BEVERLY TRAN

Abortion Bills Create Jobs

2012-05-30T12:13:00.000-04:00

Ok, I have a few questions over here.

First, just how are these sex determinations to be made? When a zygote, that is the scientific term for a fertilized egg in its initial stages before it is considered a fetus, the only way to make a so-called sexual determination is through genetic testing in the default stage of the 46 allels. This would mean genetic matter, or to keep it simple, snatching a chunk off the zygote, would have to be harvested and tested to make an arbitrary determination of the sex of the child.

At this early stage of the first trimester, there is no guarantee that the determination would be proper as all zygotes are female as they later mature to take on the phenotypical characteristics of the sexual organs for visual determination.

So let's say we are dealing with a level where a doctor can do an ultrasound and pretty much identify the sex of the, at this stage we shall call fetus. Well, there are categories where a fetus may positively present distinct phenotypes for sex identification but genetically be the opposite.

Yes, there are women who carry the Y chromosome and give birth. Are they a man or a woman?

Then, I have to call out the lunacy of assigning the archaic bodily fluid category of race. I describe race in this manner as it was known as the four humors: phlegm, urine, blood, bile. So the assumption of the so-called race of the child is going to be left to scientific deduction on the race of the mother? There is no legitimate test to determine race in vitro. This is just outlandish.

One reason the abortion clinics are in "minority" neighborhoods is because it is the only place they are accepted. As for "minority" babies being aborted, sometimes it is better than having your child snatched for being poor, to live a life of hell in foster care. A "minority" child is five times more likely to be put in foster care because the term is "Targeted Population" funded through Title XIX.

Title XIX is Medicaid and it creates jobs in the child welfare industry, hence, anti-abortion bills are job creation bills. Absolutely brilliant twist on human trafficking.

Perhaps if the "majority" start re-investing in human capital you will find dissipation in the logic behind having an abortion.

I find it aberrant that these federal policy makers have limited knowledge of basic biology.

How about penalizing lawmakers based on scientific and economic ignorance.

House to Vote on Bill Penalizing Abortion Based on Sex of Child

The House will vote this week on legislation imposing criminal penalties on anyone performing an abortion based on the sex of the child, but the measure runs the risk of failing on the floor because of how the GOP is calling it up.

Republican leaders have scheduled a vote on H.R. 3541, the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), under a suspension of House rules, which will require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. Suspension votes are usually reserved for non-controversial bills, but Republican leaders have occasionally used the process for bills that Democrats oppose, and the PRENDA bill appears to be one of those.

Democratic opposition to the bill began with its original name, the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Non-discrimination Act. Democrats argued in February that while the bill was named after these civil rights heroes, it has nothing to do with protecting civil rights. "It is offensive that the sponsors of this bill would invoke the names of two of our nation's historic civil rights pioneers," House Judiciary Committee ranking member John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said. The original name reflected that the bill also sought to ban abortions based on the race of the child, but took out that language in committee. Republicans agreed to strike that language in the Judiciary committee, and also changed the name of the bill.

Still, the bill was voted out of committee with only Republican support. That partisan vote, and Democrats' ongoing opposition to the bill, could make it difficult for the bill to be approved by a two-thirds vote on the floor. Roughly 50 Democrats would need to join Republicans to pass the bill under suspension of the rules. Democrats point out that the suspension vote violates the Republicans' own rules, which say they will not schedule bills for consideration under a suspension of the rules if they are opposed by more than one-third of committee members. The Judiciary Committee approved the bill 20-13, with all Democrats voting against.

Despite the changes in committee, Democrats argue that the bill looks to erect new hurdles to women's right to abortion. The legislation looks to ensure there are no gender-based abortions by authorizing fines and prison terms of up to five years against doctors who perform these abortions, and requires health professionals to report suspected violations of the law. "This legislation violates a woman's right to privacy as affirmed by the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade," Conyers said after the committee approved the legislation. "The bill would require doctors to police their patients, undermining patient-doctor privilege. It limits a woman's right to choose and jeopardizes her access to safe, legal medical care."

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) said when he introduced the bill that his aim is to ensure equal rights for unborn children. In December, his office put out a statement saying, "A minority baby is currently five times more likely to be aborted than a white baby, and nearly half of all black babies are aborted, with over 70 percent of abortion clinics being located in predominantly minority neighborhoods. "Our innate sense of human fairness should make it abundantly clear that aborting a little baby because he or she happens to be black or because he or she has been arbitrarily deemed 'lesser' is fundamentally wrong," Franks said.

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Shanelle Jackson Out Michigan Congressional Race

2012-05-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

Word on the corner of Woodward and Larned is Congressional Candidate for 13th District of Michigan, Shanelle Jackson was disqualified for insufficient amount of valid signatures. She saved herself the embarrassment of explaining why she had failed on procedural qualifications.

I guess 13 was not her lucky number.

I know alot more about what goes on behind the closed doors of Detroit politics than what you will ever read in the news. You will just have to wait for the book or for my successful election.

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Lucky Fetuses - Baby LK Report For May 27th 2012

2012-05-29T14:07:00.001-04:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protection industry. Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Michigan Ok Police To Take A Child Without Warrant

2012-05-23T17:46:00.003-04:00

Michigan Senate passes Senate Bill 320 to revise child seizure law to establish new procedural safeguards in the law that allows a law enforcement officer to take a child into protective custody without a court order if there is reasonable cause to believe the child is at substantial risk or in surroundings that present an imminent risk of harm.

My only concern is how long before police start to question their directives because you all know CPS will be the ones telling the police what to do. Is there even MCOLES for this?

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Representative Hansen Clarke Launches Investigation Into Michigan Child Welfare

2012-05-23T17:08:00.001-04:00

U.S. Representative Hansen Clarke has launched an investigation into the transgressions of Michigan Child Welfare. His office is returning calls and sending out release forms for investigation.

Even though you may not be a constituent of the Representative, I encourage you to send it in, anyway. Make sure to send copy to your local Congressperson.

Contact Congressman Clarke Detroit,

Phone: (313) 962-7700 Fax: (313) 962-7710

Phone: (202) 225-2261 Fax: (202) 225-5730.

