Hailing from Anabar district, Scotty served as Speaker of Parliament from the late 1990s until 2000. During the caretaker administration of Derog Gioura, Scotty was elected President of Nauru by a parliamentary vote of 10-7, defeating Centre Party leader and former President Kinza Clodumar. With the blessings of the outgoing Gioura administration, President Scotty committed to paying the country's civil servants after suffering near-bankruptcy, strengthening relations with the United States and discovering ways to develop a sustainable economy.
President Scotty's cabinet included himself as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baron D. Waqa of Boe district as Minister of Education, David Adeang of Ubenide as Minister of Finance, Dr. Kieren Keke of Yaren as Minister of Health, Russel E. Kun of Ubenide as Minister of Justice and Dogabe A. Jeremiah of Meneng as Minister of Public Works.
Scotty was ousted in a vote of no confidence in August 2003 and was replaced by René Harris.