After wildfire, Graham calls for investigation into contracting scandals

Gwen Graham is calling for an outside investigation into recent state contracting scandals, after authorities said a wildfire that destroyed 36 homes in the panhandle was started by a company contracted by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission .

"While I am glad the FWC and its Inspector General are conducting an internal review of the Eastpoint fire, that isn't enough given the repeated state contracting scandals we are seeing from the (Rick) Scott administration," Graham said in a Thursday statement.

"We need an outside investigation to examine what keeps going wrong so that we can demand accountability from the Governor and Florida Legislature," she said. "If Scott doesn't initiate it immediately, it will be one of the first things I do as governor to cut down on the state's waste, fraud and abuse."

Graham also cited a recent report by CBS4 News into the Scott administration's decision to approve emergency contracts for debris removal after Hurricane Irma rather than use contracts that were already in place.

That report said the contracts could cost taxpayers up to $30 million, but Scott's office said it was unfair to compare pre-disaster contracts to emergency contracts.