“They’re trying to hide something.”

I want to give you the back story to our follow-up today into the death of the eighty-two-year-old patient at San Francisco’s Laguna Honda; last week, we also explored whether budget cuts played a role in what happened.

We went to a meeting of the hospital’s oversight committee this morning. The chairman of the Joint Conference Committee, Dr. Edward Chow, announced they were going into closed session to discuss the case. The meeting’s agenda spelled out what should have happened. After the closed session, the committee should have reconvened in open session for a “possible report on action taken in closed session” and a “vote to elect whether to disclose any or all discussions held in closed session.” They had a duty under the law to reveal what happened in that closed session or publicly hold a vote to keep it secret.

I sat there watching the door to the conference room for about half an hour, and was quite surprised when the door opened and the committee members left for the day. I approached Dr. Chow to complain. His answer? "We have voted not to disclose any issues that were discussed at the closed session.” Dan: "But, you have to come back into open session and say what you did." Dr. Chow: "We did." Dan: "Well, the door wasn't open." Dr. Chow: "Sorry."

This is no small matter, according to the head of the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force. Doug Comstock tells us, “That’s totally illegal. That subverts the whole process.”

It’s also interesting that – right there on the Joint Committee’s agenda, under “Know Your Rights Under The Sunshine Ordinance” – they wrote, “The government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public.” That didn’t happen today.

San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew says he’s concerned about the transparency of this issue: “I'm just dumbfounded they had a closed session and when they came out of closed session that they didn't have a public hearing on this issue. I think it's time for the Board of Supervisors to act and get involved in this thing. I think we need to get down to the bottom of this. … I think it's pretty obvious, if they're holding closed door meetings, they're trying to hide something.”

Comments

[sfmike]

Dear Dave/Davw: If you're going to hound Dan Noyes about the death of the lazy, thieving of the public, depressed, tragic Ken Bostock, at least get the suicidal bridge right the first time. Jeesh.

[Susan Welch]

Good for Gavin, ignoring Dan Noyes at today's press conference. My husband and I are loyal San Jose viewers of ABC7, and Dan Noyes has become so obnoxious and personal in his hounding of San Francisco's mayor in recent months that we have been tempted to write many times. Tonight's the night for us to post our comments about Noyes.

He's become progressively more personal and less professional over the past several months, and I don't blame Gavin for not treating Noyes as a legitimate reporter any more. I plan on leaving the room any time Dan Noyes is on, and wonder why ABC7 continues to employ him.

[KHZ]

What is getting lost in the off-topic bickering is Laguna Honda's long-term policy of covering up resident injuries and deaths.

Questions are not answered. If a reporter can't get a straight answer, imagine how difficult it is for a family member.

Trying to report abuses to the state is an exercise in futility.

And that is only a last resort because there is the perception that there are reprecussions for complaining.

When my mother died unneccesarily a few years ago, Laguna Honda conveniently lost her records for a while. The pattern of these two deaths is a familiar one to people who have loved ones at Laguna Honda.

I hope Dan Noyes lifts the rock and shines some light on what goes on at Laguna Honda.

[deadseniorstorage]

Of course he doesn't want to talk about this. Sure Suzie and other Gavin apologists can't stand that Mayor McDreamy might not be perfect, and like to play the "lalala I can't hear you game" when facts come out but here is the sad truth - the city has been warehousing dangerous violent homeless people at Laguna Honda in violation of the rules. We voted for and have allocated millions of dollars to a mental health homeless facility that never materialized. And Gavin McDreamy has to keep promises to get those darn homeless off so he put them in with vulnerable seniors -and the abuse and deaths won't stop!

Sorry if finding the truth out instead of sucking up to elected officials makes you tearful, Suzie, but guess what? This is not Russia or China, or Nazi Germany, and people have a right to get in the face of the well paid elitists that are supposedly working for US.

Put that in your GavinCrack pipe and smoke it, Suzie, Dave and you other people who just want to suck up to Gavin, regardless of the facts.