U.S. Representative Hansen Clarke Privacy Release Form For Michigan Child Protective Services Investigation

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Thank you, Hansen. Much love, precious!

Conyers Applauds Renewal of HOPWA grant to Cass Community Social Services

2012-05-23T10:15:00.000-04:00

(DETROIT) – Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) issued the following statement applauding the renewal of a $1,350,000 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) grant to Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant will help CCSS to continue to provide housing for chronically homeless individuals at the Cass House facility, which also provides educational and substance abuse counseling opportunities.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“Cass Community Social Services provides invaluable services and opportunities to the Wayne County community,” said Conyers. “The Cass House, which offers housing, educational support, and substance abuse counseling to individuals with HIV/AIDS, supplies a vital service to homeless individuals with HIV/AIDS. I commend the efforts of the staff of Cass Community Services on their work to improve the lives of the homeless.”

The grant is a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program. Organizations that receive HOPWA grants are encouraged to partner with local non-profit organizations, and develop community-wide strategies. The purpose of the program is to provide housing assistance and related supportive services. Grant funds may be used to cover housing, social services, program planning, and development costs.

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Social Worker Admits She Wrote Bogus Time Sheets for Medicaid Money

2012-05-21T23:24:00.000-04:00

Trust me, it's done in Michigan all the time.

Social Worker Admits She Wrote Bogus Time Sheets for Medicaid Money

Rashmi Gupta pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud.

A Paramus social worker admitted Monday to submitting fraudulent time sheets to her employer, the Youth Success Network in Passaic, for counseling services for troubled young people, Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said.

Rashmi Gupta, 39, pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree Medicaid fraud in Superior Court in Passaic County.

Judge Marilyn Clark scheduled sentencing for June 22. Under the plea agreement, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor will recommend probation for Gupta.

Gupta will also be barred from Medicaid for five years.

In her plea, Gupta admitted that she submitted time sheets for counseling services between July 4 and Dec. 22 2012, services she did not provide "to the extent claimed," Chiesa said. The Youth Success Network claimed $10,177.05 from Medicaid to pay Gupta based on her fraudulent time sheets.

“Abuse of the Medicaid program and insurance fraud by persons who hold professional licenses are disturbing crimes,” said Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi. “Not only do such Medicaid fraud schemes involve theft of tax dollars, they also represent a theft from a program designed to assist persons who can not afford health insurance or health care services.”

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CPS Drugs 4 Year Olds - Baby LK Report For May 20th 2012

2012-05-20T21:07:00.001-04:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protective industry. Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Why Michigan Gives CPS Immunity

2012-05-20T15:03:00.000-04:00

Michigan Court of Appeals recently ruled that CPS agents are immune from liability even though it is substantially documented that they failed in their duties and let this girl meet her death.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with the ruling and this is why.

There is a history of Calista Springer's mother, friends and family fighting for her well-being but in Michigan, it does not work that way.

Mark Bugnaski / Kalamazoo GazetteMembers of Calista Springer's biological mother's family mourned after her funeral Monday in front of the house in downtown Centreville where Calista died in a fire.

Michigan CPS advocated for the father to have custody of Calista years ago despite complaints of her mother.

Anthony Springer was prone to fits of rage and violence, often throwing objects and punching walls and doors, according to a court document filed by his wife in 1999 seeking a personal-protection order. Marsha Springer, then 29, told a St. Joseph County judge in a four-page letter that her husband threatened her at times and often took out his anger on their three young daughters. "Tony never has a kind word to say to the girls and has never told them that he loves them," Marsha wrote in the letter attached to her request for the protection order. "It's just constant yelling to shut up, get out of my way and get out of my sight."

Michigan granted the father consent to adopt his own child. How can a biological father adopt his own child? There were adoption bonuses and subsidies attached to this. The last time I checked this is considered a false claim, defrauding the federal government with the blessings of Michigan.

This is why Michigan ruled in favor of CPS, otherwise it would be admitting to false claims.

The CPS agents are not the ones liable, it is the state as they are only agents who follow the training and supervision of their superiors. It is the administration of the state which generates policies allowing for misfeasance and possible malfeasances in situations such as this. It is the state that will not hold these workers accountable. They may be just transferred like the workers of the Ricky Holland case.

I consider this nothing more than a severe breech of public policy.

The individual who is liable is the Michigan Director of Department of Human Services, The Madame Maura Corrigan. Even though she was not in the position, she inherited all responsibilities of Marianne Udow, the former Director who demonstrated positive presentations in lack of empathy to the posterity of childhood and human existence. Proudly, I state that I am the one who made her resign. (A story for another post).

With that said, the Court ruled properly. CPS agents are not liable and it was remanded for proper amendment of the record.

Rulings like this made me run for State Representative of District 4. Spread the word, I coming to Lansing.

Calista Springer

"Qui tam pro domino rege quam pro se ipso in hac parte sequitur"

Michigan Court of Appeals Opinion Giving CPS Immunity

UPDATE: Judge Michael J. Kelly used to sit on the Board of Advisors for St. Vincent Sarah Fisher Residential Institution I had shut down for similar actions as outlined in this case. He also sat on Board of Directors for Boysville, another hell hole.

The attorneys of this case should file for recusal based upon new evidence presented below and amend he complaint because he has a history of turning a blind eye to what goes on in Michigan's child welfare.

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Conyers Joins Lewis, Hoyer, Clyburn, and Brady in Introducing the Voter Empowerment Act

2012-05-18T22:36:00.000-04:00

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) joined Representative John Lewis (D-Ga.), House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), Democratic Assistant Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and House Committee on Administration Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-Pa.), in introducing the Voter Empowerment Act. Over the past year, states across the country have enacted restrictive voting laws that make it harder for millions of eligible voters to register or vote. This comprehensive voting rights bill will modernize voter registration, ensure equal access to the ballot box for all Americans, and prohibit deceptive practices and voter fraud that keep people from exercising their constitutional right to vote.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“There is no right more important in our society than the right to vote – it is the foundation of all of our other rights enshrined in the Constitution,” said Conyers. "Unfortunately, for many citizens the right to vote is in jeopardy and today we stand together to protect that precious right.

