NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTYFor Immediate Release: Sept. 2, 2010
Another Twist in the Sordid Career History of Rick Scott.  What ELSE Is He Hiding?
Today the St. Petersburg Times unveils another chapter in the shameful career history of  disgraced executive Rick Scott: As he was overseeing the largest Medicare fraud in American history as CEO of Columbia/HCA, the company’s shady business practices were put in play in their attempt to buy Tampa General Hospital.
“What a surprise – another chapter in the novel that is Rick Scott’s sordid and scandalous career history,” said Eric Jotkoff, spokesperson for the Campaign for Accountability 2010.  “Will Rick Scott come clean on his role in the alleged scheme to ‘devalue’ Tampa General Hospital, so he could buy it for a cheaper price?  And why won’t he release his deposition in the Solantic case he gave six days before running for Florida’s Governor?  Most importantly, what else don’t we know about his healthcare career and how much more is Rick Scott hiding?”
According to the story in the St. Petersburg Times, David Bussone, who ran Tampa General at the time, was a former “manager” at Columbia/HCA. The article reports that Bussone and Scott may have secretly negotiated a deal for Columbia/HCA to buy Tampa General.  After the attempted acquisition became subject to state and federal investigations, “Investigators wanted to know if Bussone purposely devalued the public hospital to help sell it at a discount to Columbia.”  After being ousted, something Scott is familiar with, Bussone eventually went back to work at Columbia/HCA. [St. Petersburg Times, 9/2/10]
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