Rick Scott says he gave Trump 'Champion for Freedom' award after the Capitol insurrection because he 'worked hard'

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks to reporters following a Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Washington.

AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

• Florida GOP Senator Rick Scott said he gave Trump the 'Champion for Freedom' award because he "worked hard."
• Scott was asked why he had awarded Trump with the award even though the former president "continues to spread lies about the election and insurrection."
• "I gave him the award for the right reasons... He worked hard," Scott said.
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Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott has defended his decision to award Donald Trump with the "Champion for Freedom" award, saying the former president deserved it because he "worked hard."

Sen. Scott presented the award to Trump earlier in April on behalf of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, praising him for "appointing three pro-Constitution judges to the Supreme Court, cutting taxes for middle-class families and job creators, and securing the border."

On Sunday, he was asked by George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC News' This Week, whether issuing the award endorsed Trump's false claims about widespread election fraud.

-Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) April 12, 2021

"You recently gave Trump a "champion of freedom" award ... You did that despite the fact the former president continues to spread lies about the election, about Mike Pence, and about the Capitol siege on January 6 ... Doesn't giving the president an award like that endorse that kind of behavior?" Stephanopoulos said.

Scott said: "I gave him the award for the right reasons. He worked on border security ... helping Israel, got the Abraham accords signed. He worked hard. Every president I know would like to get more things accomplished, but he did some things that prior presidents have not gotten done."

-Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 25, 2021

Scott, who is widely tipped to try and launch his own presidential run in 2024, was one of several Republicans who voted in January to object to Pennsylvania's Electoral College votes as President Trump sought to overturn the election.

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