“For the first time since the Civil Rights era of the 1960’s, we are experiencing an unprecedented attack on the right to vote. In recent years, a vast number of states have enacted voting restrictions through sophisticated methods used to disenfranchise voters. These new laws do not improve access to voting for millions of minorities, elderly, youth, military, and poor voters and instead may leave these voters without a voice in their government.

“This is why I am proud to join my colleagues today in introducing the Voter Empowerment Act.

“The loudest sound that exists in a democratic society is the voice of a voter in an election. Ensuring that every minority, veteran, every senior citizen, every student has the right to vote should not be a partisan issue. Today, we are at a crossroads: We can make it harder for citizens to register and vote. Or we can build on the progress of the Civil Rights era and continue to enhance all of our citizens’ access to the ballot.

“I urge this Congress to march forward with the Voter Empowerment Act, and carry out our Congressional imperative to protect every American’s right to vote.”

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Hassan, Co-Owner of Detroit-Area Physical Therapy Company Sentenced to 48 Months for Medicare Fraud Scheme

2012-05-17T16:00:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON—The co-owner of a Detroit-area physical therapy company was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for her leading role in a more than $1.9 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Fatima Hassan, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn in the Eastern District of Michigan. In addition to her prison term, Hassan was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $855,484 in restitution.

Hassan pleaded guilty on September 15, 2011 to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to the plea documents, in 2005, Hassan incorporated a company known as Jos Campau Physical Therapy, which she owned with a co-defendant. Jos Campau Physical Therapy did not have a Medicare provider number and was not entitled to bill Medicare for therapy services.

According to court documents, Hassan paid kickbacks to recruiters who obtained Medicare beneficiary information and signatures needed to create fictitious physical and occupational therapy files. The Medicare beneficiaries pre-signed forms and visit sheets that were later falsified to indicate that they received therapy services that were never provided.

Hassan and the co-owner of Jos Campau Physical Therapy hired and paid an occupational therapist and an uncertified occupational therapy assistant to falsify medical files. The occupational therapist created patient evaluation forms for beneficiaries whom she had never met, seen, or evaluated. The uncertified therapy assistant fabricated and signed patient notes for occupational therapy visits. The uncertified therapy assistant did not provide the services reflected in the fictitious patient notes. Additionally, Hassan’s co-owner, a physical therapist, falsified patient evaluation forms and fictitious patient notes for physical therapy services that were never rendered.

Hassan and the co-owner of Jos Campau Physical Therapy sold the fictitious physical and occupational therapy files to multiple fraudulent therapy companies that had obtained Medicare provider numbers. Those companies billed the fictitious files created by Jos Campau Physical Therapy to Medicare and paid kickbacks to Jos Campau Physical Therapy based on these billings. Hassan and her co-owner split the profits from the sale of the falsified files.

Hassan admitted that, between approximately June 2005 and May 2007, she and her co-conspirators at Jos Campau Physical Therapy submitted or caused the submission of approximately $1.9 million in fraudulent claims to the Medicare program for physical and occupational therapy services that were never rendered.

Hassan’s co-owner, Victor Jayasundera, pleaded guilty on January 18, 2012 for his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2012.

Tariq Mahmud, the owner of a Medicare provider company that bought and billed Jos Campau Physical Therapy’s fake files, was convicted at trial on February 2, 2012 for his role in the scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2012.

Today’s sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade; Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh, III of the HHS Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Chicago Regional Office.

This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Catherine K. Dick and Assistant Chief Benjamin D. Singer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, with assistance from Trial Attorney Niall M. O’Donnell. It was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Since their inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations in nine districts have charged more than 1,330 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, is taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.

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Conyers: The Elijah J. McCoy USPTO Satellite Office Opening in Detroit Will Create Jobs and Help Address the Patent Backlog

2012-05-16T20:11:00.000-04:00

(WASHINGTON) – Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Implementation of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, a patent reform bill that President Obama signed into law in September 2011. The Honorable David Kappos, Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) testified before the Committee. Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released this statement following the hearing.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“I am glad that Director Kappos appeared before the Committee today to address, in part, the USPTO’s response to the current backlog of pending patent applications. Currently, patent applicants can expect to wait an average of about 3 years between the filing date and approval of the patent. This is not conducive to greater technological innovation and it is a source of great frustration for the many thousands of applicants. USPTO must devote more resources to addressing this issue.

“That is why I am pleased that the USPTO is opening its first satellite office in Detroit. The Elijah J. McCoy satellite office in Detroit, which is scheduled to open on July 13 at 300 River Place, will create more than 100 high technology jobs, according to the USPTO. By locating an office in a region home to the one of the greatest drivers of technological and economic innovation in history – the American auto industry – and which contains many top tier research universities, the USPTO is signaling its intent to do more to streamline the patent filing process and encourage innovation. The opening of this satellite office will help facilitate patent filings by thousands of Detroit area businesses. I look forward to working with the USPTO and the Commerce Department to ensure that the opening of this office becomes a model for others to emulate and ensure that it will be an effective step to help reduce the patent backlog.”

###

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U.S. Senate Judiciary Antitrust Committee To Hold Hearings on Motown Recording Artists Copyright and Royalty Abuses

2012-05-15T14:54:00.000-04:00

George Clinton and U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

Music icon George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic has previously taken the lead on the issue of recapturing copyrights working with U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. Mr. Clinton has suggested to the Committee that Mrs. Katherine Jackson, matriarch of the Jackson family may be interested in sharing her views in testimony. U.S. Senate Judiciary Antitrust Committee To Hold Hearings on Motown Recording Artists Copyright and Royalt... Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Guest commentary: Congress must not weaken the Violence Against Women Act

2012-05-15T09:31:00.001-04:00

Guest commentary: Congress must not weaken the Violence Against Women Act

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

For nearly 20 years, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has been effective at protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence and holding perpetrators accountable. Domestic violence has dropped by more than half since the legislation became law in 1994.

