Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) on Friday sent the center a letter saying he was “troubled” by recent news reports about the hospital’s efforts to steer patients with non-urgent complaints away from the center’ emergency room to local clinics. Michelle Obama was a key figure behind the initiative.
SNIP
The letter also asked the center for details on its payments to PR firms and documentation on how they were selected. In 2006, the center retained ASK Public Strategies to help build support for the Urban Health Initiative. ASK is co-owned by Obama’s chief campaign strategist, David Axelrod.
Without naming a specific company, Grassley also asked for documentation showing how the center selected a contractor to upgrade its internal computer network. A center annual report shows computer contracts went to Blackwell Consulting, a company run by Obama contributor Robert Blackwell Sr.
SNIP
In a prepared statement, Grassley referred to a letter he sent earlier to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and said, “I keep hearing that tax-exempt hospitals are changing their ways…It’s troubling then to hear about two world-renowned hospitals engaging in questionable practices…”
Ok, so….
1. Michelle got a promotion at the hospital she worked and a 250% raise 2 months after Obama became a Senator, and was also named to the board of trustees at Treehouse foods with a big raise too. (here)
2. Obama tried to get the hospital $1,000,000 in Federal Funds not long after that…. (here)
3. Michelle starts a program that keeps low income people from coming to her hospital…
4. She hires Axelrod to help her with the public relations side of such a move
5. Gets Blackwell, who is a campaign contributor, a huge contract to re-do the computer systems at the hospital….
I am not saying there was any wrong doing… at all. This is all above board. But the question is, is it right? Is that change? Is that different than “Washington politics as usual”?
Doesn’t sound like change to me?
And so, on the other hand, I have a guy named McCain and a woman named Palin that are well known for being anti-pork, anti-corruption, anti-fraud, and are even willing to stand strong against their own Party to do what is right….
Ok, wait… so who is the one that represents change?
Filed under: Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin | Tagged: Axelrod, Grassley, Hospital, McCain, Michelle, Obama, palin, washington | Leave a Comment »
