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Republican presidential contender Ben Carson has maintained a business relationship with a close friend convicted of defrauding insurance companies and testified on his behalf, even as the candidate has called for such crimes to be punished harshly. Pittsburgh dentist Alfonso A. Costa pleaded guilty to a felony count of health care fraud after an FBI probe into his oral surgery practice found he had charged for procedures he never performed, according to court records.
Though the crime carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, Costa was able to avoid prison time after Carson helped petition a federal judge for leniency.
That's different from the position Carson took in 2013 as he prepared to launch his presidential campaign, saying those convicted of health care fraud should go to prison for at least a decade and be forced to forfeit "all of one's personal possessions."
At Costa's 2008 sentencing hearing, Carson described the dentist as "one my closest, if not my very closest friend."
"We became friends about a decade ago because we discovered that we were so much alike and shared the same values and principles that govern our lives," Carson told the judge, adding that their families vacationed together and that they were involved in "joint projects."
"Next to my wife of 32 years, there is no one on this planet that I trust more than Al Costa," Carson said.
Costa has served on the board of Carson's charity, the Carson Scholars Fund, and continues to lead the charity's fundraising efforts in the Pittsburgh area to provide $1,000 college scholarships to children in need.
Carson's appeal for leniency toward Costa contradicts the draconian criminal penalties he called for in his 2013 political treatise, "America the Beautiful." In his book, Carson wrote that anyone found guilty of health care fraud should face what he called the "Saudi Arabian Solution."
"Why don't people steal very often in Saudi Arabia?" Carson asked. "Obviously because the punishment is the amputation of one or more fingers. I would not advocate chopping off people's limbs, but there would be some very stiff penalties for this kind of fraud, such as loss of one's medical license for life, no less than 10 years in prison, and loss of all of one's personal possessions."
Despite the tough-on-crime message, Carson and his wife kept their investment with Costa in the years since his conviction.
This is just what I would expect of someone like Carson, the little people must be punished but he and his cronies should be afford special treatment. I dont really care if he got an offer to West Point or not, but being a decidedly disingenuous huckster makes him ineligible for public office of any kind.
Then stop whining about Obamas shortcomings and sketchy friends if you're just going to condone the behavior in your GOP heros. Is that the GOP platform?
Then stop whining about Obamas shortcomings and sketchy friends if you're just going to condone the behavior in your GOP heros. Is that the GOP platform?
Obama's been elected twice and I suspect you voted for him both times.
What's good enough for Obama should be good enough for others.
So why are you "concerned" and starting the thread?
Obama's been elected twice and I suspect you voted for him both times.
What's good enough for Obama should be good enough for others.
So why are you "concerned" and starting the thread?
Exactly this. The Democrats usually have no problems with liars and felons. It's false outrage and very desperate.
Then stop whining about Obamas shortcomings and sketchy friends if you're just going to condone the behavior in your GOP heros. Is that the GOP platform?
Obama's buddy actually got people killed and he used violence. It's a very different situation.
This is just what I would expect of someone like Carson, the little people must be punished but he and his cronies should be afford special treatment. I dont really care if he got an offer to West Point or not, but being a decidedly disingenuous huckster makes him ineligible for public office of any kind.
Yeah, if that were the case, Obama would have gone down for his close relationship with Felon and current prison resident Tony Resko!!
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