Governor Rick Scott Is Still Hiding Money

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Guest Blogger •

This year the Florida Legislature passed a new blind trust law. The ink had not dried on Gov. Rick Scott’s signature before he decided to test the new law. Scott wanted to make sure the money he had made documented on his questionable personal portfolio was in line with the new law, a law that he and his Republican cronies helped write.

Rick Scott made sure he “stacked the deck” beforehand. According to the Tampa Bay Times, five of (the Ethics Commission) nine members (were) appointed by the governor. “The governor has hit all the requirements of the statute,” said the panel’s general counsel Christopher Anderson, who added that Scott was “ahead of the game” in 2011 and complies with the new law.

Governor Rick Scott

Scott asked for the commission’s opinion to ensure the blind trust complies with a new law. “The governor has hit all the requirements of the statute,” said Anderson.
The voting public conveniently forgets what Scott did. The Sun Sentinel reports that Scott perpetrated fraud that “ was and still is the biggest Medicare fraud case in U.S. history and ended with the hospital giant Columbia/HCA paying a record $1.7 billion in fines, penalties and damages.” Scott was co-founder and CEO of Columbia/HCA in the 1990s, when the FBI launched a massive, multi-state investigation that led to the company pleading guilty to criminal charges of overbilling the government.
If fines and penalties of $1.7 Billion are any indication that big money was made then one must think there was a lot of it. Medicare insurance fraud is big money and Rick Scott made a bunch of it. The Tallahassee Democrat indicated that the amount of money that may have been made, “When Scott first sought office, he reported a net worth of $218 million, while the filing he turned in earlier this summer showed that his net worth was nearly $84 million as of the end of 2012.”
The fact that Scott refuses to take any money for being governor, 12-cents a year, allows him to do, basically, whatever he wants when filling out financial disclosure forms. It seems doubtful the state of Florida’s Republican Legislature really cares what he makes. The state is saving $130,00 in salary per year. NorthEscambia.com reported that “Gov. Rick Scott was worth $83.77 million as he wrapped up his second year in office, according to a newly posted financial disclosure form. The blind trust, which accounts for $72.8 million, made $3.1 million in interest last year.”
Dan Krassner, executive director of Integrity Florida, questioned the independence of the blind trust since the company managing Scott’s account — Hollow Brook Wealth Management — included Scott’s portfolio manager for 10 years. An accountant at the company also worked for Scott for 12 years. Old cronies? It must depend on who’s asking.
The question here is not whether Scott is crooked but just how much of that crooked money did he keep? Think about it when standing in the voting booth next year.
http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2013/09/governor-rick-scott-still-hiding-money/

Corrupt Government Agencies? Say It Isn't So!

I had to laugh the other day when a Federal Employee in the Justice System said that corruption is exaggerated. I don't consider myself a conspiracy theorist, I do not believe everyone is out to get me, I do not think every government agency is evil. I do believe that there are those whose sole goal appears to be the pursuit of power and wealth and that no matter the cost they will pursue those goals. I believe that even those with the best of intentions can be corrupted and that our state and federal government  is set up to fail due to lack of impartial over-site, consequence that are none existent,  and by allowing individuals to garner huge amounts of influence and power.
This is a full page add was taken out by the FBI I guess they are also exaggerating the Corruption in our Governments too, hmmm I guess I do finally agree with a government agency. But I would not get too excited I did call in saying I had some information and no one bothered to return the call.