Yet the House of Representatives is set to consider a bill this week that would repeal and weaken some of VAWA's most critical protections.

VAWA has long enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support. Bills to reauthorize and further strengthen its protections passed by near-unanimous votes in 2000 and 2005. Bipartisanship was also on display last month when Senate Democrats and Republicans passed their own bill to strengthen VAWA with supermajority support.

But the bill now being pushed by House Republican leadership is different. Unlike every VAWA reauthorization before it, this bill would leave women less protected than under current law. The bill would endanger victims, embolden perpetrators of violence, and eliminate essential law enforcement tools to keep women safe. It is a giant leap backward.

House Republican leaders argue that opposition to their bill is hollow partisanship. But a diverse and wide-ranging coalition of domestic violence organizations, women's groups, faith-based groups, and law enforcement agencies beg to differ.

U.S. Representative
Zoe Lufgren

The leading domestic violence organizations, including the thousands of service providers in the National Network to End Domestic Violence, strongly oppose the bill because it would "weaken, rather than enhance, protections for victims of domestic violence." Leading researchers in universities across the country echo their concerns over how the bill will "roll back and eviscerate protections."

These are the real people on the front lines against domestic and sexual violence in the country. They are not partisan organizations seeking to score political points.

Neither are the faith-based groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals, that also harbor deep concerns over the sections of the bill repealing protections for battered immigrant women. Many of these protections have been in the law for almost 20 years. A recent letter to Congress states that that they are "deeply troubled" by the bill's efforts to "roll back protections in current law for battered non-citizens, making them more vulnerable and, in some cases, endangering their lives."

The National Organization for Women (NOW) denounced last Tuesday's passage of the bill in committee. The Evangelical Church and NOW usually don't agree. But both groups share similar concerns and oppose the House bill.

A coalition of law enforcement officers with expertise in domestic and sexual violence cases has also expressed in a letter to Congress their "strong opposition" to provisions in the House bill. Among other things, the bill fails to include provisions requested by law enforcement organizations -- including the Fraternal Order of Police and its 330,000 officers -- critical to investigating crimes and prosecuting offenders.

In contrast, the few supporters of the House Republican bill we know of include anti-immigrant organizations, groups that purport to represent the interests of men accused of domestic violence and one international marriage brokerage company reported to have a financial incentive in eliminating protections for "mail order brides." A Federal jury in 2006 found that the head of this company, who lobbies for the changes contained in the House bill, intentionally withheld information about VAWA protections to a pregnant and severely battered immigrant woman to protect her company's "95% success rate."

House Republicans can continue to dismiss opposition to their bill as knee-jerk partisanship. But the broad coalition opposed to the bill tells quite a different story.

John Conyers, a Democrat from Detroit, represents Michigan's 14th District in the U.S. House of Representatives and has filed to run for re-election in the 13th District. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat from San Jose, Calif., represents that state's 16th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Belita Woods Of Parliment Funkadelic Passes Away At 64

2012-05-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

Today, about 3:00 p.m. Belita Karen Woods, former lead singer of Parliment Funkadelic Brainstorm, passed away from apparent heart failure.

I shall always love you, baby.

Belita Karen Woods. October 23, 1948 to May 14, 2012

I will share information for her funeral as it develops.

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Rep. Hansen Clarke Asks Attorney General To Investigate Michigan Child Protective Services

2012-05-14T19:36:00.000-04:00

U.S. Representative Hansen Clarke's Letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder requesting investigation of Michigan Department of Human Services Child Protective Services.U.S. Representative Hansen Clarke's Letter to Attorney General Eric Holder TO Investigate Michigan CPS 5-9-12 Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Halmark Holiday's Are Offensive To CPS Victims - Baby LK Report For May 13th 2012

2012-05-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

Baby LK recaps the week in news for the child protective industry.

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Detroit-Area Physician Convicted In $6.7 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

2012-05-14T11:23:00.000-04:00

The exact same thing happens in child welfare. The only difference is they will never be caught because the State Medicaid Fraud Control Unit does nothing.

Detroit-Area Physician Convicted In $6.7 Million
Medicare Fraud Scheme

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 11, 2012

A federal jury sitting in Detroit, Michigan, convicted a Detroit area physician for his role in a $6.7 million Medicare Fraud scheme, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today..

Jonathan Agbebiyi, 62, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and six counts of health care fraud. Agbebiyi was a staff physician at three clinics which operated in Livonia, Michigan, between 2007 and 2010: Blessed Medical Clinic, Alpha and Omega Medical Clinic, and Manuel Medical Clinic.

According to the evidence presented during the one week trial before United States District Judge Arthur Tarnow, Jonathan Agbebiyi, an obstetrician/gynecologist, joined a conspiracy to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary neurological tests. Some of the tests involved sending an electrical current through the arms and legs of the patients. Clinic employees, who lacked any meaningful training, administered the diagnostic tests. The patients never received any follow up treatment by neurologists.

Evidence at trial showed that the patients were not referred to the clinics by their primary care physicians, or for any other legitimate purpose, but rather were recruited with prescriptions for controlled substances, cash payments, and fast food. The three clinics then billed the Medicare program for various diagnostic tests that were medically unnecessary.

United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade stated, "This doctor exposed patients to neurological testing solely to generate money for himself at the expense of the Medicare program. We are grateful for the hard work that uncovered this betrayal of medical ethics and theft of taxpayer funds."

Including today's guilty verdicts, 9 individuals involved with the three clinics have been convicted for their roles in the scheme.

A sentencing date for Agbebiyi has been set for August 13, 2012. Each count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Today's verdicts were announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade; Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the HHS Office of Inspector General's (OIG) Chicago Regional Office.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frances Lee Carlson and Philip A. Ross of the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from Assistant Chief Gejaa T. Gobena of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section. The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division's Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations are part of the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), a joint initiative announced in May 2009 between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country.

Since their inception in March 2007, strike force operations in nine locations have charged more than 1,330 defendants who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $4 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.

