Florida Democratic Party Goes After Scott's Driver's License Veto.

For once the Florida Democratic Party is doing something smart by hammering Gov. Rick Scott for vetoing the right for immigrants with Deferred Action status from obtaining driver licences is stupid politics. Scott still thinks the tea party is a driving force. The Pew Research Center showed how President Obama beat Mitt Romney with Hispanics.

The state’s growing non-Cuban population—especially growth in the Puerto Rican population in central Florida—contributed to the president’s improved showing among Hispanic voters. This year, according to the Florida exit poll, 34% of Hispanic voters were Cuban while 57% were non-Cuban. Among Cuban voters, the vote was split—49% supported Obama while 47% supported Romney. Among the state’s non-Cuban voters, Obama won 66% versus 34% for Romney.

Of course, Scott's veto doesn't surprise me. Scott ran an xenophobic campaign against Muslims. A Salon investigative article found that Scott's company had to settle many discrimination cases.

Yet even before it was fully operational Solantic executives were accused of a pattern of serial discrimination in hiring, a pattern supposedly initiated by Scott himself. The suits alleged a standing policy not to hire overweight women, Hispanics with strong accents, older women and black women.

The company settled the suits, and never admitted any wrongdoing. Today, the company’s CEO, Karen Bowling, adamantly denies there was ever such a policy. But as Scott exerts influence on the national healthcare debate, and holds up his own company as a model of the virtues of the for-profit system, the chronology of the accusations is compelling. It starts with one of the very first people Solantic hired.

Scott can't help but come off as xenophobic anymore than a tiger can change its strips.

Rick Scott's Double Standard on Drug Privacy

Previous legal rulings have stated that the state government cannot mandatory force state workers to be drug tested. Gov. Rick Scott is going to disregard the law. People collecting unemployment will be forced to pay for their own drug tests.

Young Turks host Cenk Uygur made a strong case that Scott is merely targeting state workers and the unemployed, in order to demonize them. Uygur points out that Scott refuses to support a drug database.

"I don't support the database," Scott said at a news conference. "I believe it's an invasion of privacy."

Scott has no problems invading the privacy of poor people and state workers. However, drugs used by white collar people deserve to have their privacy protected. Not flip-flopping much, are we governor?

There is also a question of if Scott's medical clinic company Solantic will benefit. Scott promised to place his financal holdings into a blind trust. Instead, he gave his Solantic stock to his wife. The media is finally calling Scott on this shady deal.

“As I’ve told you, I’m not involved in that company,” Scott said, refusing to directly answer whether he would consider prohibiting the state from contracting with the firm.

A blind trust would mean there would be no way for Scott to have control over his financial properties. The same can't be said by Scott giving Solantic stock to his wife.

Update: the ACLU is preparing to file legal action against Scott's drug testing policy.

"There's federal, U.S. Supreme Court standards on all of this. I don't think the governor got very good legal advice on this thing," Simon said.

He noted that Scott has staunchly opposed a statewide computer database that would track prescriptions of Vicodin, Percocet and other dangerous narcotics, on grounds that it could intrude on privacy rights.

"That could only come from a person who is very, very selective in their principles," Simon said.

Rick Scott Makes 8 Worst Governors List

Alternet released its list of the eight worst governors in America. As a Floridian, I am proud to say Rick Scott made the list.

1. He rejected $2.4 billion in stimulus money to build a high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando.

2. He wants to slash $4 billion in spending while cutting taxes for millionaires.

3. He tried to use state funds to build golf courses in state parks while cutting education by 10 percent and corporate taxes by 5 percent.

4. He's requiring 600,000 government workers (including police officers, teachers, firefighters, judges, and retirees) to contribute 5 percent to their retirement.

5. He just lopped off $2,300 a year in teacher salary to give massive tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.

He's also not a fan of black people. He proposed eliminating state support for two HBCUs (Historically black colleges and universities). He's shutting down a state agency that assists minority businesses, and he refuses to appoint an African American to any significant position in his administration.