Tallahassee has become a focal point in the FBI’s crackdown on public corruption.
The FBI in Jacksonville has launched a major initiative seeking the public’s help in identifying government officials who use their office for personal gain. Of particular interest to the FBI is potential fraud involving federal stimulus money.
The agency unveiled the Public Corruption Tip Line (1-888-722-1225) in February and said it would run advertisements in newspapers seeking tips. So far, the FBI has run one advertisement, which appeared on the front page of the Tallahassee Democrat.
Toni Chrabot, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI office in Jacksonville, said the FBI chose to run the ad in Tallahassee because it is the seat of power in Florida.
“Since it’s the capital and the home of Florida’s Legislature and numerous state agencies, any public corruption there has the potential to have consequences on a much broader scale than similar corruption in a smaller town or county,” said Chrabot, who is overseeing the office’s public-corruption program.
The ad ran under the heading, “Who’s representing you?” and had a “pay-to-play” logo with a slash through it. “Dishonest government officials aren’t just wasting your tax dollars,” the ad said. “They’re betraying your trust. Report public corruption to the FBI.”
The FBI made headlines recently after asking the city of Tallahassee for a copy of its purchasing policy and emails involving a federally funded grant for technology programs on the south side. The FBI doesn’t confirm or deny investigations; Chrabot discussed only in broad terms the FBI’s efforts to stamp out government corruption. The Democrat learned of the FBI’s interest in city documents from city officials.
Brad Ashwell, democracy advocate for the Florida Public Interest Research Group, said it’s reassuring that the federal government is using one of its most powerful crime-fighting tools — the FBI — to safeguard against corruption.
“It’s critical that we ensure public funds are used appropriately and effectively,” Ashwell said. “And any time there is fraud or public corruption, that’s a breach of the public trust that is corrosive to our democracy.”
Chrabot said the FBI relies on the public’s help in uncovering public corruption, which often occurs with private-sector accomplices. One reason is the secretive nature of bribes.
“For much of the investigation that the FBI does just in general, we are successful because of the help of the public,” she said. “And that’s true for counter-terrorism investigations, where the public has been so aware and reported suspicious activity. We benefit the same way when a citizen reports what they believe to be suspicious and corrupt activity. We depend on that.”
U.S. Attorney Pamela C. Marsh of the Northern District of Florida said in a written statement that public corruption is the top priority of the office.
“Greed and self-interest have no place in public service, and violations of the law will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted,” Marsh said. “We look forward to joining with federal law enforcement and members of the concerned public in bringing to justice those who seek to line their own pockets at the expense of the public trust.”
FBI probes bribes, kickbacks
James Casey, special agent in charge of the FBI Jacksonville office, said in a written statement that most public officials are honest.
“But we encourage the public to help us hold accountable those who use their positions for their own enrichment and those contractors who misuse the taxpayers’ money,” Casey said.
Chrabot said some public officials who are motivated by power and greed accept or solicit bribes or receive kickbacks in exchange for official action or inaction.
“We call it quid pro quo — there’s something of value for something of value,” she said. “Historically, kickbacks have been as simple as the hand-to-hand exchange of money. The payment of bribes or kickbacks may take a very sophisticated track through companies, individuals and bank accounts or all three.”
She said the FBI is paying particular attention to fraud involving the $787- billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The FBI said Florida is expected to receive nearly $20 billion in federal stimulus money and that contracts totaling nearly $10 billion have already been awarded.
“It’s a tremendous amount of money,” Chrabot said. “And our responsibility with regard to public corruption and the investigation of public corruption is to ensure that the American public receives what they’re supposed to receive.”
FBI working 3,500 corruption cases
The FBI in Jacksonville oversees offices in 40 Florida counties, from Duval County in the east to Escambia County in the west and Citrus, Sumter and Lake counties in the central part of the state.
Chrabot said more than 50 investigators have been assigned to public corruption in the FBI’s Southeast Region, which encompasses 11 field offices in Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Va.; Norfolk, Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; Columbia, S.C.; Baltimore; Atlanta; Jacksonville; Tampa; Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nationwide, 750 agents are assigned to public-corruption matters.
The FBI is involved in about 400 pending cases in some stage of investigation or prosecution in the Southeast Region and more than 3,500 pending cases nationally. The cases involve public corruption, fraud against the government and anti-trust matters, Chrabot said.
About 450 people have been charged with public-corruption crimes across the country since Oct. 1, 2010, Chrabot said. There have been more than 430 convictions over the same time period.
Chrabot said the FBI has received valuable information through the tip line and the FBI’s website. She said some tips have immediate value in existing cases, while others could have value in future cases.
“Anything we get, we share,” she said. “It’s one big FBI.”
Public corruption ‘unacceptable’
The FBI has a long history of investigating public corruption. Chrabot recalled the FBI’s ABSCAM investigation, which began in the late 1970s and led to the convictions of a senator and six congressmen caught on video accepting bribes. The operation was named after Abdul Enterprises, a fictitious company set up by the FBI to nab criminals involved in public corruption and organized crime.
In the early 1980s, Operation Greylord, named after wigs British judges wear, led to the indictments of more than 90 judges, lawyers and law-enforcement officers in the Chicago area on charges involving bribery, kickbacks, vote buying and fraud. Most of them were convicted.
In a recent public-corruption probe, the former chairman of the Jacksonville Port Authority, Tony Devaughn Nelson, was found guilty May 20 on 36 charges, including bribery and money laundering. Nelson is facing 20 years in prison.
Chrabot said public corruption is not a “victimless crime.”
“Public corruption is so far-reaching because it is a breach of the public trust,” she said. “Citizens should think it unacceptable, and they should report it if they have knowledge of it because it does affect them. The American public deserves honest services from public officials, and they have the right to expect it.”

Ethics Reform Ignored By Florida Lawmakers

For all the major reforms Florida lawmakers took on this year, they failed to enact stronger ethics standards for public officials despite a rash of corruption cases from South Florida to Sarasota.

The inaction is even more glaring in the wake of an unusual statewide grand jury last December that issued 127 pages of recommended changes in state law after declaring that “corruption is pervasive at all levels of government” in Florida.

Florida entered this spring’s legislative session reeling from years of major scandal at the state and local level. More than 800 public officials were convicted in Florida on various charges between 1997 and 2007, making Florida the top state for government corruption, according to the grand jury.

http://4closurefraud.org/2011/05/31/were-1-florida-the-top-state-for-government-corruption/

Investigators Turn Up More Conflict of Interest at Florida AG Bondi’s Office

In New York we see elites attacking the Attorney General for doing his job. In Florida, however, there’s a different dynamic going on.


