A Rick Scott Story – How Political Giving And Getting Is Done

Big money flows both ways between Gov. Rick Scott and entrepreneurial radiation oncologist Dr. Daniel Dosoretz.

Back in January 2012, Scott was an investor in the private equity firm that owned 21^st Century Oncology, the high-flying cancer-care company Dosoretz founded and ran until shortly before it crash-landed last year in federal bankruptcy court after paying millions to settle allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud. (21^st Century emerged from bankruptcy protection in February 2018 with a new leadership team.)

Also in January 2012, Scott appointees on the board of taxpayer-supported Broward Health voted to award Fort Myers-based 21^st Century an unprecedented, 25-year no-bid contract to supply millions of dollars in radiation oncology services to the hospital district’s patients.

It wasn’t long before 21^st Century began contributing big to Scott’s re-election campaign. Between May 2012 and January 2014, 21^st Century contributed more than $360,000 to the governor’s Let’s Get to Work Political Action Committee. A few months later, Gov. Scott held a press conference at 21st Century’s headquarters. After Scott won re-election, 21^st Century gave an additional $30,000 to Scott’s PAC, for a total of $390,000, state records show.