Several employees of Solantic have accused Scott of practicing racism, in his hiring practices. Scott ran the blatantly racist ad titled "Obama's Mosque." President Obama does not own a mosque or worship the Islamic faith. A person wouldn't know that from watching Scott's campaign ad. Scott implied that anyone that worshipped the Islamic faith supported terrorism. Scott offended the black caucus by saying they all grew up in the projects with uneducation parents.

"I grew up probably in the same situation as you guys," Scott said to the group of 20 Democrats. "I started school in public housing. My dad had a sixth-grade education."

Scott's pathetic attempt at empathy came off as insensitive, as Fuzzy Zoeller's infamous "fried chicken" comment.

Does Rick Scott Have a Blind Trust

Columnist Stephen Goldstein sent me a tweet. Goldstein has asked Gov. Rick Scott's office for the fourth time, if the governor has set up a blind trust. Goldstein has still not received a response.

Update: For the fourth time in over a month, I asked Gov. Scott's office if his vast financial holdings had been placed in a blind trust - if yes, the trustee's name; if no, if and when there would be a trust and who would manage it. I still have not received an answer.

But surely, all Floridians need to know if there any conflicts of interest from the governor's public policy decisions, especially in light of his tainted past.

For example: Does he still personally control his $62 million share in Solantic urgent care walk-in centers, his single largest investment - and is his opposition to Obama's health reform a way of protecting or increasing its value? As CEO, Scott might have thought he could stonewall such a question, but Gov. Scott owes the public an answer!

Scott's stake in Solantic in not managed by a blind trust. Scott's wife now manages the governor's Solantioc assets. Frances Scott can not be considered a neutral third party.

The problem is Scott's family still financial benefits on health care decisions as governor. For instance: Scott signed an executive order having state employees randomly drug tested. Scott supports legislation making mandatory for welfare recipients to be drug tested. Solantic provides drug testing as a service.

Another question is what did Scott's transition team lawyers, Enu Mainigi, James Fuller, and Richard Coates discuss with the Florida Commission on Ethics. There are no records of the meeting that took place on Dec. 7, 10 and 16.

Mainigi is an old friend of Scott. She has defended money launderers, and security fraud. Fuller worked on the Clintons tax returns. Fuller has represented accused tax criminals. Richard Coates has represented former Florida House Speaker Ray Sansom. Why is Scott having white collar criminal lawyers visit the ethics commission? These attorneys usually don't appear unless the client thinks he is about to be indicted.

The question remains if Scott has a blind trust? Judging by his stonewalling and the legal team he has put togeter; I am skeptical.

Exactly what transpired between Mainigi, Fuller, Coates and the Florida Commission on Ethics.

Does Scott talk to his wife about business matters relating to Solantic? I don't see how it is not possible.

Why Solantic Should Not Handle State Drug Tests

Fun fact number one: Rick Scott is the co-founder and owner of Solantic; a chain of health care clinics in Florida.

Fun fact number 2: Solantic provides drug testing.

Fun fact number 3: Scott signed an executive order to have state employees randomly be drug tested. Scott also supports legislation that makes it mandatory for welfare recipients to be drug tested.

"Floridians deserve to know that those in public service, whose salary are paid with taypayer dollars, are part of a drug-free workplace," Scott said. "Just as it is appropriate to screen those seeking taypayer assistance, it is also appropiate to screen government employees."

Joy-Ann Reid pointed out that state workers could provide Solantic with 170,000 more people to drug test yearly. That adds up to a handsome profit. It is troubling that Scott transferred his Solantic stocks to his wife. The proper way of handling ownership of Solantic was to have a blind trusthandle Scott's stocks. Scott's wife can not be seriously considered a neutral third party.

Several former employees of Solantic accused Scott of discrimantion, in hiring practices.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, Yarian says Scott phoned him and stated that he should be careful not to hire anyone of Middle Eastern descent because they might scare off customers. At the time, Yarian was willing to exercise the directive as part of the collective shock the country was going through.

Scott was also against the hiring of overweight or Hispanic health care workers. Scott wanted employees he deemed "mainstream." Yarian was fired after complaining about Scott's hiring directive to Karen Bowling. Yarian was later fired. Yarian won an $80,000 out-of-court settlement against Solantic.

Bowling admitted in a deposition that Yarian complained to her about Scott's discriminating hiring policy, in a deposition.