June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards,



I’ve written about June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards, the two foreclosure fraud investigators at the state Attorney General’s office fired for being too competent in their investigations. This appeared to be a US Attorney-like scandal at the state level, but I wasn’t hopeful that much would come of it. Boy, was I wrong. The news media in Florida picked up on this and wouldn’t let go. Set against a backdrop of a foreclosure crisis, firing the people closest to getting at the corruption and fraud resonated sharply against the Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and her staff. Bondi, after making nods toward defending the decision, then initiated an outside investigation into the firing. And that still wasn’t enough to satiate the press. This is a devastating article from the Orlando Sentinel a couple days ago:



Attorney General Pam Bondi


Eight months after she took office as a first-time elected official, Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing a management crisis replete with allegations of old-fashioned political interference in cases and a revolving door between lawyers and the companies they investigate.
An outside investigator is looking into the circumstances surrounding the May firings of foreclosure fraud investigators June Clarkson and Theresa Edwards. This week, another investigator abruptly resigned after giving the media a 16-page memo noting that two other high-profile lawyers in the attorney general’s office had taken jobs with companies under investigation, and accusing top management of interfering in an investigation of a prominent Tampa car dealership [...]
The latest blast came from Andrew Spark, who resigned from Bondi’s Tampa economic crimes office and said in a 16-page, memo that he was speaking out because the public deserved “fair and honest government, independent of personal connections and powerful interests.”



Bill McCollum

 He complained that two top lawyers, former assistant attorney general Joe Jacquot and former Economic Crimes Division Director Mary Leontakianakos, had both taken jobs with foreclosure companies under state investigation, Jacksonville-based Lender Processing Services and the Law Offices of Marshall C. Watson in Fort Lauderdale. Both had worked for Bondi’s predecessor, Bill McCollum, who lost a primary bid for governor last fall.
Jacquot said Friday he had avoided any involvement in the investigation into LPS months before taking a job with the company, and is legally banned from representing the company before his old office. Leontakianakos, a 25-year veteran of four administrations, was hired this summer by the Watson law firm two months after it reached a $2 million settlement with the AG’s office. She said Friday she cleared the job with the state Ethics Commission and made certain the investigation into the Watson firm was closed before she interviewed for the job.

So not only were Clarkson and Edwards fired for, among other things, pursuing investigations against LPS, but other lawyers at the AGs office were JOINING LPS after they settled with the state.
Some of Bondi’s other troubles concern an adverse judicial ruling that really undercuts her consumer protection responsibilities. And that’s just garden-variety ideology trumping the law. But even in that case, Bondi’s office declined to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, apparently preferring to tie their own hands.
The pressure is on Pam Bondi. I didn’t think that, in this environment, she would go the way of Alberto Gonzales. But with an independent investigation sure to produce more revelations, it’s certainly possible.

UPDATE: The Sentinel article made it sound like Bondi’s office settled with LPS, but their only settlement as it relates to foreclosure fraud was a $2 million deal with the Law Offices of Marshall C. Watson, a foreclosure mill law firm.

By: David Dayen Monday August 15, 2011 6:55 am

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/08/15/investigators-turn-up-more-conflict-of-interest-at-florida-ag-bondis-office/

The Florida Way, Corruption

May 8, 2011

When people think about political corruption they think of places like Chicago and New York but the number one state for corruption in America is Florida.  Florida has had more public officials found guilty of corruption than any other state in the last decade, a staggering 824 politicians. These are just the ones who got caught.
But the savvy politician does not have to break the law. They can simply set up a consulting company and circumvent every campaign law. It has become the Florida Way.


State Senator Mike Fasano



Consulting fees are nothing more than buying access to elected officials and obtaining political favors. Why do lawyers, engineers, and doctors give up their careers to make $30,000 a year as a legislator in Tallahassee? We hope this is a public service but for many they make more money as politicians than in the private sector.





Florida

 Let’s say you are a certain transportation company seeking legislation that will help your bottom line. Campaign laws limit the amount of money you can give to a political campaign, but in Florida you can hire elected officials as “consultants” and pay them whatever you want. There are numerous examples of powerful elected officials being paid tens of thousands of dollars in consulting fees or to perform marketing studies despite the fact they never performed those services before they held elected office.



The average taxpayer does not have a fighting chance when powerful special interests throw millions of dollars at elected officials. If an elected official has a choice between feeding their family or serving the taxpayer they will chose their family every time.
State Senator Mike Fasano proposed an ethics reform bill this year. The problem is Fasano accepted a job with a powerful company just weeks after approving Sun Rail that helped his new employer. Ethics reform should prevent elected officials from taking consulting fees or jobs from companies that do business with the State of Florida.

We currently have elected officials employed in “government affairs” with companies who benefit from their work. If an elected official has a job with a company that does business with the State of Florida, that representative should be barred from voting on legislation that affects their company. These public servants are not serving the public at all. They put themselves in a position of power to help their employers.
Corruption is no longer cash in a brown paper bag. The corruption now comes in the form of consulting fees and jobs that influence public policy to the benefit of special interests. Florida desperately needs a major ethics reform law that bars elected officials from putting the interests of special interests above the citizens of Florida.

http://www.floridapoliticalpress.com/2011/05/08/the-florida-way-corruption/