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Mother's Day Letter to Michigan DHS Director Maura Corrigan

2012-05-13T19:06:00.001-04:00

Dear Madame Maura Corrigan,

Disturbing rumors have met me with the possibility that you may be soon resigning from your appointed post as Director of the Michigan Department of Human Services. This deeply saddens me as I find you as my only worthy opponent in matters of social and economic policy and its legal applications of federal compliance.

If you have been privileged, you are aware of my pending arrival in Lansing as the newly elected State Representative for District 4, one of the largest areas affected by your legislating from the bench and your policy actions. I cannot loose you at this time as I look forward to having you being held accountable for the false claims and antitrust violations of your administration.

As you continue to protect the egregious actions of the state court and its administration in the maternal role of continuous judicial activism, I would like to point out that you have failed to provide remedy to taxpayers, at the expense of our most precious treasure, the children.

As the matriarch for the state's largest budget appropriation, I find it appalling that you refuse to confront your accusers face to face, in a public forum, to answer to the destruction of childhood innocence and the loss of billions in federal revenue.

Soon we shall witness the pending signs of political rhetoric, pontificating endorsements marqueed as status quo buzzwords for reasons why you should be able to continue perpetuating your culture of waste, fraud and abuse of public funds and denial of individual rights of due process, in order to get more votes than me. It is during this election I wish for you to remember the life of Ricky Holland and that "other" historic investigation every night as you close your eyes and pray that I do not win this House seat.

On this Mother's Day I want you to thank you for making me an original source. I shall see you soon so please stick around.

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Michigan Moves To Close Kiddie Jails

2012-05-12T19:54:00.000-04:00

Close them. These facilities have proven to be ineffective. Besides, almost fifty percent, and possibly more, are there as a product of Michigan foster care.

Michigan has the highest rate in the world for incarcerating, not just for life, youth. As a separate component, foster care is a judicial determination which may also be included into the statistical summation of child and youth incarceration. (We used to call foster care "baby jail" and threaten our kids with the possibility of going there if they were not good. Funny, found out you do not have to be a bad kid to go to baby jail.)

Another reason to close. There are two new juvenile facilities being built in the state, one in Wayne County and the other Ingham County. At least these facilities will be closer to community and family and generate revenue for each respective county.

Continuing along my laundry list of reasons to close these facilities, the majority of these youth are qualified for placement in residential facilities. Even though some residential facilities are not much better than reformatories, there are alternatives such as Supportive Independent Living.

Juvenile reformatories are out-dated models of administration. The state could substantially save millions more by cutting out the administrative layer and redirecting to direct service providers where the funding streams would be shifted to increased federal financial participation rates. It supports the micro and small businesses of assisted living which becomes much more holistic in the treatment of these youths.

The administration of Michigan youth prisons face a grim future is GEO gets the privatization contracts.

Representative Agema has a strong background in child welfare matters. I should know, I have debriefed him.

My only concern is that there are still no mechanisms to prevent false claims reimbursements and oversight of operations in the current system of child welfare.

In short, the only reason these bleeding hearts are crying the blues is because they risk loosing their gravy train. It is time we stop treating our children like a chattel and make up for it.

Push to close Michigan's three juvenile reformatories sparks debate: Safety versus savings?

File photoFifteen-year-old Charles Lewis Jr., shackled here at his April sentence hearing, was sent to W.J. Maxey Training School on a felony murder charge instead of an adult prison. Maxey is among three juvenile reformatories that could be closed.

Michigan’s three juvenile reformatories – which house some of the state’s most serious teen offenders – will be shut down next year if legislative backers get their way.

Whether Gov. Rick Snyder will go along could depend on where negotiators end up as they prepare to send him a final budget.

The House’s spending plan, approved two weeks ago, eliminates the facilities' funding; the Senate version, approved a day earlier, retains most of it.

The two sides are now working out those and other differences.

The reformatories are the state’s placement of last resort, aside from prison, for youths as young as 12 charged primarily with violent crimes: the W.J. Maxey Training Center in Whitmore Lake, Shawono Center in Grayling and Bay Pines Center in Escanaba. Supporters say the $21.3 million it cost to operate the treatment facilities this year is too high and private residential facilities can do the job more cheaply.

“It’s actually quite simple,” said state Rep. Dave Agema, the Grandville Republican leading the effort to close the three.

“You’re looking at maybe 98-plus kids that are in those facilities all total -between Maxey, Bay Pines and Shawono - and the problem is the cost.”

The House-passed budget allocates nearly $10 million to move the juveniles to private residential facilities, for a total savings of about $11.4 million. The cost of housing and treatment in the three facilities range from $572 per juvenile a day at Maxey to $385 at Bay Pines. The facilities total the equivalent of about 190 full-time workers.

“There is excess capacity in the privates … and they can do it for a little bit more than half what (state) rates are, and they can take any and all kids,” said Agema, who chairs the appropriations subcommittee that oversees the state facilities’ funding.

Opponents fear many juveniles will be rejected by private residential programs, or be placed in less-secure settings than the state provides, leading some to find their way back into society.

“You need a state option and if you take that off as an option, and private facilities won’t take them, what do you do?” asked Karen Tighe, president of the Michigan Probate Judges Association and a Bay County probate judge. “You need a place that can’t say no.”

There were 49 private residential facilities in Michigan last year for juveniles, according to a new Senate Fiscal Agency issue paper. While many have 24-hour supervision and locked doors, only a few are as secure as the state facilities, the analysis said. Michelle Weemhoff, senior policy associate for the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency, shared Tighe’s concern. The council supports a separate effort under way that would provide $15 million in incentives for counties using new or expanded in-home care programs.

The program would largely be paid for by fewer out-of-home placements. Such efforts are proven to reduce recidivism, Weemhoff said. File photoCharles Lewis Jr., 15, seen here with his mother at his April sentencing hearing, was 13 during a bungled robbery-kidnapping in Lansing in which his father fatally shot 19-year-old Shayla Johnson. He was sentenced to W.J. Maxey Training Center instead of life in adult prison. “That’s a way to stop them from ending up in a placement deeper into the system later on,” she said. “But we also think there is still a need for secure treatment for those at higher risk to offend.”

