releases: https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2221
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://crist.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2221 | Crist to State and Feds: Investigate Freedom Square | 2020-12-09 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | FL | Charlie Crist | C001111 | crist.house.gov | legacy | St. Petersburg, FL U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-FL) sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, following investigative reporting from theTampa Bay Timesentitled Death at Freedom Square, detailing the negligent, abusive mismanagement that resulted in the retirement complex becoming the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Tampa Bay area, resulting in the deaths of over 30 residents and staff. This is the third time in six months that Crist has called for action and transparency from the State, previously ringing the alarm about theunsafe conditions being reported out of long-term care facilitiesandcalling for more PPE to protect staff and residentsfrom the spread of this virus. In his letter, Congressman Crist calls on Governor DeSantis and Secretary Azar to get to the bottom of the deadly abuses brought to light by theTimes'reporting, andto prosecute those responsible. Crist is also calling on DeSantis and Azar to investigate the State's inadequate regulation and oversight of long-term care facilities that led to the senseless and preventable deaths of so many Floridians. The mismanagement and negligence uncovered by the Tampa Bay Time's reporting is quite frankly unforgivable,said Rep. Crist. Freedom Square was entrusted with caring for our most vulnerable. Reckless failure to take even the most basic precautions to protect residents and staff from the global pandemic aided and abetted the virus as it exacted one of the most ghastly death tolls in the state. The families of those who have lost loved ones deserve nothing less than a full accounting of what went wrong and full accountability for those responsible,continued Crist. Going forward we must also raise our expectations for long-term care facilities in our state. This issue will not be solved overnight, and I will carry the fight for higher standards and increased oversight for long-term care facilities into the new Biden Administration under HHS Secretary-Designate Xavier Becerra. A pdf of the letter can be foundhere, with text appearing below. December 9, 2020 The Honorable Ron DeSantis, Governor State of Florida The Capitol 400 S. Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Dear Governor DeSantis, I trust you share my outrage over article that appears in the December 6, 2020 print edition ofTampa Bay Timesentitled Death at Freedom Square that details how horrific mismanagement contributed to sickness and death of residents and staff at a retirement complex in Seminole, Florida in my district. The article details outrageous abuses that must be investigated and prosecuted if confirmed to be true. Additionally, I request that you consider ordering a separate investigation into the clearly inadequate regulation and oversight of Florida's long-term care facilities that once again led to the senseless and I would argue preventable deaths of Floridians who live or recover in our long-term care facilities. To wit, this shocking investigative journalism follows two letters I sent to state leaders over the summer attempting to ring the alarm about unsafe conditions and inadequate regulation. In a June 8thletter to you, I requested a detailed COVID-19 testing plan for long-term care facilities and even cited Freedom Square's unacceptably high death toll. In an August 12thletter to Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, I led nine other members of Florida's Congressional Delegation flagging insufficient personal protective equipment for long-term care facility staff that was putting them and the residents under their care at risk. I deeply regret that these warnings appeared to have gone unheeded. Dr. Deborah Birx, Coronavirus Response Coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, recently called the looming winter surge, the worst event that this country will face. With pandemic warning lights flashing red, we must be prepared to protect the most vulnerable namely, residents of Florida's long-term care facilities. I stand ready to support your efforts to take the following actions: Launch a full-scale investigation of the tragedy at Freedom Square, Prosecute any wrongdoing that led to sickness and death of residents and staff at Freedom Square, and Take an honest look at why Florida cannot seem to get long-term care regulation and oversight right. This is too important to ignore. Sincerely, Charlie Crist UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |