Perspectives

You can layout how we’ve arrived at the Florida gubernatorial race being essentially a dead heat between the Republican and Democrat candidates. Republican Rick Scott beat Bill McCollum in their primary. Scott poured millions of dollars of his own wealth into the race, essentially buying the election. I wanted Scott to prevail because I considered him the weaker general election candidate.

But how can Rick Scott even be competitive in the Governor’s race? What is it Floridians see in the man that I am missing? Either one of the two following scenarios is accurate. Either Rick Scott is crooked as a barrel of guts or his alleged business acumen is so over-blown as to be grossly fraudulent. Either he did know that his company was ripping off the federal government for millions of dollars or he is so incompetent (not to know his company’s massive fraud) that how could we possibly entrust him to manage state government?

Not only does Scott claim that he was ignorant of Columbia/HCA’s systemic Medicare fraud but in an unrelated (yet inextricably related) lawsuit, Scott pled the 5th Amendment 75 times. He read from a card prepared by his lawyer, “On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer the question by asserting my rights and privileges under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” Seventy-five times Rick Scott pled the Fifth.

Which is his right. His company (Columbia/HCA) was fined $1.7 billion. And Rick Scott employed the now legendary Sgt. Schultz defense of “I know nothing.” You remember Sgt. Schultz of TV’s “Hogan Heroes” fame. Sgt. Schultz knew nothing and so, too, Republican Rick Scott. He knew nothing about his own company’s massive Medicare fraud. How convenient for Rick Scott to not know that his own company was conducting a fraud of monumental, of mammoth proportions (just a floor or two away). But he knew nothing. “I know nothing,” was Sgt. Scott’s, er, Rick Schultz’s, um, Republican Rick Scott’s explanation. He knew nothing.

And yet, Floridians have him in a tight race for governor. How can that be? Either Rick Scott is a fraudulent, lying scoundrel (who pled the Fifth 75 times) or he didn’t know what his own company was doing. Regardless. How do ask Floridians to vote for you based on your claim of business acumen, on your sharply-honed management skills when you repeatedly claimed that you did not know what was going on in your own company? But, but, but, I could manage state government, really, no problem. Trust me.

Two possibilities. Rick Scott is a lying crook. Or, he’s the classic Sgt. Schultz “I know nothing” business manager. Which is it?

I have this to say to the many legitimate, responsible and ethical Florida businessmen and women, “Scott’s candidacy and claims are such an egregious fraud as to smear you all.”

I ask Florida’s business community, “Is this the caliber of man who best exemplifies your values, the candidate you want representing your principles?”

I ask Florida’s electorate to wise-up. You’re being snookered by the quintessential Floreeeeda snake-oil salesman. One with deep pockets and a wolfish, Dr. Kevorkian “I Know Plenty” grin.

Oh, and I just bet-cha Bernie Madoff’s mom thought him a good boy, too.