THE BLAGOJEVICH CODE:

“CK10” FOR STATE JOBS AND $250,000 TO STONEWALL AND TURN A BLIND EYE TO ECONOMIC RACISM 
 

Vice-Chair of Provena Covenant Board Funneled $10,000 to Blagojevich’s Campaign

SPRINGFIELD, IL—As Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is under fire for handing out high-paying state jobs to his well-connected and best political friends, the Consejo de Latinos Unidos, a national advocacy organization that educates and assists uninsured Latinos and others, blasted the Governor “for turning a blind eye to economic racism and accepting $250,000 from the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA) in what appears to be an attempt to stonewall and to modify or reverse a hospital tax-exempt decision coming from the Illinois Department of Revenue.” 

“The IHA has funneled $250,000 in the past 24 months to Blagojevich’s campaign in what appears to be an attempt to influence the Illinois Department of Revenue decision on the revocation of the tax-exempt status of Provena Covenant Medical Center in Champaign County,” charged K.B. Forbes, Executive Director of the Consejo. “What is most disturbing is that the Governor accepted $10,000 from the Vice-Chair of Provena Covenant’s Board of Directors, Peter Fox, a few months after Provena Covenant appealed the revocation decision.” 

In February of 2004, Provena Covenant’s tax-exempt status was revoked by the professional staff of the Illinois Department of Revenue. Provena Covenant immediately appealed the decision to an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The case was heard in April of 2005. The decision was expected to be handed down late last November. “Since November 1, the IHA has dumped over $150,000 into Blagojevich’s coffers while the ALJ decision has remained sealed,” said Forbes. “Why? Because the political appointed director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, Brian Hamer, can modify or reverse the ALJ’s decision. Hamer is one of Blagojevich’s hand-picked political cronies. This appears to be nothing more than legalized bribery.” 

Forbes declared, “Blagojevich and the IHA are turning a blind eye to economic racism and the mistreatment of uninsured minorities who are charged three or four times more than what a hospital would accept as payment in full from an insurance company. Instead of changing their ways, Provena and the IHA are defending the indefensible.” Provena Covenant lost its tax-exempt status in part to its billing and collection practices of the uninsured.  

The Consejo de Latinos Unidos was recently profiled on CBS’ 60 Minutes and Consejo’s work on behalf of the uninsured has spurred three congressional probes.