Rick Scott Took 5th Amendment 75 Times

Florida GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott is not a happy camper this weekend.

A court deposition given by Scott in a civil case relating to Columbia/HCA, a company he founded and once ran as CEO, has surfaced.

The Orlando Sentinel details the latest developments:

"The lawsuit was Nevada Communications Corp. vs. Columbia/HCA Healthcare. The venue was Manatee County Circuit Court. The year was 2000.

"And an otherwise less-than-enthralling, 33-page deposition in that case of former Columbia CEO Rick Scott is now surfacing in Florida’s hotly contested Republican gubernatorial primary with less than four days before Scott squares off against Attorney General Bill McCollum.

"Scott has taken flak for two weeks from McCollum supporters for not releasing a deposition he gave six days before getting in the governor’s race, in a lawsuit against a current health-care company he founded called Solantic. But Scott did apparently get put under oath before about his past company’s behaviour."

In the 2000 deposition obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, when Scott is asked whether he is employed, his lawyer, Steven Steinbach, interjects to state that 'unfortunately because of the pendency of a number of criminal investigations relating to Columbia around the country, he’s going to follow my advice, out of prudence, assert his constitutional privilege against giving testimony against himself. … that privilege is not an indication of any guilt.'

Scott was asked numerous pointed questions under oath if he was aware of Columbia's criminal activities. After an FBI probe, the company pled guilty to defrauding Medicare and paid a $1.7 billion fine, the largest in history.

According to press reports Scott took the Fifth Amendment 75 times in this 2000 deposition.

Scott has yet to release a deposition he gave this year relating to another company he currently owns, Solantic, that has come under fire from former employees who have alleged the company engaged in misconduct.