Read
below to learn how one elected official reportedly accepted gifts from
Coastal developers. The same elected official also quietly met with
Sutter Health executives, claiming to have been appointed by her fellow
County Supervisors, as Sutter was trying to increase prices and cut beds
at our region's only hospital.
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Introduction: L.A. Times article by Steve Lopez
Warning: The following LA Times article contains quotes from Supervisor Martha McClure containing extremely offensive language:
Click here to read the LA Times article or copy and paste the following into your browser search bar:
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McClure's Connection to Sutter Health
According to the L.A Times article, the
money trail between California Coastal Commissioners and coastal land
developers includes our own Supervisor Martha McClure, an appointee to
the Coastal Commission who is currently seeking her sixth term as County
Supervisor. When asked about possible financial conflicts of interest
with coastal developers, McClure hurled a string of obscenities at the
L.A. Times reporter.
Why am I writing this? Because McClure
reacted similarly when Dr. Caldwell and I asked about her relationship
with Sutter Health executives as they attempted to cut hospital beds and
raise prices at our region's only hospital.
Here is the background:
When I was on the Board of Directors of
Sutter Coast Hospital, I discovered that Supervisor McClure had quietly
started working with Sutter Health executives. McClure claimed she was
working with the Sutter "selection committee" under an official
appointment by the County Board of Supervisors. The committee was
charged with selecting the consultant for the 2013 Sutter Coast Hospital
study.
The problem with McClure's story is that
there is no record of her having been appointed by the Board of
Supervisors to work with Sutter. Her appointment is not on any meeting
Agenda, nor is it in any meeting minutes. Three Supervisors could not
remember Martha's supposed appointment.
When Dr. Caldwell and I asked Supervisor
McClure about her claim to have been appointed to work with Sutter, she
responded angrily, including a voicemail asking how I could question her
authority, and an unprintable phrase she directed specifically at Dr.
Caldwell.
Just as in her L.A. Times interview, when
confronted with evidence of apparent misconduct, McClure responded with
four letter words and false accusations. Her outburst aside, McClure
produced no evidence to support her claim to have been appointed to
work with Sutter by the Board of Supervisors. Unable to back up her
claim, she resigned from the Sutter selection committee. (She
resurfaced shortly thereafter, as a member of the Sutter/Camden
committee, but this time serving "as an individual.")
According to the Triplicate, and
substantiated by internal hospital records, the Sutter/Camden committee
members, which included McClure, all voted for Critical Access
designation at Sutter Coast. Recall that Critical Access would have cut
our acute care beds by 50% and tripled charges to Medicare patients.
Thankfully, widespread public opposition forced Sutter earlier this year
to rescind its Critical Access application.
I understand these facts may come as a
surprise. I, along with longtime Democrat Drs. Kevin Caldwell, Donna
Sund, and Mark Davis, supported Martha McClure for many years. But
knowing of her false claims, support for Critical Access, and pattern of
inappropriate behavior, we can no longer support Martha McClure. We
endorse Lori Cowan for District 2 Supervisor.
The
pattern with McClure is clear: when asked about apparent official
misconduct, McClure uses emotional outbursts to divert attention from
issues such as coastal development, possible influence peddling, and
people's healthcare.
As always, I appreciate receiving your
questions and comments. As a local resident and business owner, it
would have been easier to stay silent. But this story--a multi-billion
dollar corporation and an elected official misleading the public while
working to cut vital healthcare services and raise charges on our senior
citizens-must be heard.
To hear a last week's comprehensive radio interview on our
community struggle with Sutter Health, tune into KFUG radio with host
Paul Critz at:
or copy and paste the following link into your browser:
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"-- The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such an amazing and informative post. Really enjoyed reading it. :)
Thank you
Apu
Health Plan Administration