Subject: Dr. Coburn asks HHS to probe AIDS Legal Referral Panel
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 19:37:23 EDT

August 10, 2000

Honorable Tom Coburn, MD
US House of Representatives
429 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Dr. Coburn:

Thanks for requesting that Health and Human Services investigate how Ryan 
White CARE Act funds are used by San Francisco's AIDS Legal Referral Panel.

Please also ask HHS to investigate if any of the $200,000 in Ryan White CARE 
Act money awarded this fiscal year to the AIDS Legal Referral Panel is in any 
manner assisting the personal political agenda of Ms. Eileen Hansen, public 
policy director for the panel. Hansen is running for the San Francisco Board 
of Supervisors and there are numerous indicators she may be using her 
position at the panel and Ryan White dollars to win elective office.

As you may recall, millions of Ryan White dollars sent to Puerto Rico in the 
1990s was diverted away from vital health care programs for people with AIDS, 
and federal AIDS dollars were spent instead on political campaigns. With very 
little oversight for Ryan White funded programs in San Francisco, I fear 
Hansen and her legal group may be as corrupt as officials in Puerto Rico.

It would also be great to know why Hansen has not resigned her Ryan White 
funded position until after her election, if only to avoid the appearance of 
using her job to advance her political aspirations. Perhaps it is time to 
mandate in the CARE Act that any high level executives of AIDS organizations 
receiving Ryan White funds seeking political office must step down from their 
job until after election day.

I look forward to the HHS investigation of Hansen and the AIDS Legal Referral 
Panel.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
www.AIDS-Statistics.com
Ph.: 415-621-6267 

    *    *   *
Subj:    Request for an HHS Investigation into the AIDS Legal Referral Pan el
Date:   8/10/00 2:53:25 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:   [email-masked] (Foster, Roland)

The following letter regarding the violation of federal law by the AIDS
Legal Referral Panel of the San Francisco Bay Area was sent to Secretary
Shalala today.

August 10, 2000

The Honorable Donna E. Shalala
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201

Dear Secretary Shalala,

    I am writing to request an investigation into a misuse of federal
funds by an organization which has clearly violated federal law.

    As you know, federal law states that no part of any appropriation
shall be used for publicity and propaganda purposes designed to support or
defeat legislation pending before the Congress or any State legislation.

    The AIDS Legal Referral Panel of the San Francisco Bay Area, which
this year received over $200,000 in Ryan White CARE Act funds,  is actively
lobbying members of both the House of Representative and the U.S. Senate in
an effort to defeat a measure that would protect women and children from
HIV.  I have attached copies of a fax, an e-mail and a group sign on letter
that the organization has sent to numerous congressional offices along with
several news articles that quote from a press release distributed by the
AIDS Legal Referral Panel.

    Regardless of the great merits of this proposal which will save
hundreds of lives every year, the AIDS Legal Referral Panel has clearly
violated federal law.  I am requesting an immediate intervention by the
Department, including an investigation of current and potential previous
violations of law by this organization.  I would also request that the AIDS
Legal Referral Panel be asked to refund all of the CARE Act grant which it
has recieved this year so that this money can be spent on patient care as it
was intended.  Furthermore, I would expect that this group be permanently
prohibited from receiving any future federal funds.

    Recent reports from officials within San Francisco have compared the
city's HIV infection rate to sub-Saharan Africa.  If this is indeed the
case, it is even more disturbing that an organization receiving federal
funds is involved in a lobbying scheme against legislation that would
actually prevent new infections and save lives.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.  I look forward to a
timely resolution and a response.

        Sincerely,

        Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
        Vice Chair
        Commerce Subcommittee on Health & Environment

Enclosures
====================

Michael Petrelis
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www.AIDS-statistics.com 
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