One recent high-profile placement at Maxey was Charles Lewis Jr., 15, of Lansing. Lewis was 13 during a bungled robbery-kidnapping in which his father fatally shot 19-year-old Shayla Johnson. The teen could have been sentenced to life in adult prison. A judge last month instead sent him to Maxey until at least 21.

Lewis can still be put away for life if he misbehaves any time until then. Tighe said the level of treatment for myriad issues – from mental health and sexual disorders to substance abuse and violence prevention – are among reasons for higher costs at the state sites.

She noted most residential juvenile placements already are in private facilities. It’s unclear what the governor will do if the closings reach his desk. They were not included in his proposed budget. House and Senate negotiations are continuing, said Ari Adler, spokesmen for House Speaker Jase Bolger.

“While the Senate did not include closing the facilities, they did reduce that budget by $1 million, so the issue of funding is open for discussion in both chambers,” Adler said. “It’s also worth noting that the state has other private juvenile justice facilities like these where underage offenders are sent, so this isn’t as radical a change as some people seem to think it is."

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Congressman wants U.S. Attorney General to investigate Michigan Child Protective Services

2012-05-11T19:28:00.000-04:00

Hansen!!

Congressman wants U.S. Attorney General to investigate Michigan Child Protective Services

DETROIT (WXYZ) - The 7 Action News Investigators were the first to expose how a local court wasn’t following the law when it came to removing children from their homes.

Now one of Michigan’s Congressmen is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the state’s Child Protective Services system.

Representative Hansen Clarke says the most important thing he can do as a member of Congress is protect families in Michigan.

So now he’s calling on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate what’s been happening in Michigan.

“The most important right, constitutionally and God-given right we have is to be able to raise our children. So that’s why I’m going to the attorney general right now to see how we can keep our families together,” Rep. Hansen Clarke, (D) 13th District, told 7 Action News Investigator Heather Catallo.

Rep. Clarke is asking the Attorney General of the United States to investigate the treatment of African American children and families by Michigan’s Department of Human Services, which oversees Child Protective Services.

7 Action News has been investigating DHS for years, and we were the first to expose that Wayne County’s Juvenile Court wasn’t following the law when CPS workers would bring in petitions to take children from their parents because of alleged abuse or neglect.

“I knew the system was broken, but I didn’t know it was this broken, where anyone, literally anyone could come and take your child,” said Maryanne Godboldo, who’s 13-year-old daughter was taken temporarily by CPS last year.

Testimony under oath in the Godboldo case revealed that probation officers inside the court would routinely stamp Presiding Juvenile Court Judge Leslie Kim Smith’s name onto the removal orders. By law, a judge must review the CPS workers allegations of abuse, and then sign the order.

After we reported on the rubber stamping that legal experts say is against the law – the court stopped doing it. But we still asked the court and DHS to tell us how long it had been going on, and how many children were taken from their parents illegally. Judge Smith was not interested in answering our questions.

“But it was your name on those removal orders – why was this allowed to happen in your court,” asked Catallo.

“I understand,” said Judge Smith.

“Are you going to talk to us or not,” asked Catallo.

“Have a good day,” said Judge Smith.

Now Congressman Clarke is asking questions of his own. Clarke sent a letter Attorney General Eric Holder, saying “My office has received complaints from individuals and community groups alleging that CPS is removing African American children from their parents in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner.”

“I want to make sure that every parent is able to raise their child, regardless of their color, regardless of how much money they make – we shouldn’t be penalizing women because they’re struggling financially by taking away their children – that’s outrageous!!!! And Look at the harm it’s done to the child,” said Rep. Clarke.

DHS Director Maura D. Corrigan issued this written statement:

“The department welcomes a dialogue with Rep. Clarke, as we do with all legislators. We can assure the representative that despite his concerns based on a small number of local cases out of the nearly 100,000 child welfare cases the department investigates each year statewide, that DHS focuses solely on the welfare of the child without regard to race.”

The Madame Maura Corrigan is a brilliant and refined liar.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Conyers to Join President Obama in Honoring Detroit’s TOP COPS

2012-05-11T18:04:00.001-04:00

(WASHINGTON) – This Saturday, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) will join President Obama at a White House ceremony honoring the National Association of Police Organizations’ (“NAPO”) TOP COPS award winners. Since 1994, NAPO has conferred TOP COPS awards on law enforcement officers from around the country for performing actions above and beyond the call of duty during the preceding year. Among this year’s award winners are 15 officers from the Detroit Police Department. They earned this honor for stopping a gunman in January 2011 who suddenly attacked the officers upon entering their precinct station.

U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. at swearing in of
Hamtramck Police Chief Maxwell Garbrino

“I’m proud to join President Obama in honoring these officers, who through a combination of training and personal courage, responded to a gunman who suddenly opened fire upon them within the safety of their own precinct,” said Conyers. “Although some were wounded, the officers stopped the assailant and no one but the gunman died that afternoon. Our police officers work hard to protect us from harm, and we must do all we can to support them as part of a comprehensive effort to prevent crime.

“That is why I have introduced H.R. 4098, ‘the Shield Our Streets Act’, to establish two new programs to supplement existing grants to help local governments in high crime areas hire more officers and fund public safety programs. Police officers put their lives on the line to protect our cities and they deserve recognition for their willingness to sacrifice on our behalf. But Congress also needs to do more to ensure that police officers, like those being honored, have all the tools necessary to get the job done and return home safely to their families.”

The names of this year’s TOP COPS honorees from the Detroit Police Department follow below.

Police Officer Melissa Adams

Police Officer David Anderson

Sergeant Marcellus A. Ball

Police Officer Bradley Clark

Police Officer Rodney Cushingberry

Commander Brian L. Davis

Sergeant Tyrone Guinn

Sergeant Michael Ingels

Police Officer Theodore Jackson, Jr.

Sergeant James Kirklin

Police Officer Lacell D. Rue

Sergeant Ray Toufic Saati

Sergeant Carrie Schulz

Investigator Amir G. Smith

Sergeant Joseph Turner, Jr.

For more information on the National Association of Police Organizations’ TOP COPS award follow this link.

Michigan families torn apart illegally and billed to Medicaid?