"He did express concerns that we -- that he didn't believe in the hiring practices, and how do you interpret what's presentable," she said. "And alluded to overweight people."

Other employees have won lawsuits against Solantic. Solantic was caught illegally using the medical licenses of two doctors. Solantic was forced to legally settle with Dr. P. Mark Glencross.

Dr. Randy Prokes accused Solantic of defrauding Medicare. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stepped in to investigate. It is unclear how the investigation has progressed.

Floridians should ask themselves do they trust their governor on health care issues. Speaking for myself, I am more willing to invest faith in a snake than our governor.

Quote of the Day: Hypocrisy Edition

"If you're the CEO of a company, you're responsible for things that happen under your watch."

Rick Scott, in response to attack ads on Alex Sink's tenure a president of Florida Operations at Bank of America.

Wait! Rick Scott refuses to take personal responsibility for $1.7 billion in Medicare fraud perpetuated by Columbia/HCA. Scott claims he had no idea what was going on. Two former doctors of Scott's health clinic chain Solantic claim Medicare fraud was committed. Scott refuses to release a video deposition he gave in relation to the state of Florida investigating Solantic.

"If you're the CEO of a company, you're responsible for things that happen under your watch."

Unless you are Rick Scott.

Scott's Solantic Accused of Medicare Fraud

Rick Scott refused to answer questions about his video deposition in a case involving his health care company Solantic. Scott settled with the state of Florida and kept the details behind a confidentiality agreement. Scott was combative with the media and refused to release the video deposition. I find it amazing that Scott has the chutzpah to be so prickish and secretive.



Transcript:

SCOTT: I told you, I am not releasing them. It’s a private matter...

Q. But you are running for governor.

SCOTT: I am running for governor -

Q. -- on your business record and this.

SCOTT: I told you right now, I’m not releasing it. What else?

…

Q: Well then sir will you release a transcript of the deposition then, if there’s nothing, if there’s nothing wrong in this case?

SCOTT: No, it’s a private matter, I’m not doing it.

Q. Is it a private matter anymore?

SCOTT: You can, you can ask the same question one hundred times, I’ll give you the same answer – it’s a private matter. I’m running for governor, alright? If we want to talk about that race, if we want to talk about jobs, which is what these people care about, if we want to talk about education, if you want to talk about healthcare, that’s great, but I’m not talking about private matters.

Q: you’re here to talk, I mean you’re here to talk about this.

SCOTT: I’m not doing it – what else?

The press conference had the bombshell of Scott being served with a subpoena during the pres conference. This has to be one of the most embarrassing things I have ever seen happen to a politician.



Attorney Steven R. Andrews is seeking to make the video deposition public. What the deposition might reveal is Scott admitting to illegal Medicare billing practices. The Florida Independent reports Solantic wrongfully used the medical licences of two doctors for billing.

Two doctors — both former employees of Solantic, the chain of clinics launched by Scott and in which he is a majority investor — allege that Solantic repeatedly used their name and medical license information without their permission or knowledge. Both doctors state that by allegedly misappropriating their information, the company was able to keep clinics operating in contravention of state law.

One of the doctors asserts that he also came upon evidence of billing irregularities involving Medicare, which, if true, would be the second time a Scott-run company was accused of improperly billing Medicare.

Dr. P. Mark Glencross and Dr. Randy Prokes did not work together at Solantic. They both saw their names on billing forms they did not authorize. Prokes saw his name on billing forms for Solantic clinics he never worked at. Three former Solantic employees vouched for Prokes story.

It has been well documented that Scott was forced to stop down from Columbia/HCA because the company was investigated for Medicare fraud. Columbia/HCA eventually paid $1.7 billion back to the federal government. Scott tells voters he is the most qualified because of his business experience. Scott will follow that with he is not responsible for Medicare fraud under his watch. If Scott isn't responsible then who is? Leadership means Scott his the man that must be held accountable.

What we are seeing is a pattern of greed in Scott's companies. Repeated false billing practices and accusations that Scott racially discriminates in his hiring practices. Scott's qualifications seems to be being a horrible CEO of seriously questionable ethics. The worst thing is Scott's bullish manner suggests he is proud of his behavior.