By Marcy Gordon
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Saying he was denied "a fair hearing" by Congress, ousted HealthSouth chief Richard Scrushy invoked his constitutional privilege Thursday and refused to answer House members' questions in their investigation of the $2.5 billion accounting scandal engulfing the major medical services company.
Susan Jones-Smith, a former HealthSouth senior vice president for finance, also invoked the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and was excused from the hearing.
In testimony, several current and former HealthSouth officials who followed Scrushy's appearance countered his assertion that he was unaware of manipulation of the company's accounts to meet earnings forecasts.
Scrushy and the company have been charged with fraud in a civil lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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