2012-05-11T16:25:00.001-04:00

Let us frame this in another manner. Is this evidence of false claims?

This is child welfare fraud and the result is billions of tax payer dollars being funneled into the pockets of the political campaigns and pockets of prominent religious leaders at the expense of children.

Madame Maura Corrigan will never respond to a public query but I bet she will respond to me when I take my oath of office asa State Representative for District 4, sitting as Chair for the Committee on Children and Families, grilling her, and the Attorney General, in a public hearing on child welfare fraud.

Trust and believe, I will have full media, live stream with full online interactive. I want everyone to get ready to come to Lansing and tell these new Legislators what really goes on behind the administrative doors of Michigan Child Welfare. It's a multi-layered project I am prepared to unleash.

I am on a mission... tell everyone you know that Beverly Tran is coming.

Families torn apart illegally?

(WXYZ) - When protective services take children from their parents, state law says a judge must first personally review the case and sign off. But that was not happening in one of Michigan’s busiest courts.

It’s called “rubber stamping,” and last August 7 Action News first exposed how court staff were literally stamping a judge’s name onto orders that allowed the state to take kids from their parents.

After our investigations – the rubber stamping stopped – but no one has ever been held accountable — not the judge, not the chief judge or child protective services.

“Why was this allowed to happen in your court,” Catallo asked Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Leslie Kim Smith.

Smith is the presiding judge at the James Lincoln Hall of Justice, the county’s juvenile court. It was her name that had been stamped on removal orders. And legal experts tell us, that stamp allowed children to be taken from their parents illegally.

Here’s a look at how the practice called “rubber stamping” came to light.

“I knew the system was broken, but I didn’t know it was this broken, where anyone, literally anyone could come and take your child,” said Maryanne Godboldo.

Godboldo’s case made international news after she was accused of firing a gun after police officers and child protective services came to take her daughter in March of 2011.

They showed up at her door after Godboldo told two local agencies that she was working with her doctor to wean her daughter off the controversial anti-psychotic medication Risperdal.

Godboldo’s lawyers say those agencies reported her to CPS. And after that happened, a caseworker used a rubber stamped court order that a judge later called invalid to take then 13-year-old Ariana from her mother.

Under Michigan law, unless it’s an emergency, where a child is in imminent danger,Child Protective Services workers are supposed to request a hearing in front of a judge – where the parents accused of neglect or abuse can tell their side of the story before a child is removed from the home. But court insiders tell us that wasn’t happening in Wayne County.

Testimony under oath in the Godboldo case revealed that caseworkers routinely took their petitions to probation officers inside the court, who would then stamp Judge Leslie Kim Smith’s name onto the removal orders.

“It is completely illegal,” said Joshua Kay a professor with the University of Michigan Law School’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic.

“What does that mean for the children of Wayne County,” asked Catallo.

“What it means is that they are in greater danger of being removed from their homes unnecessarily,” said Kay. He added, under Michigan law, a judge must personally review a child removal order.

“I think it’s important to emphasize the tremendous impact of a decision to remove a child. It is one of the most wrenching things that can happen in a child’s life, in the life of a family, and it changes people’s lives forever,” said Kay.

Last August, the day after the 7 Action News Investigators confirmed that the rubber stamping had been going on – the court stopped doing it.

After we exposed the practice, the State Supreme Court Administrator’s Office, or SCAO, sent a memo to all the family courts in the state, recommending they review their procedures.

An SCAO official also told Wayne County’s Chief Judge that the rubber stamping must stop. The court is now using an iPad for their on-call judge to review after-hours child removal orders electronically.

But we knew there was more to the story—how many children had been taken illegally? How long had rubber stamping been going on?

Some court insiders tell us, it’s been happening for decades. But those are questions no one seems to want to answer .

Last fall, we asked the court in writing for all their records on removal orders going back to 2009. But they won’t provide them. And guess what? The court doesn’t have to because it’s not subject to public information laws.

After Judge Leslie Kim Smith and her boss Chief Judge Virgil Smith denied our many requests for information, we caught up with the juvenile court judge on her way into work.

Judge Smith tried to pass us off to the court’s lawyer – the same one who denied our earlier requests for information on child removal records.

“We’d like to talk to you – it was your name on those removal orders that was rubber stamped,” said Catallo.

“Alright, well you need to talk to Liz Kocab, who’s the general counsel for the court,” said Judge Smith.

“But it was your name on those removal orders – why was this allowed to happen in your court,” asked Catallo.

“I understand,” said the Judge.

“Are you going to talk to us or not,” asked Catallo.

“Have a good day,” said the Judge.

We also asked the state’s Department of Human Services, which oversees protective services, for the same information. They wanted to charge us $32,742 for the public records request.

Following one of our first stories a year ago about child removals, DHS Director Maura Corrigan refused to speak to us on camera.speak to us on camera.

The day after our investigation aired, Corrigan wrote an opinion piece in the Detroit Free Press. The headline: “Removing children from families always follows legal procedures.”

Now that that’s been proven to be false – we asked a DHS spokesman if they have been trying to determine how many children may have been wrongly taken from homes with invalid court orders.

“We did not review all court orders, as that is not proper procedure on our end. Instead, in recent months we have focused our attention squarely on addressing structural deficiencies within the system. The goal here is to go at the root cause, and not the symptom. To that end, we have worked with Senator Rick Jones and the State Court Administrators Office, which has resulted in Senate Bill 320, one that requires a written order for removal and clearly addresses after hours procedure. That bill has now passed the House Judiciary Committee and sits currently before the full house. We testified in clear support of this bill,” said DHS spokesman David Akerly.

“This system is destroying the future of America. And if something is not done about it, we won’t have a future,” said Godboldo.

Maryanne Godboldo is now suing the state, Wayne County, and Detroit police for illegally taking her child.

As for her criminal case for allegedly firing a gun — a judge threw it out—because he said the removal order used to take her daughter was not valid, and he said there was no evidence presented that she fired the shot.

