Transition team e-mails show how FL Gov. Scott's administration took shape

Details about what went on within Scott's inner circle in the days and weeks following the election were revealed in a batch of e-mails from Scott's transition team leader, Susie Wiles, which were released late Friday evening.

Wiles, who served as Scott's campaign manager and then as his legislative liaison, has since left the first-term governor's administration.

But the e-mails show that, following the election, Wiles and two other women -- Enu Manigi and Mary Anne Carter -- closely controlled hiring, dealings with the press and Scott's public appearances.

And the e-mails demonstrate how Scott's fledgling administration paid special attention to appointing and hiring people who supported the conservative Republican's agenda, to the exclusion of others who, it was suspected, might not.

Carter and Manigi were the two key players in Scott's transition team and early administration.

Carter objected to including Scott in a preliminary meeting with the Office of Policy and Budget staff.

Donna Arduin, a long-time budget director for several governors including Jeb Bush, served as Scott's budget adviser during his campaign and transition. In mid-December, Arduin wanted Scott, a Tallahassee neophyte, and his aides to meet with the budget staff to get an inside look at how the budget is crafted.

But writing to Arduin on Dec. 15, Carter (who calls Scott "RLS" in her messages) asked, "Are we not better off going through it without RLS and then determine what decisions need to be made? If there are going to be areas where policy and politics collide, I think it's best to know ahead of time and not have him involved in initial conversations."

Arduin didn't agree. "You will see how budget meetings go by observing tomorrow," Arduin wrote. "The meetings are the governor meeting with his OPB staff and making decisions."

The politically-savvy Arduin then complained to Wiles: "Keep the governor out of his budget decisions because we don't want him involved in political decisionsreally??!!!"

"This process is beyond amazing to me," Wiles, who has since left Scott's administration, responded. "I am praying hard for Rick."

Many of the e-mails show Wiles was central in finding jobs for former campaign workers, family and friends of supporters and political figures and others.

Read on.