FLA Dems: Halt Half a Million Dollar Taxpayer Contract to Rickpublican Crony

NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
For Immediate Release: November 17, 2011
Contact: Brannon Jordan, (850) 222-3411

 
FLA DEMS: HALT HALF A MILLION DOLLAR TAXPAYER CONTRACT TO RICKPUBLICAN CRONY
Dems Demand Scott Release Details of Deal to Sell His Solantic Shares to Scully’s Firm

 
Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Democratic Party today called for Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to halt a half a million dollar state contract with a law firm tied to one of the GOP’s political cronies. A second no-bid contract is reportedly likely to be awarded. In an Associated Press article, Scott denied he knew Thomas Scully worked for the law firm that received the recent contract, but a press release from Scott and Solantic touts Scully’s role as Senior Counsel at the firm.
 
“While the state continues to make deep budget cuts that have a devastating impact on middle class families, Rick Scott and the Rickpublicans are dolling out nearly half a million in taxpayer dollars to their political cronies,” said Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux. “Rewarding your friends while leaving Florida families out-to-dry is shameful, denying the facts is becoming typical and taxpayers have had enough. The Governor and Attorney General should end this no-bid deal now.”
 
Scott’s administration pushed for a contract worth up to $500,000 – at more than double the standard rate – for a legal firm connected to a business associate he’s known for 20 years. Scully is also a general partner of the investment group that put money into Scott’s latest hospital-chain, Solantic, before Scott sold his shares to them after becoming governor.
 
Arceneaux continued, “We would expect nothing less than secrecy, cover-up and corruption from the Madoff of Medicare, but it’s time for the Governor to come clean about his deal to sell his Solantic shares to the firm of his political cronies.”
 
Additionally, Scully once headed the association that represented for-profit hospitals, including Scott’s, during the period when Scott’s hospitals were being investigated for massive Medicare fraud. Scully even spoke on behalf of Scott’s company during a “60 Minutes” investigative story during the federal probe. The same legal firm tied to Scully was also paid nearly $200,000 by the Republican Party of Florida for auditing.
 

###