[Anonymous]

I completely agree with Susan Welch. Dan Noyes is so obnoxious and personal in his ridiculous attacks on Gavin Newsom. He acts like he is some cutthroat investigative reporter, but he's simply a hack.

[Michael Federle]

People who are 80 plus years old die all the time since their time is up.If one wants to live longer ,you have to work at keeping your body and mind young and not be in a facility like Laguna Honda.Last week I skiied with my 85 year ols Uncle who had already skiied 130 days for the season at Copper Mountain ,Co.He is healthy ,wealthy and wise not to mention has a blast every day.The folks at Laguna Honda ,VA Hospital and other places try their very best to make their charges happy and live as long as possible.They cry when their patients pass away because they have lived with thenm for years.To go at Gavin about any of these facilities is stupid and politically motivated.He is not a Doctor or service provider.In reality ,Gavin would do anything he could to help anyone.

Potholes,bums,crime,drug adled bicycle messenger thugs,scofflaws in power,idiotic sexual romps of young single people,mea culpas to the press ,and the appointed morons that work in the city bureaucracy because they have friends in power would be appropriate fodder to go at Gavin about.This beautiful city has become the laughing stock of all cities in America while Gavin satiates his lust and plays footsie with the great cognicenti of San Francisco including his lofty Bigamist benefactor.These people could care less about the City and yet get all his attention since they have money and power-the moth to the flame syndrome.I say Dede Wilsey for Mayor next time.Love her or hate her,She is a real person who gets things done as opposed to the blabber coming from the Rotunda.She is very much like Mayor Diane in the respect.We must do everything that we can to avoid having Ross Mirkarimi or one of the creepy, anocentric morons on the Board of Supervisors get into power.It takes a full time committment to the City and all its residents to be an effective Mayor and while everyone loves the little boy in the Rotunda on a personal level,he is not doing his job because he isn't and wasn't qualified.Annoying Dan is doing no good for anyone except himself either.Dan,if you had any gravitas at all ,you would try help rather than destroy the Mayor who is obviously way over his head.I do beleive based on 40 years as a San Francisco resident and supporter that everyone is revolted by the whole lot of you.

[Dick]

An example of liberal hypocracy, get this. Edwards is falling all over himself trying to convince youthat Fox News is a right wing newscast and therefore not worthy of being a sponsor of debates. Meanwhile Jane Fonda won't speak with Fox news reporters.
Yet these same exemplary individuals have the indecency to critisise our own president for refusing to meet with nut-job and asswad. George Bush has never been mean nasty or rude during his term.
All we are saying is the mayor was elected to the mayorship of all San Fransisco and needs to be able to answer any question put to him about public business when put to him by a qualified member of the media.

[Dick]

Michael Federle, You are too young to know yet what it is you don't know. The only conclusion that you are able to come up with is to vote for whatever schmuck the democrats throw up on the ballot. You do this because after all, you are a good person and damn it we need more good persons in office. What you don't know is what is at that the heart of all hate and anger in this world. Now I'll tell you something. The dems don't care about you. The pubs try for a big picture just like the dems do, just a different picture. Don't assume the dems are able to understand the pubs. But I can guarantee you the pubs do understand the dems and the picture if carried thru to it's ultimate end with the dems in charge, the world will have lost the single most valuable tool in God's great toolbox. And even if you don't understand what God represents then know this. There is no other force for good that comes even close to what America is and all the wishful thinking you could possibly do will never replace the bible and yada yada yada, you are not listening any more but ask for help in this country and keep askin for help until you are on your own two feet and then look to see who helped you stand. It will not have been the socialists, the anti-war types nor the lesbis or the jihadis not the bush haters. I know you had a upper middle class upbringing with lots of breaks, bells and whistles so don't blow it, don't be a jerk, don't be a failure, and remembrer that Gavin is not a role model but worse yet, had he been a republican he would have stepped down for the good of the city. I like the city fine but any great city deserves a grown up in charge but all SF got is a poseur, a schmuck and an ass. Good luck with my rant, I thought I could help you see things more clearly. and yes I'll hear lots of cursing here I suppose, but really I"ve heard it before from the unhinged and bankrupt left. Mahalo