That name...
Willeford.
Oh yeah, Pam Pitzer Willeford, huntress, witness, someone the world for some reason is totally ignoring.
She's an old Bush family friend and the Ambassador to Switzerland, yada yada. She was with Cheney when he shot Harry Whittington (probly shaving 5-10 years off his life), which was no big deal, so I'm told. So. I'm sure she's about as harmless as your average friend of Bush/Cheney. But just for fun, let's do a test-bore sample and see what that looks like exactly, an 'old Bush family friend;' other than Ken Lay that is...
And what about her husband George Willeford? Afterall, as governor of Texas, in 2000 (an important year?), Bush himself appointed George Willeford III to Texas' Managed Health Care Committee, the body that overseas University (ie hospital) interaction with Texas' now totally bankrupt prison health care system.
Here's the two usual suspects, with as usual, U.S. flags at their 'disposal.'
Official: Prisoners may get less health care
System needs a booster shot to survive, legislators told.
By Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, February 04, 2005
The University of Texas Medical Branch might have to stop providing health care at more than three-fourths of Texas' prisons if the Legislature doesn't cover the program's increasing red ink, a top official warned Thursday.
The blunt words by Dr. Ben Raimer, a vice president at the Galveston-based medical school, came after members of the House Appropriations Committee grilled officials about a November state audit that criticized how millions of dollars were spent and accounted for.
"We've lost $11 million so far this (fiscal) year," Raimer said. "If we don't get the money we've asked for, we can't continue providing the care. We can't do that (with less money) and continue providing constitutional care."
...
After leaving the hearing Thursday, Raimer said budget cuts two years ago and growing financial losses are imperiling the continued quality of care -- something UTMB cannot continue to participate in. He also complained that the audit was a "politically motivated" attempt to do away with the state's Correctional Managed Health Care Committee, which oversees university contracts to provide prison health care. Auditors said the committee had failed to properly document nearly $16 million in state money that was transferred to UTMB and Texas Tech University to cover their losses, among other issues.
Now, I don't know about you, but when I see Bush, Willeford, prison system, health care, a committee short about 20 million dollars and 16 million dollars that wasn't documented... despite all the other problems that I'm sure exist and which contribute to the failing system... I sniff a huge opportunity to steal money. Maybe even $23,200 dollars worth <gasp... feigned shock>
What's needed to cover the costs
School *2004 2005 (projected) Total
University of Texas Medical Branch $11.3 million $20.8 million $32.1 million
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center NA $1.8 million $1.8 million
Estimated funds available to offset losses $0 $2.1 million $2.1 million
Total amount needed in supplemental funding request $11.3 million $20.5 million $31.8 million
*Numbers are for the state's budget years, which run from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31
Source: Correctional Managed Health Care Committee, supplemental appropriations request to the House Appropriations Committee
So.
Lessee. In 2000 (again, an important year?), Bush appoints Willeford to a board involving the bankrupt Texas prison system which doesn't document $16 Million dollars.
Then his wife gets appointed to probably the most coveted ambasadorship position in the world (Switzerland) for donating a paltry $8,000 to Bush/Cheney.
For an interesting comparison of how much an ambassadorship costs under Bush, check this site or for a clip see the image below.
So. Bottom line?
Charles Willeford III's 'tenure' on the Managed Health Care Committee ended in January 2005.
The Texas prison health care system is bankrupt, missing about $20 million dollars ($16 million officially).
No evidence to point to Willeford being the next Jack Abramoff... none at all.
Just another of the infinite examples of where there's Republicans (ie corporatists), there's always millions of dollars missing, normally from taxpayers. This is the reason why government doesn't work. It has little do with government itself. As we see with Katrina, we need government afterall. The Republicans were wrong. And go figure, looks like they've been stealing the money all along, from anywhere their grubby hands could get at it.
Anyhow, Bush sure makes some great appointments to committees. I wonder why they never seem to leave the committees with much less than $15 million missing, or thousands of people dead?
Whatever. What do they care if our prison system is unconstitutional? It's all about getting rich and getting out. Mission Accomplished.
Let's shoot some (caged) birds (from our cars)!!
PS. Need I mention exactly why guys like Bush/Cheney (Norquist) might find it amusing to bankrupt the Texas prison health care system? I mean... a constitutional right for black people to have medical treatment while in jail? Taxpayer money spent on health care for 'criminals?' Not in their universe... not if they can help it.