The New York Times, in a scathing editorial, said Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) was one of a crop of Republican governors "so rigidly opposed to the Obama administration that they are willing to harm their states to score points." 

The editorial was referring to Scott's decision to reject $2.4 billion in rail money — funds that were given to other states on Monday, including New York.

Scott has said he is protecting his state's taxpayers, arguing that the train that would have been built with those funds was a "federal boondoggle." But The Times argued he deprived his state of much-needed infrastructure.

"After Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts," the paper's editorial board wrote Tuesday. "That was nonsense, of course; Mr. Scott was really doing a favor for train passengers in the Northeast, Midwest and California, which were given $2 billion of his money on Monday for better service.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Relatives are saying a man arrested for knocking on the cockpit of a Delta Airlines plane is not a terrorist.

Lawmakers from Florida blame Obama, Rick Scott for their state's rejection of high-speed rail money.

Wisconsin is wishing it got some of the high-speed rail love that was spread around to 15 other states this week.

Orbitz is getting in the European rail business.

The administration assured the traveling public that railways around the nation were safe after reports of al Qaeda plots.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Monday that Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) objections were not indicative of residents' opinion about fast trains in the rest of the state.
 
"There are thousands of people that have been working on high-speed rail in Florida for 20 years and they are deeply disappointed that one guy decided they weren't going to accept the second largest amount of money," LaHood said during an MSBNC interview.
 
"This is one guy only, and eventually Florida will get in the high-speed rail business," LaHood said.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica said Monday that the Obama administration had gotten it wrong again on high-speed rail when it awarded about $2 billion to 15 states.
 
Mica (R-Fla.) said the administration was too focused on projects involving Amtrak, which he has frequently derided as a "Soviet-style" operation.
 
“Once again, the Administration has scattered funding to numerous slower-speed rail projects, and allowed Amtrak to hijack 21 of the 22 grants," Mica said in a statement.

Sixty-one percent in a new poll blamed oil companies a “great deal;" one-quarter said the same of President Obama.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has fans in 15 states other than the one he governs, thanks to his decision to reject more than $2 billion in high-speed-rail money that other states were glad to be awarded Monday.

Several supporters of proposals to build more of the fast railways took to Twitter to show Scott their gratitude.

"Thrilled that Sec @RayLaHood has awarded $800m in #HSR investments rejected by FL's gov to the #NY region," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said on Twitter Monday.

"Florida's loss has become Delaware's gain. DOT made right decision in sending $800m to the Northeast Corridor," Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said on the website.

Prominent liberal commentators also got in on the act of sending faux thanks Scott's way.

Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for a "Do Not Ride" list for Amtrak following reports that terrorist Osama bin Laden was plotting attacks on U.S. railways before his death.

The list would be similar to the "Do Not Fly" registry that is checked before passengers board flights at airports. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that it's a lot easier for would-be terrorists to get on trains that it has been for them to board airplanes.

“Anyone, even a member of al Qaeda, could purchase a train ticket and board an Amtrak train without so much as a question asked,” Schumer said in a weekend interview with WCBS radio in New York.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

The Northeast emerged as the big winner in the sweepstakes for Florida's rejected rail money.

Bombardier is going to make high-speed train parts.

There isn't much transportation-related happening in the Texas state legislative session.

New Jersey drivers should be ready for their close-ups on the Atlantic City Expressway toll road.