Alex Sink OK'd Felons to Sell Insurance

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Sunshine State News:

On at least six occasions, state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink approved felons' applications to sell insurance in Florida.

In a series of letters to felons last year, Sink flashed the green light to applicants who had been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to the following:


Assault on a police officer.
Resisting arrest with violence.
Grand larceny.
Conspiracy to use unauthorized credit cards.
Obtaining property for a worthless check.
Forgery.
Parole violation.

Sink's actions were condemned by her Republican gubernatorial opponent, Rick Scott.

"The law is designed to prevent felons who have committed crimes of dishonesty from working in positions of trust in the financial services industry, including selling insurance," said Scott spokesman Joe Kildea. "Rick agrees with that law.

"Rick would never have granted licenses to anyone convicted of theft, forgery, credit card fraud or similar crimes to work with sensitive personal information and financial accounts. That's why the law exists; it's a good law, and it's just common sense," Kildea said.
________

One unconvicted felon giving convicted felons jobs...

[Pepper]

This might be the humongous pot calling a little kettle black. Either that or there is something in the water that makes pols do wacky things in Florida, regardless of what party they profess to belong to.

 

Scott has managed to elude the HCA controversy when he got the boot in 1997.

 

Rick Scott has said he would have immediately stopped his former hospital company from committing Medicare fraud — if only "somebody told me something was wrong."

 

But he was cautioned year after year that the financial incentives Columbia/HCA offered doctors could run afoul of a federal antikickback law that seeks to limit conflicts of interest in Medicare and Medicaid.

 

They were contained in the company's annual public reports to stockholders that Scott, now the Republican candidate for Florida governor, signed as Columbia/HCA's president and chief executive officer.

FROM

 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/columbiahca-reports-warned-rick-scott-of-potential-legal-problems/1122581

 

The reports said the company believed it was complying with the spirit of the law. But as far back as 1994 — three years before the FBI began scrutinizing the company — Columbia/HCA acknowledged that it might not be following the letter of complex health care rules.

At a recent GOP breakfast in Tampa, Scott was confronted -- not for the first time -- about his role in the scandals at Columbia/HCA, the massive healthcare company that Scott ran for 10 years. Scott resigned in 1997 amid an FBI probe that ultimately led to the company paying a record $1.7 billion in criminal and civil fines for Medicare fraud.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/26/1703036/rick-scott-and-his-role-in-columbiahca.html#ixzz12ApHinaF

[Pepper]

More on the scrimmage

 

Florida Candidates Tussle for Senior Support in Airtight Race for Governor

 

Florida Candidates Tussle for Senior Support in Airtight Race for Governor

 

"I can't think of anything more frightening," she said at a debate Friday. "He led a company with the most massive Medicare fraud, cheating seniors and taxpayers."

 

Sink aired a separate ad that accused Scott's company of "ripping off seniors and taxpayers."

 

But Scott, who was no longer CEO when the fine was imposed against Columbia/HCA, has countered by accusing Sink of mismanaging Florida's pension fund as the state's chief financial officer.

 

Scott's allegations were fueled by a St. Petersburg Times report last month that said the state's financial officials defied warnings and made risky investments that led to the state's retirement account losing hundreds of millions of dollars. The article cited an audit that said Sink and other officials did not exert enough oversight.

 

"And now she wants a promotion?" says Scott's latest ad, which rehashed the claims.

- - -

 

The Republicans do not want dig too deep into the Florida's pension fund snafu. They might find something they don't like.