If Rick Scott's corporation pled guilty to 14 felonies, how could Scott still run for public office?

[alp227]

On March 19, 1997, investigators from the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services served search warrants at Columbia/HCA facilities in El Paso and on dozens of doctors with suspected ties to the company.[21] The Columbia/HCA board of directors pressured Scott to resign as Chairman and CEO following the inquiry.[22] He was paid $9.88 million in a settlement. He also left owning 10 million shares of stock worth over $350 million.[23][24][25] In 1999, Columbia/HCA changed its name back to HCA, Inc.

In settlements reached in 2000 and 2002, Columbia/HCA pled guilty to 14 felonies and agreed to a $600+ million fine in the largest fraud settlement in US history.

(Wikipedia article about Rick Scott)

The Miami Herald reported in June 2010:

...federal investigators found that Scott took part in business practices at Columbia/HCA that were later found to be illegal -- specifically, that Scott and other executives offered financial incentives to doctors in exchange for patient referrals, in violation of federal law, according to lawsuits the Justice Department filed against the company in 2001.

The same month, WUSF reported: "Whistleblowers Say Rick Scott Knew About Medicare Fraud".

Geez. In Florida, being a convicted felon means losing the right to run for public office. Yet how could Scott, the head of a corporation that pled guilty to felonies, escape any personal legal liability?

[PoliticAverse]

1. He was too big to jail ? n/t

[Live and Learn]

2. That is the whole point of a corporation; to protect the individual.

Oh, wait, a corporation is an individual. Now i am confused!

[DrDan]

3. more importantly, how could he win

but . . . sadly, he did.

[fasttense]

4. He won because....

It's not who votes that counts, but who counts the votes.

Besides, if he hadn't won, the Supreme Court would have appointed him just like they did the bushes.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. Many reason

1. It was a bad year for Democratic candidates nationwide.

2. African-American voter turnout in FL was lower due to many prominent Democrats abandoning Kendrick Meek in favor of Charlie Crist.

3. Alex Sink was a lackluster candidate who had difficulty connecting to voters.

[Loge23]

8. 4. Scott spent his ill-gotten gains

Scott outspent Alex Sink by a wide margin - I think it was 8 to 1 - and still "won" by less than 2%.

[TahitiNut]

5. It's Florida.

[hay rick]

6. He could always run as a Republican...

Looting and pillaging is in the job description.