My fond memories of growing up in a small town in the Texas Panhandle remain the same. I remember good honest people living there who knew and cared about each other. Good people are still there today, but many feel helpless to be heard.
They are frustrated by a corrupt, tax supported community hospital and a district attorney who as a county commissioner spearheaded the formation of the hospital district in 1989.
Six years ago, over 1000 citizens signed a petition asking for a forensic audit of the hospital following the loss of over $600,000. The hospital board ignored them. In 1995, another petition with 200 names to remove the administrator was presented with the question, "How many signatures will it take for the board to act$%:" One of the board members responded, "it didn't matter how many because the board doesn't have to do anything."
If you think this sounds undemocratic, consider that it requires more than a majority vote (5-7) to fire the administrator, but a majority of 4 out of 7 votes can sell the hospital. Can you imagine Donald Trump owning a company with a board of directors forced to sell a failing business before firing the chief administrative officer.
This outrageous story doesn't stop here. Six years ago there was a conspiracy to cover up the crime of child pornography committed by the chief financial officer at the hospital. He gave a written resignation and was paid over $11,000 when he left. Over a year later it was revealed to the district attorney how the 5 photos were sealed in an envelope and locked up. This pedophile was brought back to trial in October 2003. The good old boys led by the district attorney slapped his hand with a $1000 fine for misuse of a computer, $278 court cost and a 3 year probation. This sick man promptly returned to his job at the Austin State Hospital where a unit of up to 12 year old adolescents are housed. ln July 2005, another employee at the Austin State Hospital reported seeing child porn on the computer screen in the pervert's office.
Incredibly, the ASH chief financial officer decided not to do anything. The employee under risk of losing his job went directly to the Austin Police. Finally, on November 30, 2006 this pedophile was convicted and sent to prison for 15 years. The employee is being considered for a Distinguished Service Award for his heroic act. If the employee had not acted, this child porno sicko would still be free and working in the State of Texas Health System for God knows how long.
The hospital administrator and investigator from my hometown testified in the Travis County courtroom. Under oath, the hospital administrator stated that the hospital attorney contacted the district attorney at the time the child pornography was discovered. The district attorney's investigator stated no one in the district attorney's office knew about the child pornography until over a year later when 10 citizens met with the district attorney about problems at the hospital. He left out that there were 3 doctors and 4 past board member in the group.
Now it appears the district attorney may have been involved in the attempt to cover up the hideous crime of a pedophile. This district attorney's alias is "Boss". This was found out on his arrest record following a spectacular hit and run DWI in May, 2005. The episode was widely aired on Amarillo television stations. It was embarrassing seeing the people's lawyer being pulled out his vehicle and onto the ground where handcuffs were placed on him. What wasn't shown was the 30 minute dash cam of police begging him to get out of the car and finally resorting to breaking a side glass to remove him. The mother of the teenage daughter who was hit by the "Boss" filed a petition signed by over 800 people to remove the DA from office to no avail.
A year later, "Boss" was found drinking beer in the courthouse parking lot. The Sheriff's report stated intoxication and explained how one of the jailers drove the DA and his friend home. Later, the jailer was fired when he changed his story in support of the "Boss".
Next it was revealed the "Boss" miraculously had a clean record with the Texas Department of Public Safety a year following his conviction. How could this happen when the "Boss" regularly convicts blue collar people whose records are promptly sent to DPS within 2 days to a week and they become burdened with higher insurance cost.
It was becoming clearer and the name "Boss" was making more sense. The night of the DWI, the judge let the DA go without spending the night in jail and "Boss" didn't take the breath or blood test he is sworn to uphold. The law according to "Boss" doesn't apply to him like it does to others.
This story doesn't end here. One of the doctors in the group of 10 citizens who complained to "Boss" about the hospital in 2001 had a petition in the doctor's office to remove the "Boss" in 2005. This doctor has been in practice for 20 years. He has a big heart and has helped poor patients who couldn't afford other doctors and was the doctor for a 60 patient nursing home.
Several months ago the doctor under depression over his wife's death and failing health took a leave of absence and hired a nurse practitioner to be there for his patients. He terminated her when he returned to his practice. The nurse practitioner complained and somehow "Boss" pulled her and other employees of the doctor into a grand jury hearing.
"Boss" used the threat of going to jail to pressure the doctor into surrendering his medical license and accepting a $7,500 fine and a 3 year probation. All this was done before there was an indictment of the good doctor. It was all about a gray area of some blank prescriptions signed by the doctor.
I wonder if "Boss" ever thought of conflict of interest as a reason to recuse himself from prosecuting the doctor.
Compare the punishment of the good doctor to the pedophile. The "Boss" awarded a plea bargain to a pedophile of $1000 fine, $278 court cost and a 3 year probation. He politically persecuted and ruined a doctor who served the community for 20 years. The "Boss" created a painful void in the small town which left the doctor's poor and senior citizen patients in a lurch.
What's happened to decency in my hometown$%: Those in power have no character or humility. Their behavior is unacceptable yet they stay in power, ignore and continue to feed off the taxpayers. These shameless acts have destroyed optimism and hope. Many good, decent people in my hometown do not speak out in fear of being targeted by the "Boss".
This is a sad commentary for small town America where democracy is being eroded.
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