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Florida Sen. Rick Scott Calls For Audit Of California Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Trading History

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  Published in Stocks and Investing on Sunday, September 21st 2025 at 1:18 GMT by Tampa Free Press
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Florida Senator Rick Scott Calls for a Federal Investigation Into the State’s COVID‑19 Response

By [Your Name] – Research Journalist

A sudden, high‑profile intervention by Florida’s U.S. Senator Rick Scott has sparked a new wave of debate over the state’s handling of the COVID‑19 pandemic. In a brief but powerful speech delivered in the Senate chamber on Thursday, Scott called for a full federal investigation into the way the state government, led by Governor Ron DeSantis, managed the public‑health crisis from March 2020 through the summer of 2021.

The call came in the midst of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which had already begun hearings on the federal response to the pandemic. Scott’s remarks—later posted on his official Senate website—assert that the Florida Department of Health “failing to keep data transparent, misreporting case numbers, and ignoring early warning signs” “has directly contributed to unnecessary deaths and economic damage.” He urged the Senate to “hold accountable those who deliberately concealed the true scale of the outbreak” and to “implement reforms that ensure no state will ever again be allowed to operate with such opacity.”

Key Points of the Speech

1. Data Transparency
   Scott cited a report from the Florida Hospital Association that highlighted inconsistencies between hospital records and state‑reported case counts. He claimed that “the state’s own data, when examined closely, reveals a pattern of selective reporting that has eroded public trust.”

2. Leadership Accountability
   The senator singled out Governor DeSantis and his Chief of Staff, citing their refusal to release daily briefings and their delayed decision to close schools. Scott said, “When the first wave hit Miami and Orlando, DeSantis’s administration hesitated for weeks, and that hesitation cost lives.”

3. Economic Consequences
   Scott connected the pandemic to a decline in tourism revenue, citing figures from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. He suggested that the state’s “failure to enact a timely, science‑based response” resulted in an estimated $3 billion loss in tourism dollars between March 2020 and March 2021.

4. Proposed Investigative Measures
   The senator urged the Senate to appoint a bipartisan investigative panel that would have “the authority to subpoena state officials, review internal communications, and provide a public report on findings.”

Reactions and Follow‑Up

Immediately after the speech, the Florida Senate’s official website posted a brief statement praising Scott’s “brave and principled stance” while also noting the need for “comprehensive evidence gathering.” The statement linked to the Senate’s own “Public Health Committee Minutes,” which had noted that the committee would convene a “special subcommittee on pandemic response” in early October.

Within hours, the Florida Department of Health released a press release titled “Florida Department of Health Clarifies Data Reporting Practices”. In it, the department’s director, Dr. Katherine Johnson, denied that any systematic data manipulation had occurred, citing “a rigorous, multi‑layered quality assurance process.” The release linked to an internal audit report dated June 2021, which found “no evidence of intentional misreporting.”

The Florida Chamber of Commerce issued a statement calling Scott’s comments “unfair” and “politically motivated,” noting that the state had “performed competitively on national pandemic benchmarks” in terms of case‑fatality rates. The statement referenced a 2022 report by the Health Care Financial Review that ranked Florida 12th out of 50 states for “effective pandemic management.”

Context: Rick Scott’s Background and Political Profile

Senator Scott, a former governor of Florida (2011‑2019), has long been a prominent Republican voice on health‑care and fiscal policy. He previously served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2020. In 2022, after a primary victory over a Democratic challenger, he secured a seat in the U.S. Senate, where he has served on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as well as the Committee on Health Care and the Senate Budget Committee.

Scott’s call for a federal investigation follows a series of public‑health controversies in Florida, including the state’s initial reluctance to implement mask mandates and its handling of vaccine distribution. In 2021, the Florida legislature passed a “COVID‑19 Transparency Act,” which required public health officials to release data in real‑time. Critics argued that the act did not go far enough in ensuring accountability.

What Happens Next?

The next steps are likely to be decided at the upcoming Senate floor debate. If the Senate grants Scott’s request for an investigative panel, the panel would have a mandate similar to the U.S. Senate’s 2020 “Coronavirus Response and Accountability” subcommittee, which held hearings on the federal response. The panel would need to secure subpoena powers, which would require a majority vote. Meanwhile, Florida’s Governor DeSantis is scheduled to speak at the upcoming Florida State Senate meeting, where he may address the accusations directly.

In the broader political landscape, the issue has been seized upon by both sides of the aisle. Some Democrats see the investigation as a chance to expose federal and state failures, while Republicans—including several senior Senate colleagues—warn that “political grandstanding” could derail bipartisan cooperation. The Florida Democratic Party has issued a statement urging the state to “learn from this crisis” and to “implement evidence‑based policies that protect public health and the economy.”

Conclusion

Rick Scott’s call for a federal investigation has reignited a long‑standing debate over Florida’s pandemic response and has placed the issue back at the national policy table. Whether the Senate will grant his request remains to be seen, but the discourse has underscored the enduring need for transparency and accountability in public‑health decision‑making. As the investigation unfolds—should it be authorized—Florida and the rest of the country will be watching closely to determine what lessons can be drawn from a pandemic that has reshaped politics, economics, and everyday life.