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December 15, 2005
He's got MOLD on his mind!
In the "I didn't see that coming" category the Texas Hospital Association has endorsed Moldy Joe Nixon for Senate. Although Moldy Joe is not near my district, I have a very BIG interest in his anti-consumer witch hunts. I invite you to read "Say it aint Mold Joe!" that I wrote on Joe Nixon getting his home remodeled after having it was remediated for toxic mold for $300,000 paid by the insurance company. To call Texas State Representative Joe Nixon a hypocrite would be an insult to the true hypocrites of the Republican party.
Of course Joe Nixon is father of tort reform and limiting the lawsuits for medical malpractice which resulted in squat for consumers. This endorsement is clearly his payback.
Say it aint mold! Joe!
During the summer of 2001 hundreds of homeowners across Texas testified on the subject of mold contamination of their homes. Many recalled months of strange rashes, nosebleeds, and upper respiratory illnesses. Some lost their memory. Others lost their homes. And others such as the insurance lobbyists, lawyers, and tort reformers claimed, "mold is gold", and mold claims were "frivolous" based upon hysteria not scientific facts.
And then there were those who stood watching homeowners in tears pleading for help from the State, while quietly collecting their own share of the gold and conveniently ignoring the hysteria, and claims of frivolity. Such was the case of State Representative Joe Nixon (R) Houston now running for State Senator.
In 2001 while hearings and legislation was being crafted to address mold claims, Rep Nixon received over $300,000 for his own mold claim. Like many mold victims, his life was disrupted while his family spent a year in a crowded apartment during his mold remediation. But unlike many victims, he kept silent about the dangers of toxic mold, the cost of remediation, the horrible stress upon the family, and the urgent need to address mold contamination.
Rep Nixon had an opportunity, as an elected official, to address the Texas Department of Insurance during one of many historic mold hearings held across the state. His position, as a Texas Representative, would have validated the claims by other homeowners. His own experience of having his family life disrupted, his financial situation threatened, and his emotions stretched to the end would have put a halt to the false claims of "hysteria", "frivolous" and "mold is gold".
But instead he stood silently collecting his pot of gold, while others were foreclosing and struggling to keep their children in good health as well as struggling with their insurance companies.
Later in the 2003 Legislation Session, Rep Nixon sponsored the tort reform bill on behalf of the insurance industry and the tort reform groups. These were the same organizations that were claiming toxic mold was based upon hysteria and had driven up the cost of insurance forcing companies out of business. Members of these organizations testified at the mold hearings, and some were appointed to the Department of Insurance Mold Task Force. All while Rep Nixon was collecting $300,000 on his own "legitimate" claim and crafting an insurance welfare bill, House Bill 4.
To call Joe Nixon a hypocrite would be an insult to true hypocrites. How could an elected leader stand idle, with his hands buried in the pot of gold, while his people in his state are in financial ruin, poor health, and pleading for help? How could Rep Nixon ignore the hearings and families who have been ravaged financially, physically, and mentally by mold contamination while he collects on his own claim and crafts legislation on behalf of those who provided his gold?
John R. Cobarruvias.
Mr. Cobarruvias is a consumer activist as the President of Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings Texas and has testified at many hearings concerning mold contamination, insurance, tort reform and new home construction. HADDs website can be found at http://www.hadd.com/states/texas.php
Posted by John Cobarruvias at December 15, 2005 11:52 AM | Permalink
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THIS IS LAUGHABLE
Updates on this topic. Here is the email being sent about the endorsement:
Leadership, Courage, Results
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2005
Contact: Jim McGrath
713 660-0982 ofc
mcgrath@ceocommunications.com
TEXAS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION ENDORSES
REP. JOE NIXON FOR STATE SENATE IN SD7 RACE
Lawsuit Reform Leader Credited with Bringing Doctors Back to Texas,
Making Health Care More Affordable, Accessible
HOUSTON - The Texas Hospital Association, which represents more than 300,000 health care professionals across Texas, today announced it has endorsed Rep. Joe Nixon in the Senate District 7 race. (See attached letter.)
The THA cited Rep. Nixon∂s decisive leadership role in passing House Bill 4 to end frivolous lawsuits as well as the ∏Prop 12∑ constitutional amendment Joe authored to cap the non-economic damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits in 2003 as producing positive results for Texas∂ doctors and nurses and life-saving results for Texas∂ patients.
∏It∂s been two short years since Joe led HB4 and Prop 12 to passage, and already we see more doctors expanding their practices - particularly in the high risk specialties like obstetrics, neurology and neurosurgery, and emergency care,∑ said Joe A. DaSilva, CHE, CAE, senior vice president of advocacy and public policy for THA. ∏The net result is: more women across Texas are getting the prenatal care they need, and better access to care is saving more lives - thanks in no small measure to Joe Nixon.∑
Experts credit HB4 and Prop 12 with a number of positive results in Texas over just the last 24 months:
· Increased patient access to health care
· Increased ability to recruit physicians, with a 48 percent increase in general surgeons and a 35 percent increase in emergency medicine physicians
· Reduced malpractice insurance premiums for hospitals and doctors; rates dropped by 17 percent for hospitals and 28 percent for doctors for 2004-05
A 70 percent decrease in lawsuits being filed
An increase in patient safety activities, maintaining/expanding hospital services, updating of medical equipment, expanding coverage for uninsured/underinsured patients
I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the highly respected Texas Hospital Association, said Rep. Nixon. Working together, we have passed common sense laws and made a positive difference as we saw when every doctor, nurse, and nurse practitioner who recently, and selflessly, donated their services to the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita could do so with the confidence they were immune from being sued. Most importantly, health care today in Texas is becoming more affordable and accessible - that∂s the kind of effective leadership I want to bring to the Texas Senate.
Founded in 1930, the THA has been representing the interests of Texas hospitals and health systems for more than 75 years and counts more than 85 percent of Texas hospitals and health systems as members. Thousands of health care professionals turn to THA for timely information, data analysis, career-enhancing educational resources, networking and leadership opportunities. These benefits, coupled with the Association's reputation as an effective advocate, make THA the premier trade association for Texas hospitals and health care systems.
To learn more about Joe Nixon's proven record of conservative leadership and positive results, please go to www.joenixon.com
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Posted by: John Cobarruvias at December 15, 2005 09:28 PM
We're almost at the end of Moldy's time "serving" us.
He's going to lose to an even bigger right-wing freak -- Dan Patrick -- in the primary for the Senate seat that Jon Lindsay is abandoning.
And we'll be replacing him in the House with Kristi Sliva-Thibault.
Posted by: PDiddie at December 16, 2005 10:11 AM