I suspect most of this has been diaried already, but, it's too good not to repeat.
Why did the Republicans pick Charles Boustany (R, LA) to give their response to President Obama's speech on health insurance reform?
Why, indeed. Read on::
Why did the Republicans pick Charles Boustany (R, LA) to give their response to President Obama's speech on health insurance reform? Probably because he's a (mediocre) heart surgeon and they thought his credentials would lend credibility to his reponse.
http://www.southernstudies.org/...
In addition to the fact that his response received very little media coverage, there are other facts we need to examine about "Lord Charles" -- and when we look into his background we find more proof of just how bug fuck crazy the entire Republican Party really is.
"Doctor" Boustany (as he prefers to be called) is an interesting choice for the GOP rebuttal. After all, not only does he seem to enjoy seeking legal redress for some colorful problems, he's also been the defendant in at least eight malpractice suits.
Here are two of Charles Boustany’s more colorful lawsuits:
-- He sued two con artists who told him he could become a British Lord; and
-- He sued a construction company for "mental anguish" over a pool resurfacing job.
But let's not let his suits overshadow the facts that since 1992, Boustany has been sued for malpractice by eight separate patients, and, Boustany was found in fault by the state Medical Review Panel.
Boustany was found at fault by the Louisiana Medical Review Panel twice – including the case of a two-year old child on whom Boustany performed an unnecessary and debilitating heart operation, and, a woman whose right leg was amputated as the result of complications from Boustany's surgery – and patients were awarded damages totaling nearly $2 million.
-- Boustany was sued for medical malpractice for surgery performed on a child and found in fault by the state medical review board. The plaintiff received $600,000 in compensation as a result.
-- Boustany was sued for medical malpractice after a cardiac operation he performed resulted in the patient requiring her leg to be amputated. According to the state medical review board, Boustany fell below the standard of care in treating the patient, who was later awarded more than $1.2 million in damages.
In another case that was settled out of court -- Melanie Malagarie sued Boustany for medical malpractice stemming from surgery performed on her young daughter, Leonette. When Leonette was an infant she underwent heart surgery for a condition called Tetrology of Falot. The surgery was described as being a "good result," according to court documents. Shortly before Leonette turned three, Boustany recommended surgery described as a "complete repair of Tetrology of Falot."
After surgery, Leonette was reported to have suffered multiple severe damages including acute renal failure, acute respiratory failure and evidence of post-operative infections.
In 1992, the court dismissed the case because Malagarie failed to file a complaint with the state’s medical board.
Two years later, she submitted the case to Medical Review Panel, which found in her favor. The case was later dismissed after the parties settled the matter, awarding Malagarie $600,000 in compensation. Boustany’s insurer offered her $100,000 on his behalf and the Louisiana Patient’s Compensation Fund provided the other $500,000. (Melanie Malagarie v. Dr. Charles Boustany, Dr. Shannon Turney, Dr. Geeta Dalal, Lafayette General Hospital et. al, Case No: 92-5260, 15th Judicial District Court Parish of Lafayette)
BUT WAIT -- IT GETS BETTER -- Congressman Boustany once attempted to buy an English Title. There was one small problem ... it was a fraud (pdf alert).
http://www.dailykingfish.com/...
Apparently, two con artists hoodwinked dumb wealthy Americans like Congressman Boustany into believeing they could buy an English title, which would give them all sorts of goodies like being called Lord Boustany and a seat to ride in the Queen Mum's 100th Birthday celebration back in the mid-1990's.
Most millionaires like Congressman Lord Boustany would let the money go. But not Congressman Lord Boustany. Noooo.
He filed a lawsuit that never went anywhere in Lafayette Parish, and it is available to the public. Here is a link to all three pages of the complaint, but the most relevant one is page 2, which shows how much he paid for the Title - $18,500 - and lists both his name and that of his wife in the pleading, and why they are filing suit.
http://www.dailykingfish.com/...
On the other hand, maybe the Republicans selected Lord Charles for their response because of his familiarity with the health insurance industry.
As the watchdog group Public Campaign documented before the speech, Boustany has raked in $1.25 million from health and insurance interests since being elected in 2004.
http://www.reuters.com/...
Lord Charles was also a co-sponsor of legislation that included provisions for end-of-life care, or the so-called "death panels" that helped inflame opponents of the Democratic health bill.
http://thinkprogress.org/...
And you thought Joe Wilson was a piece of work !!!!!