Another Factor for Rick Scott to Consider

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Feb. 12 -- The Florida Democratic Party issued the following news:

A new report from the Tampa Bay Times reveals that Rick Scott will have to answer questions about his shady financial past if he decides to run for U.S. Senate. The federal laws are a lot more strict than Florida's, and voters will learn how his self-serving politics have helped put millions in his own pocket while he served as Governor.

"Floridians already know that Scott made millions by overseeing the largest Medicare fraud in history, if he runs for Senate voters could soon learn new details about how he enriched himself while in office at the expense of Florida's working families. The bottom line: Scott will have a lot of questions to answer about where his money has come from, and he'll be facing fresh revelations about how his self-serving politics have hurt Florida," said FDP Spokeswoman Caroline Rowland.

Tampa Bay Times, 2/9/18, Another factor for Rick Scott to consider for Senate bid: Disclosing, managing his money

* "We will receive a much clearer answer on Rick Scott's finances if, as widely expected, he runs for U.S. Senate, which has significantly tighter financial disclosure requirements than Florida."

* "Assets in the name of First Lady Ann Scott, for instance, are not required to be disclosed under Florida's blind trust law, but would be for a U.S. Senate candidate or senator."

* "Scott no longer would be allowed to use a longtime business associate and partner to manage his blind trust because the Senate requires a "completely independent" trustee."

* "Scott used to lead health care company Columbia/HCA, which paid a record $1.7 billion in fines for Medicare fraud that occurred under his watch."

* "A pending lawsuit against Scott from a Democratic attorney in Tallahassee asserts that the governor still controls a family trust with his wife and has failed to disclose all the assets in it. It also claims that federal records indicate Scott approved the sales of stock included in the family trust and that Scott retains control over some of his blind trust assets."