Gov. Rick Scott has sent a warning to his former employees: You're on your own when it comes to defending yourself in court over lost public records.

In a response to a lawsuit filed in circuit court in Tallahassee accusing the governor of intentionally hiding public documents, the governor's legal counsel argued that the governor's office has done its part to turn over the records sought in the lawsuit and, if there are more records to turn over, it's not its fault.

The argument was made as part of a response to an amended complaint filed by Tallahassee attorney Steven R. Andrews, accusing the governor of failing to turn over text messages and emails about public business conducted on private email accounts of more than 40 former employees.

Andrews is asking the court to order the governor's office to produce records, which he wants as part of a lawsuit relating to a property dispute, and to order the governor to use a forensic technician to retrieve documents that may have been improperly deleted.

It is a problematic situation for the departed staffers of the governor, ranging from his former deputy chiefs of staff to his office interns. Many of them were instructed by Scott's former chiefs of staff to use private accounts and cellphones to conduct public business via text message and email.

Under state law, and governor's office Code of Personal Responsibility, they were required to turn over those records when they left the governor's office and forward them to the records custodian to be archived.

But after numerous public records requests by Andrews, many of the messages have still not been turned over. In many instances, Andrews has evidence that records once existed — such as text messages and emails from one staffer to another — but only one side of the conversation has been turned over in the public records searches.

Andrews suspects that either the governor's office did not collect all the data, despite the law and Scott's own rule, or it allowed employees to delete the public records — in violation of the state public records act.

Out on second strike

Here's what former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense had to say last week about Mitt Romney talking about a third run for president.

"I love Mitt Romney, and in two races I just bled for him," Bense told the Buzz. "But I'm not going to a third time. Even if I weren't on the Jeb Bush campaign I wouldn't be on the Mitt Romney campaign. Two times, okay, let someone else have a crack at it. You just can't win, man. You just don't have what it takes. And I absolutely love him. He would be a wonderful president. But there's just something that the public doesn't like."

Bense is organizing a February fundraiser for Bush in Panama City.

Is McCarty out, too?

Florida insurance commissioner Kevin McCarty has survived sitting on one of the hottest seats in state government for more than a decade. Since 2003, he has endured a string of governors and Cabinets. He has sidestepped controversy over soaring property insurance rates, a rash of insurer insolvencies, the ever-changing mission of state-run Citizens Property Insurance and how the state's health insurance model should integrate Obamacare.

But there are growing signs his tenure may be coming to a close. Folks inside and outside the insurance office acknowledge McCarty is under pressure to resign, after 26 years in state government.

Response en español

Rookie Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo will deliver a Spanish-language GOP response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday.

"Carlos Curbelo is a fresh voice with a positive vision for a future of opportunity and prosperity. He is exactly what Washington needs, and the person Americans should hear from in this time of challenge and opportunity for our country," House Speaker John Boehner said in a release.

Curbelo will deliver the same response as new Sen. Joni Ernst, only in Spanish.

Alex Leary contributed to this week's Buzz.