FL-10 U.S. Rep. C. W. "Bill" Young knew about the problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but he didn’t do anything about it for fear of embarrassing the Army. It’s time we did something about him.
FL-10 U.S. Rep. C. W. "Bill" Young knew about the problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but he didn’t do anything about it for fear of embarrassing the Army. It’s time we did something about him.
Young was more worried about the potential public relations disaster than he was about wounded soldiers falling out of their beds and sleeping in their own urine at the our nation’s premier military hospital.
Though the Florida Democratic Party does appreciate Rep. Young’s astute, razor-sharp sense of political PR, his silence on this issue is a moral outrage. Most Americans would agree that our heroes should come before politics. It’s simple human decency, and if our members of Congress don’t understand that, they need to be fired.
Many people on Kos and other blogs have written about this. Rep. Young’s district, Florida’s 10th (Pinellas County), leans Democratic and could be extremely competitive in 2008. Now we’re asking you to help turn up the heat on Rep. Young to get the ball rolling.
Some might give Rep. Young and his wife, Beverly, credit for realizing there was a problem and at least making an initial attempt to correct it, but Young’s decision to stay quiet is a disgrace. They saw the problems first hand years ago, but, despite Young’s powerful position on the Appropriations Committee, didn’t fix the problem.
The Washington Post, which first broke the scandal publicly March 1, 2007, reported:
"Beverly Young said she complained to [Walter Reed commander, Lt. Gen. Kevin C.] Kiley several times. She once visited a soldier who was lying in urine on his mattress pad in the hospital. When a nurse ignored her, Young said, ‘I went flying down to Kevin Kiley’s office again, and got nowhere. He has skirted this stuff for five years and blamed everyone else.’"
This would be admirable if it weren’t for the fact that Rep. Young publicly praised Lt. Gen. Kiley on Jan. 19, 2007, years after he and his wife recognized the problems first hand, but prior to the Post’s report. At a House subcommittee meeting, according to ThinkProgress.com, Young noted that he had known Lt. Gen. Kiley "very, very well over the years," and lauded him for being "committed to providing our war heroes with the very, very best medical care that is possible."
This is inexcusable. Our heroes and all Americans deserve better.
The Florida Democratic Party is unveiling a website this morning (www.fladems.com/young) with a compilation of information about Rep. Young’s indefensible involvement in the Walter Reed scandal. We’ll try to keep it updated as much as possible (your suggestions are appreciated). Please read this information and use it to up the pressure on Rep. Young.
It’s simple. You can use our website to fire off letters to multiple newspaper editors nationally, in Pinellas County, and in your hometown. Go here:
Do it right now. If we don’t speak up, we’re as bad as Bill Young. Our nation’s bravest deserve better.
Sincerely,
Congresswoman Karen L. Thurman
Chair, Florida Democratic Party
P.S. - As always, contributions are appreciated. We’re actively preparing for the 2008 elections (and winning local elections in 2007 along the way!), and we need all the financial help we can get.