Rick Scott Drug-Testing Victory Lap

Gov. Rick Scott is excited that people who receive unemployment compensation will have to submit to a drug test. How excited? Scott decided to share the news on his official web site.

Today, I signed HB 353, keeping my promise to require drug screening for welfare recipients.

The bill is designed to increase personal accountability and prevent Florida’s tax dollars from subsidizing drug addiction, while still providing for needy children. Parents failing the required drug test may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of the children.

While there are certainly legitimate needs for public assistance, it is unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction. This new law will encourage personal accountability and will help to prevent the misuse of tax dollars.

In Rick Scott's world, unemployment compensation is a stimulus program for drug dealers. Perhaps Scott is projecting his racist views on the unemployed. David Yarian was a former employee of Scott's Solantic health care chain. Yarian told Salon.com that Scott practiced discrimination in his hiring practices.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, Yarian says that Scott phoned him and stated that he should be careful not to hire anyone of Middle Eastern descent because they might scare off customers. At the time, Yarian was willing to excuse the directive as part of the collective shock the country was going through.

In November, though, Yarian interviewed a Hispanic man for a supervisory nurse position. "He was great. He had all the qualities and experience I was after," Yarian says. "But he had a slight accent. When Rick found out, he said, 'Nope. All our employees have to be mainstream.'"

Blogger Joy-Ann Reid expresses doubt that Scott sold his Solantic stock. Many progressives (myself included) feared that Scott would financially benefit from Solantic drug-testing public employees and the unemployed. The media reported that Scott sold his shares to Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe. Solantic is listed as part of Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe's portfolio. However, WCA&S have invested in Solantic since 2007. The question is does the S.E.C. have a record of the shares sell?

Why Solantic Should Not Handle State Drug Tests

Fun fact number one: Rick Scott is the co-founder and owner of Solantic; a chain of health care clinics in Florida.

Fun fact number 2: Solantic provides drug testing.

Fun fact number 3: Scott signed an executive order to have state employees randomly be drug tested. Scott also supports legislation that makes it mandatory for welfare recipients to be drug tested.

"Floridians deserve to know that those in public service, whose salary are paid with taypayer dollars, are part of a drug-free workplace," Scott said. "Just as it is appropriate to screen those seeking taypayer assistance, it is also appropiate to screen government employees."

Joy-Ann Reid pointed out that state workers could provide Solantic with 170,000 more people to drug test yearly. That adds up to a handsome profit. It is troubling that Scott transferred his Solantic stocks to his wife. The proper way of handling ownership of Solantic was to have a blind trusthandle Scott's stocks. Scott's wife can not be seriously considered a neutral third party.

Several former employees of Solantic accused Scott of discrimantion, in hiring practices.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, Yarian says Scott phoned him and stated that he should be careful not to hire anyone of Middle Eastern descent because they might scare off customers. At the time, Yarian was willing to exercise the directive as part of the collective shock the country was going through.

Scott was also against the hiring of overweight or Hispanic health care workers. Scott wanted employees he deemed "mainstream." Yarian was fired after complaining about Scott's hiring directive to Karen Bowling. Yarian was later fired. Yarian won an $80,000 out-of-court settlement against Solantic.

Bowling admitted in a deposition that Yarian complained to her about Scott's discriminating hiring policy, in a deposition.

"He did express concerns that we -- that he didn't believe in the hiring practices, and how do you interpret what's presentable," she said. "And alluded to overweight people."

Other employees have won lawsuits against Solantic. Solantic was caught illegally using the medical licenses of two doctors. Solantic was forced to legally settle with Dr. P. Mark Glencross.

Dr. Randy Prokes accused Solantic of defrauding Medicare. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stepped in to investigate. It is unclear how the investigation has progressed.

Floridians should ask themselves do they trust their governor on health care issues. Speaking for myself, I am more willing to invest faith in a snake than our governor.