....when the governor is a crook?

Top aide to Florida governor resigns amid scrutiny

2:28pm EDT
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Reuters) - A top aide to Florida Governor Rick
Scott has resigned after a recent flurry of media reports focused on his
alleged steering of state government contracts to longtime acquaintances
or friends.
Steve MacNamara, Scott's chief of staff and a seasoned Tallahassee
insider, sent a letter of resignation to the governor on Saturday.
"It has been a pleasure and honor serving you," he said. "But the recent
media attention I have been receiving has begun to interfere with the
day-to-day operations of this office."
MacNamara, 59, did not elaborate on that media attention, saying only
that he was stepping down six months earlier than planned.
The outgoing chief of staff had drawn public scrutiny for alleged deal
making and influence peddling under Scott, including his purported
steering of at least two no-bid contracts to acquaintances or partners
of close friends.
MacNamara has denied any wrongdoing in his work under Scott.
Scott, a Republican and former healthcare executive, accepted
MacNamara's resignation. Scott thanked MacNamara in a statement for his
service since he took the job 10 months ago.
"I believe Steve has had a tremendous impact," said Scott, whose
supporters include the conservative Tea Party movement.
"I respect his efforts and ideas. I have a great deal of confidence in
his ability to assist me and my staff through the upcoming weeks as we
transition to a new chief of staff," Scott said.
(Reporting by Michael Peltier; Editing by Tom Brown)


On March 19, 1997, investigators from the FBI, the Internal Revenue
Service and the Department of Health and Human Services served search
warrants at Columbia/HCA facilities in El Paso and on dozens of doctors
with suspected ties to the company.[21] The Columbia/HCA board of
directors pressured Scott to resign as Chairman and CEO following the
inquiry.[22] He was paid $9.88 million in a settlement. He also left
owning 10 million shares of stock worth over $350 million.[23][24][25]
In 1999, Columbia/HCA changed its name back to HCA, Inc.
In settlements reached in 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA pled guilty to 14
felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in the largest fraud
settlement in US history. Columbia/HCA admitted systematically
overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable,
by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false
data about use of hospital space. They also admitted fraudulently
billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness
of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as
a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. They filed false
cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care
workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to
doctors to refer patients. In addition, they gave doctors "loans" never
intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs
from hospital pharmacies.[4][5][6][7][8]
In late 2002, HCA agreed to pay the U.S. government $631 million, plus
interest, and pay $17.5 million to state Medicaid agencies, in addition
to $250 million paid up to that point to resolve outstanding Medicare
expense claims.[26] In all, civil law suits cost HCA more than $2
billion to settle, by far the largest fraud settlement in US history.[27]