Conyers: President Obama’s Support for Gay Marriage A Courageous Stand

2012-05-09T18:39:00.001-04:00

(WASHINGTON) – Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) applauded President Obama’s support for marriage equality for same-sex couples. Ranking Member Conyers is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1116, the “Respect for Marriage Act” which would repeal the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA). As Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee during the 104^th Congress, Representative Conyers opposed DOMA in 1996.

U.S. Representative
John Conyers, Jr.

“I commend President Obama for his support of marriage equality. The right to choose whom to marry is not just a civil right, but a fundamental human right. That is why I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 and support its repeal today. And it is why I strongly support President Obama taking a stand on this important moral issue. President Obama and Vice President Biden have taken courageous, sound, and appropriate positions supporting equal rights for all Americans.”

Congress Must Do The Math On Foster Care

2012-05-09T13:43:00.001-04:00

U.S. Representative Karen Bass recently commented on the Republican proposed cuts to foster care. For more clarification, that would be cutting Title IV of the Social Security Act Chapters A, B, D, E and Medicaid Targeted Case Management.

As no specifics were presented in her statements and I have not taken the time to review the proposed cuts, I shall approach this quagmire in a general sense.

Foster care sucks.

Foster care is an entitlement program meaning eligibility is based on a state judicial determination measuring the poverty means test criteria for qualification of funding under Title IV-A standards. Simply put, you have to be poor to qualify under abuse and neglect determination, wherefore, poverty, itself, is determined as abuse and neglect.

So here we have it. If you cannot provide for the necessary needs of your child, then the state, funded through "foster care" will take parental responsibility of providing for your child.

Again, foster care sucks.

So, here is the logic. If the nation is moving to gut all social assistance to the people and it has been demonstrated that the more that is gutted from infrastructure the more it leads to cognitive, emotional, physical and psychological developmental disabilities. We are now going into the third generation of the deterioration of human capital and the industry of foster care is suppose to be the answer to this.

Now the question is begged, "How can these disabled individuals become productive members of society without governmental assistance?" Future cheap labor.

Who will acquire this future cheap labor? Corporations in quasi-governmental partnerships with the States to bill Social Security as a labor subsidy, or corporate welfare. Why, because the greatest of nations have been built off the backs of the weakest in society.

Michigan has already taken policy action as the Madame Maura Corrigan is always ahead of the game.

The nation onto the third generation of the model of creating this cheap labor in order to compete with the emerging markets of a global economy has created obstacles and barriers, complete with extremely high tolls of interest payments, whereby higher and even quality education becomes impossible to achieve, furthering the agenda of cheap labor. Innovation and creativity are not an option.

To balance out this argument, let us now look at the other facets. Foster care sucks. Just watch the video.

Billions of dollars are falsely claimed by child welfare organizations which are never questioned or punished, all in the name of God, where children are guaranteed a life of hell under state care and the campaign and lobbying pockets are lined with this foster care entitlement money which will never reach a child in need.

It costs tens of thousands to process a child through foster care. It costs a few hundred to let them stay at home. You do the math.

Democratic Rep: GOP Asking Students To Accept Doubled Rates Or ‘Forego Your Cancer Screenings’

Democratic Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) appeared on MSNBC on Tuesday where she said that Democrats opposed making cuts in programs like food stamps and the 2010 health care reform law in order to pay for programs that PresidentObama is proposing. Bass said that such cuts would be counterproductive in the long run because programs like food stamps creates “money that goes directly to small business” and stimulates the economy. Bass also said that the Republican compromise on freezing student loan rates amounts to asking students to either accept doubling rates or “forego your cancer screenings.”

When you’re talking about cutting ‘Meals on Wheels,’ when you’re talking about cutting food stamps, which actually is money that goes directly to small business – markets in communities – versus giving tax subsidies to farming corporations. These are the kinds of cuts that the Republicans are talking about, and I think that is completely unacceptable in this time period.

MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts asked Bass how she would defend criticism that Democrats are criticizing the Republican budget plan while not having even proposed one of their own.

“I do think that the Democrats have been very responsible,” responded Bass. “The President has put forward a budget that certainly I support.” She said that Democrats are willing to cut portions of the budget, but would only do so as long as it is part of a “balanced approach.”

On March 28, a version of Obama’s proposed budget was brought to the House floor that was defeated 414-0. Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) brought a version of the Obama budget to the House floor for a vote to show how few votes such a proposal would receive. Bass would eventually alsovote against a Republican budget which passed the House on March 29 by 228 – 191 votes.

Bass went on to say that she is wearing a blue ribbon in honor of “foster month,” and to raise awareness the Republicans are seeking to cut funding from foster care programs as well. “Cutting money to fosters on foster care month? Can’t go with that,” said Bass.

Roberts concluded by asking about the proposed freeze in student loan interest rates. Republicans have agreed to freeze loan interest rates if portions of the health care reform bill are struck as a means of paying for that compromise. Bass said that Democrats oppose this compromise.

“I think it’s completely unacceptable to tell the youth of our country that if you don’t want your student loans to double, than you need to forego your cancer screenings,” said Bass.

Watch the segment via MSNBC:

BEVERLY TRAN

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U.S. Senate Judiciary Antitrust Committee To Hold Hearings on Motown Recording Artists Copyright and Royalty Abuses

Guest commentary: Congress must not weaken the Violence Against Women Act

Guest commentary: Congress must not weaken the Violence Against Women Act

Belita Woods Of Parliment Funkadelic Passes Away At 64

Rep. Hansen Clarke Asks Attorney General To Investigate Michigan Child Protective Services

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Detroit-Area Physician Convicted In $6.7 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

Detroit-Area Physician Convicted In $6.7 MillionMedicare Fraud Scheme

Mother's Day Letter to Michigan DHS Director Maura Corrigan

Michigan Moves To Close Kiddie Jails

Push to close Michigan's three juvenile reformatories sparks debate: Safety versus savings?

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Congressman wants U.S. Attorney General to investigate Michigan Child Protective Services

Conyers to Join President Obama in Honoring Detroit’s TOP COPS

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Congress Must Do The Math On Foster Care

Detroit-Area Physician Convicted In $6.7 Million
Medicare Fraud Scheme