to apply properly?

Absolutely. Government has a responsibility to follow its own rules, hold its scheduled meetings, and make its processes understandable and accessible to the people it serves.

As Governor, I would commit to a consistent Clemency Board meeting schedule, additional meetings when necessary to address the backlog, and greater transparency about processing times and outcomes.

My administration would focus on simplifying the process, treating applicants fairly, and ensuring government works for the people rather than creating obstacles to exercising their rights.

5. Would your first budget recommendation include more funding and staff for the Florida Commission on Offender Review so applications move faster?

Yes. If government requires people to go through an application process to restore their rights, it has a responsibility to process those applications promptly.

My first budget would prioritize additional staffing and resources where necessary to eliminate the backlog. But simply spending more money isn't enough. As a businessman, I believe we must also simplify the process, eliminate unnecessary paperwork, and establish measurable performance standards.

The goal should be to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and restore people's rights as quickly as possible. Floridians shouldn't have to wait years for government to make a decision.

6. Every grant of clemency in Florida requires the Governor’s approval, and no Cabinet majority can overcome a denial. What standard would you apply in deciding whether to restore a person’s civil rights?

My starting point would be a presumption in favor of restoring rights once an individual has completed their sentence and satisfied the applicable legal requirements.

I believe constitutional rights belong to the people, not the government. Once someone has paid their debt to society, government should have a compelling, individualized reason to continue withholding those rights.

I would evaluate applications based on objective eligibility requirements, evidence of rehabilitation, and legitimate public safety considerations, not politics, personal connections, or arbitrary waiting periods.

As Governor, I would use my authority to restore rights whenever appropriate rather than looking for reasons to deny them. A second chance should be a meaningful opportunity, not an empty promise.