Gov. Rick Scott: Obama Using 'Soprano' Tactics to Punish Florida

Florida Gov. Rick Scott tells Newsmax TV that the tactics used by the Obama administration to punish Florida for not expanding Medicaid are similar to what one would see on "The Sopranos," and are the reason for the lawsuit he is filing against the White House.

The decision by the Obama administration to withhold federal funding for hospital visits for low-income Florida residents is "outrageous," and in fact means that "they're not worried about poor," Scott told J.D. Hayworth on "America's Forum" on Friday.

The Republican governor is filing a lawsuit against the administration for withholding $1 billion from the Sunshine State, money that is supposed to go into a low-income pool to help pay for hospital visits.

"We have an existing program that was started by the federal government in 2006," Scott said. "They are saying they're going to walk away from that program, step one, unless we expand Obamacare."

The administration's position, the Florida governor says, is "a complete violation of what [Chief] Justice [John] Roberts said in '[National Federation of Independent Business] vs. Sebelius' — he said that the federal government, particular the Obama administration, cannot use holding tactics to coerce the start to expand Obamacare.

"And that's exactly what they're doing," Scott said.

"If you look at what he's doing here, it sure looks like he's going to use all of his bullying tactics," he said. "This is like 'The Sopranos' — we don't have a choice."

The Florida Republican contends that "our state has the right to make our own decisions."

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