Gov. Rick Scott unveiled his $77 billion state budget for the upcoming year Wednesday and will be in Tampa and Orlando today to tout it.

But the new budget may be overshadowed by questions today about the ongoing Florida Department of Law Enforcement's leadership controversy.

The controversy has been dogging Scott for two weeks now. On Wednesday, he used his strongest language yet in responding to critics who say he sacked Florida's top law enforcement officer for political reasons.

Scott's goal at the annual conference was to roll out his budget recommendations, but he also came prepared to deal with the scandal.

On the top floor of the State Capitol building, surrounded by reporters, Scott went on record Wednesday, firing back at former FDLE commissioner Jerry Bailey, who has said he was forced to resign because he wouldn't cooperate with the governor's campaign for re-election.

"The attacks against me are absolutely untrue and they're ridiculous," Scott said.

It's a new tune for Scott, who until now has been praising Bailey.

Now leading lawmakers are accusing Scott of illegally firing Bailey without the backing of Florida's independently-elected state Cabinet.

"Only unconstrained hubris can explain a governor who believes he can fire people without proper authority," Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner said.

Only a few weeks into his new term, Scott should have a new reserve of political capitol, but much of it has already been drained away by the FDLE scandal. And now, even many of his fellow Republicans are taking shots.

Minutes after the governor left, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam arrived and didn't waste time second-guessing Scott's move.

"Jerry Bailey's a fine man, he served our state very well, and the way he was treated at the end of his distinguished career was shabby," Putnam said.

There are indications Putnam and his fellow Cabinet member, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, are concerned about their treatment as well.

With the governor's office already looking to fire other commissioners, Atwater argues that it's time to hit the brakes.

"I don't see an action being taken at a Cabinet meeting, the next Cabinet meeting, regarding any one individual because I don't think as a Cabinet member we're prepared to do that," he said.

But they say they are prepared to have a heart-to-heart with Scott - in public - at that meeting next week.

The meeting is due to take place next Thursday at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

Putnam argues that due to the gravity of the issue, the meeting ought to be moved back to Tallahassee. However, Scott doesn't agree.

Calls continue to mount for an investigation into the FDLE scandal. Putnam said he thinks FDLE can handle it, but critics say the agency has a conflict of interest and that the FBI should be in charge.