Business owner who complained to Scott about 'Obamacare' says he was misinformed

In what has become one of his go-to anecdotes in criticizing the health care law, Gov. Rick Scott tells the story of a small business owner was afraid the law would put him out of business. Scott shared this anecdote with Fox News, in a speech in downtown Tampa, and even to a gathering of Pasco County Republicans. In Pasco, Scott said he was stopping in for a Blizzard at Dairy Queen when he spoke to the restaurant owner.

Today, the Times/Herald caught up with Jamshaid "Dean" Mohyuddin, who owns the Dairy Queen on Tallahassee's North Monroe Street. He confirmed that the governor did come into his fast food restaurant recently and that he complained to Scott about the insurance requirements under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (Pictured, left to right, are employees Maria Paz, Stanya Thompson, Mohyuddin and his son Humzah Mohyuddin.)

Mohyuddin had heard about the Affordable Care Act and its requirements that businesses provide health insurance to their workers, and it worried him. He told the governor that he can't afford to shoulder such costs. "What will this mean?" he remembers asking Scott.

"I'm a businessman myself, and I and I don’t even have health insurance," Mohyuddin said. "I can’t afford it.”

Scott encouraged him to link up with other business owners to support Mitt Romney's campaign for president, Mohyuddin remembers.

But what he didn't know at the time was that this provision of Obamacare doesn't affect him because he has fewer than 50 employees. He didn't know that he was exempt from providing insurance or paying related fines until he spoke to the Times/Herald.

Overbooked? Marco Rubio skips Lincoln Day dinner

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. was listed as an "honored guest" at Saturday night's Lincoln Day fundraiser for the Miami-Dade Republican Party. Nearly 600 people attended the $150-a-person fundraiser, now in its 64th year.

Problem was, Rubio wasn't there, and had plans to be elsewhere. He was a few miles away at Books and Books in Coral Gables, signing copies of his new memoir "An American Son." It was the first leg of a book tour that will take him throughout Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

His absence irritated one local Republican, Jack Thompson of Coral Gables.

"I don't understand why Marco Rubio would use his name to get people to come, and then not show up," Thompson said. "Is Marco about Marco? Or is Marco about the Republican Party. What's going on here?"

Rubio appeared in a video message. Rep. Allen West, who's running in a Palm Beach County-based congressional district, was the main speaker. The event also drew Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

"It was an extremely successful event and nearly 600 enthusiastic Republicans were in attendance," said Ben Powell, the party chairman. "Senator Rubio was unable to attend the event but it is not unusual for someone of Senator Rubio’s stature to have scheduling conflicts and Miami-Dade Republicans certainly understand that."  

Rubio was the keynote speaker last year, Powell said, and their attendees "were more than pleased with his video address to the gathering" this year.

Rubio's office said the senator had long been committed to book tour events, which were planned to coincide with the Fourth of July congressional recess.

Judge tosses 'birther' lawsuit; Obama will remain on Florida ballot

The Associated Press is reporting that Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis tossed out a lawsuit filed by a South Florida man who wanted President Barack Obama blocked from appearing on the ballot in Florida. Attorneys for Michael Voeltz, a so-called "birther," had argued that Obama wasn't a naturalized citizen.

In his ruling, Lewis' agreed with defense lawyers representing both Obama and Florida's Secretary of State who argued that Obama wasn't yet the Democratic nominee.

From the Associated Press:

Florida gets $56 million in GlaxoSmithKline Medicaid fraud settlement

In what is being called the largest healthcare fraud settlement in the nation's history, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to pay $3 billion for its transgressions. Florida's share is $56.7 million.

According to a news release from Attorney General Pam Bondi's office, GlaxoSmithKline is accused of unlawfully marketing drugs for uses that were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, misleading the public about the safety and effectiveness of certain drugs, offering kickbacks to medical professionals, and stiffing government programs, including Medicaid, on rebates owed.

“My office has worked with others to reach the largest healthcare fraud settlement in United States history," Bondi said in the news release. "I am proud to say that this agreement makes Florida whole for the deceptive practices that misled consumers and defrauded the Medicaid program out of money.”

Heavily marketed drugs like Paxil, Avandia, Advair and Valtrex are named in the settlement. For example, the anit-depression pill Paxil was promoted for off-label uses by children and adolescents. As part of the settlement, GlaxoSmithKline also plead guilty to criminal charges.

Here is how Florida's $56.7 million portion of the settlement will be allocated:

-$31.8 million to the federal government;
-$11.3 million to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration;
-$10 million to the state's general fund;
-$1.1 million to the Attorney General Office's;
-$2.4 million will be paid to whistleblowers who were instrumental in the investigation.

Read Bondi's full news release here.

'Pink Slip Rick' group goes after Rubio memoir

An interesting UPS delivery to the Times/Herald this morning.

A hard copy of Sen. Marco Rubio's newly released memoir, "An American Son," wrapped in a pink book jacket. The front of the jacket is plastered with Rubio's picture, above the word "TRAITOR."

The attack jacket, which comes as Rubio tours Florida to promote his new book, contains an unflattering picture of a wild-haired pasty-faced Rubio. In English and in Spanish, Rubio is portrayed as a traitor to Hispanics, the middle class, women and seniors.