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Crist Reminds Voters Of Fraud At Scott's Hospital Chain

TALLAHASEE (CBSMiami/AP) - Democratic candidate Charlie Crist has resorted to an old tactic in an effort to beat Gov. Rick Scott.

The Republican-turned-Democrat and former governor is reminding voters that Scott ran a hospital chain that paid $1.7 billion in fines for Medicaid and Medicare fraud.

Crist tried the same strategy four years ago when Scott first won office, but his campaign won't let the issue go away.

On Monday, the campaign brought John Schilling, one of the original whistleblowers who exposed Columbia/HCA's fraud, to talk to reporters.

Schilling was an accountant for Columbia/HCA who went undercover for the FBI as part of the investigation into the hospital chain. He told reporters he has no doubt that Scott led a criminal enterprise that ripped off the government.

Scott's campaign didn't immediately respond to Schilling's statements.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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