NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Months ago I bumped into a reporter for the Journal News who told me that the paper had put together an “investigative reporting” team. As one of the few people in Westchester who actually does investigative reporting — and is well aware that the Journal News has rarely done so — I expressed my enthusiasm for the project. The reporter responded “you won’t be happy.”
I was unclear what I meant but at this point I am starting to conclude that his idea was that I do not support Noam Bramson and so I would be unhappy with investigative reporting that targeted his opponent in the 2013 Westchester County Executive race.
A recent Journal News story was presented to me by a local political figure with a note to keep an eye on what was happening at the Westchester County jail.
Jonathon Bandler wrote Company sued in inmate death gets new jail contract.
The basic point of the article is that Correct Care Solutions Medical Services was hired by Westchester County to run inmate health care, the original deal was a no-bid contract and the company has contributed $11,250 to Friends of Rob Astorino with the implication is that Astorino was being rewarded by the company for steering business their way. The article does not say this outright, and there is certainly a number of qualifying remarks presented, but the main point remains — Astorino must have done something wrong.
I was directed my pol pal particularly to the lawsuits filed by inmates alleging problems with healthcare received at the jail
Bandler states that the company that has been sued by inmates dozens of times since starting work at the jail five years ago, including a pending suit by the family of an inmate who died in 2013.
No information is provided as to whether any lawsuits were filed against the previous provider — Westchester Medical Center — so that 40 lawsuits were filed over 5 years does not tell us much or provide context.
We learn that the company’s initial contract was awarded without bidding because in 2010 Westchester Medical Center abruptly announced they would no longer provide medical-care services to the jail.
Not mentioned is that Ken Jenkins and the Democrats were running the County Board of Legislators at the time so if there is a conspiracy it must be a complex one.
We also learn that most of the 40 inmates represented themselves and that 27 of those 40 cases have already been dropped or dismissed.
You can read the whole thing here.
Maybe there is something to all of this but it is not evident from Bandler’s article. It appears more like this a hit piece where some the Journal News is trying to make hay out of some jailhouse lawyers, convicted criminals with time on their hands, have been filing frivolous lawsuits and a newspaper looking to take pot shots at a County Executive they have not liked from day one.
